NNPN Announces Nan Barnett as New Executive Director

The NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK (NNPN), the country's alliance of non-profit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, has named Nan Barnett as the new Executive Director.

Nan is the past President of the Board of NNPN, leading its rise to prominence and positioning its member theaters as major innovators in the new play universe. Nan replaces Jason Loewith, who has served as ED since 2009 and is leaving to become the Artistic Director of the Olney Theatre Center in Maryland.

"The entire membership was unanimous in their zeal over the selection of Nan Barnett as NNPN's Executive Director," says Board President Tina Parker, Artistic Director of Dallas' Kitchen Dog Theater. "Her leadership led to the maturation of the Network and its role in the proliferation of the new play universe in America."

Nan Barnett comes to NNPN from Actors Express in Atlanta, where she has been Executive Director during its 25th Anniversary season. Nan was a founding member and became Managing Director of Florida Stage in Manalapan, Florida, which was the nation's largest regional theatre producing exclusively new and developing works. Although it ceased operations in 2011, Florida Stage was renowned as one of the finest incubators of new plays from both emerging and established playwrights, fearless developer of small musicals, careful cultivator of artists, and prolific provider of issue-driven, thought-provoking theatre in the new play field.

Nan Barnett is the Past President of Florida Professional Theatre Association and was presented by that organization with the 2012 Fallon Award Winner for Outstanding Service to Professional Theatre in Florida. Nan holds a BFA from the North Carolina School of the Arts Professional Actors Training Program.

NNPN is housed in Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC. Nan Barnett will join General Manager Jojo Ruf in May.