Imagination Stage Reveals New Leadership

Imagination Stage Board President, Dr. Kim W. Barnette proudly announces the selection of Joanne Seelig Lamparter as Chief Artistic Programming Officer of Imagination Stage, the nationally-prominent regional theatre and positive youth development powerhouse. Seelig Lamparter will advance the vision and mission of Imagination Stage by determining and implementing the programmatic vision for the organization and will lead the curation of all programming initiatives as well as oversee the artistic, production, and education departments.  

Janet Stanford, Imagination Stage's Founding Artistic Director, who is retiring on May 31 after over 30 years with the organization, believes that “Joanne is a dedicated and trusted leader in our arts community with a profound love of all children. She has the vision and the skills to take Imagination Stage youth development programming to new heights. The organization is lucky to have her and so are our young people. Watch her. She will perform wonders!”

Seelig Lamparter says, “as a former student, educator and administrator of Imagination Stage, I am humbled and excited to carry forward the enormous legacy of Founder Bonnie Fogel and Founding Artistic Director Janet Stanford. These women have been incredible leaders and mentors. We will continue to produce high quality artistic, education and social justice work to ensure that children have the opportunity to discover their voice and identity through the performing arts. By deepening and broadening our partnerships with schools, Health and Human Services agencies, non profits, and communities we will continue to grow access points for youth and families across the DMV.”

Seelig Lamparter joined Imagination Stage in 2014. In her role as Artistic Director of Education and Theatre for Change, she has led the organization's school and community partnerships, theatre arts training programs, and touring productions for teens that deal with social justice topics. She has produced and overseen the development of three new plays under the Theatre for Change umbrella, reached over 60,000 students in DCPS and MCPS through the Learning through Theatre program, and created new programming in partnership with correctional facilities, Health and Human Services and Metropolitan Police Department. Under Joanne's leadership, Imagination Stage's youth programming has been featured at international festivals, national conferences,on Capitol Hill, and at local universities. Since beginning at Imagination Stage, she has doubled the income of its educational programs.  

An arts educator with over 20 years of experience, she has administered programs for Smithsonian, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The National Building Museum and Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, as well as been a research assistant with Harvard University's Project Zero. Joanne has served as a grants panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, Theatre Communications Group, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Maryland State Arts Council. Joanne is a Board Member of TYA/USA, a Global Connectivity Task Force Member for Theatre Communications Group, and a Commissioner for Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes Committee of the Mayor's Office of DC. Joanne currently serves as a theatre education advisor for PBSKids series Pinkalicious and the upcoming Acoustic Rooster. She holds a Masters in Arts in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Washington University.

Imagination Stage's Board of Directors will now search for a new co-leader on the management side of the organization, to replace Managing Director Jason Najjoum, who has left the organization to pursue new endeavors. Barnette expressed gratitude for Najjoum's “providing strong business leadership, enhancing structural processes and helping to rebuild the organization during the tumultuous post-pandemic period as we transitioned to full in-person programming.”

Stanford, Seelig Lamparter, Fogel and other women who have made significant contributions to Imagination Stage will be celebrated at the organization's upcoming Annual Gala on May 10, 2024 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. For more information and to support this event, please contact Emma Cummings at ecummings@imaginationstage.org.

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