Roundabout Theatre Company has appointed Tony winner Christopher Ashley as their new Artistic Director, effective July 2026.
Ashley, whose direction of Come From Away took home top honors in 2017, has spent the last 17 years as artistic director of California's La Jolla Playhouse.
Said Ashley, “I am honored and exhilarated to step into the role of Artistic Director at Roundabout Theater Company. Under Todd Haimes’ leadership, Roundabout has become a home for an extraordinary array of artists, working in five beautiful theatres on and off Broadway. I look forward to collaborating with Scott Ellis on programming the 2026-27 season and joining Sydney Beers, Chris Nave, and the superb staff full time in July 2026. As we navigate this moment of immense change in the American theatre, I hope that Roundabout can be a town square, where urgent questions can be investigated, the joy of live theatre can be shared, and we can together find community and hope.”
Roundabout recently changed the name of its Broadway theatre to the Todd Haimes Theatre, in honor and memory of the company's late artistic director who passed away in April 2023 at the age of 66. Mr. Haimes, known for his tireless work transforming Roundabout from a 150-seat Off-Broadway company into one of the largest not-for-profit theatres in the country, led Roundabout for 39 years. Read Mr. Haimes' complete Playbill obituary here.
Ellis, Roundabout's current interim artistic director, longtime associate artistic director and dear friend of Haimes, will continue in his interim role for the 2025-26 season. Ellis will collaborate with Ashley programming the 2026-27 season while Ashley completes his tenure at La Jolla Playhouse.
Roundabout's Board of Directors conducted an exhaustive year-long international search in order to appoint their new leadership, with the search conducted by the board in collaboration with Management Consultants for the Arts. The Roundabout search committee included Board of Directors members Kitty Patterson Kempner, Thomas E. Tuft, Lawrence Kaplen, Stephanie Kramer, Johannes Worsoe, LaChanze and Mary C. Solomon.
Ashley has an extensive history throughout the American theatre industry. In his work at La Jolla, he has premiered an array of new works (including The Outsiders and Here There are Blueberries, which both arrived in New York this past year) from a variety of influential artists as Tina Landau, Lisa Sanaye Dring, Joe Iconis, Sonya Tayeh, Anna Deveare Smith, Kimber Lee, and Charlayne Woodard; directing international hit musicals as Come From Away, The Rocky Horror Show, and Memphis; and creating space for new immersive and site-specific experiences at the La Jolla Playhouse through the Without Walls (WOW) program he launched in 2011.
Said Kitty Patterson Kempner, Roundabout's Board of Directors Chair, “As our country’s largest and most influential not-for-profit theatre company, we understand how important this decision is to the cultural landscape of New York City and to the future of theatre. On behalf of our Board of Directors, we are proud of the thoughtful process we took to name Christopher as our incoming artistic director. Christopher impressed us with his appreciation for Roundabout’s history and for our potential as a theatrical community with many unique voices—and as a national theatre for America. He also leads with kindness and compassion, two qualities Todd treasured most. As a long-time leader of La Jolla Playhouse, he is also well suited to lead our complex network of off-stage activities including education, workforce development, and industry innovation.”
“Our gratitude to Scott Ellis, who immediately stepped in after Todd passed, whose first Roundabout production was She Loves Me in 1993, over 30 years ago; is infinite,” added Kempner. “Our confidence in Christopher Ashley is boundless. And we extend our deep gratitude to the entire Roundabout staff for the commitment and care they have demonstrated during this difficult time.”
In collaboration with Ashley, Ellis, Sydney Beers, and Chris Nave, the Board’s next step is to find a new managing director. Ellis will continue his leadership responsibilities alongside Executive Producer Sydney Beers, Chief Advancement Officer Chris Nave, as well as Chief Administrative Officer Steven Showalter, and the artistic staff including Director of Artistic Producing Nicole Tingir MacMillan and Director of Play Development Abigail Katz.
