KCRep Announces Change in Leadership

The Board of Directors of Kansas City Repertory Theatre today announced that Dr. Eric Rosen, KCRep's Artistic Director, will be departing the organization to return to New York, where he will pursue other projects. The Board has named Associate Artistic Director Jason Chanos to Interim Artistic Director and is conducting a national search for a visionary artistic director. Chanos will partner with current Executive Director Angela Lee Gieras to lead the organization in the interim.

"The Board of Directors at Kansas City Repertory Theatre is grateful for Eric's many contributions during his ten years of leadership. His artistic mastery has been instrumental in moving KCRep into its preeminent position as a producer of innovative classic plays and musicals and developer of new plays," said Board Vice Chair, Scott Hall. "We have the great fortune of harnessing Jason Chanos's tremendous leadership abilities and passion to guide our continued momentum."

Prior to joining KCRep in 2015, Chanos was a movie, television and stage actor who performed often in Kansas City and who taught at Pepperdine University. He earned a bachelor's degree in theater from the University of Northern Colorado and a master's degree from the graduate actor training program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

"I appreciate the opportunity to lead KCRep during this pivotal time," said Chanos. "Eric has set a standard for pioneering great new works, as well as bold and challenging pieces, and that will not change. With the health and stability of the organization, we're in a great place to spread our wings and fly in new and exciting directions."

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"Being at the helm of KCRep is among the greatest professional adventures of my life, and I am immensely proud of the work we have done together," said Rosen. "We've grown the company's national profile, expanded our impact in the region, created facilities that are able to support the next generation of theater artists, and produced artistic work of the highest level of innovation and excellence," he continued. "With the birth of our son, my husband and I decided to move closer to East Coast family and continue our careers there. I know KCRep is well positioned to continue its dynamic growth."

The KCRep has seen tremendous artistic and financial growth over the past decade, growing from an annual budget of under $6M to nearly $9M. Two of the largest campaigns in the company's history resulted in the transformation of the company's Spencer Theater and the dramatic expansion of educational and new works programming. World premieres at KCRep have gone on to stages around the country, most notably in New York at LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater, four productions at The Public Theater, and one production on Broadway.

The list of living playwrights who have had their work produced at KCRep includes some of the most exciting artists in the field, like Ayad Akhtar, Christina Anderson, Larissa Fasthorse, Nathan Louis Jackson, Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel, Nathan Tysen, Michael Benjamin Washington, David Cale, Kara Lee Corthron, Michael Friedman, The Civilians, Rinne Groff, and many others.

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