PTC Adds David Cohen & Stephen Mcconnell to Board

Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) is pleased to announce the election of David L. Cohen and Stephen J. McConnell to its Board of Directors. David Cohen will serve as Vice Chairman of the Board. E. Gerald Riesenbach continues as Chairman of the Board and Elliot Schwartz as President.

"We could not be more delighted to welcome David and Steve to the PTC Board," Riesenbach said. "Each of them brings unparalleled skills and experience that will support PTC's continued growth as the region's top producer of new American plays and musicals. We look forward to having the extraordinary benefit of their ideas and advice as we take the next steps in implementing PTC's exciting plans for the future."

David Cohen, a resident of the West Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia, is Senior Executive Vice President of Comcast Corporation where he is responsible for corporate communications, government and regulatory affairs, public affairs, legal affairs, corporate administration and community investment and serves as senior counselor to the CEO. He previously served as a partner in and Chairman of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. Among his many community leadership roles are serving as Chairman of the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and its Executive Committee; a member of the Trustee Board and the Executive Committee of Penn Medicine; and serving on both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. He is also Chair of the Corporate Board of Advisors of the National Council of La Raza and serves on the national boards of the National Urban League and City Year. His numerous awards for public service include the National Urban League of Philadelphia Business Leader of the Year Award (2008), the William Penn Award from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (2012) and the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award (2012). He holds honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Drexel University and Rider University.

Stephen J. McConnell, who resides in Berwyn, PA, is a partner in Reed Smith, a more than 125-year-old Global Top 50 Law Firm where he defends clients in product liability and mass tort litigation. He has also handled securities litigation, complex commercial litigation and white collar criminal litigation. He served from 1992 to 1997 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California (Los Angeles) where he investigated and prosecuted criminal cases in the Major Frauds Section. He served as counsel to the independent Christopher Commission, which investigated the Los Angeles Police Department in 1991 and as deputy general counsel to the independent Kolts Commission which investigated the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 1992. He has worked extensively in the area of liability for sales and marketing practices and is a member of the Advisory Board of Villanova University's Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights. Called "extremely smart and strategic" and "a very effective and experienced trial lawyer" by The Legal 500, he has been recognized since 2007 as one of the Best Lawyers in America for product liability litigation and since 2009 has been selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. He is also a regular contributor to the award-winning Drug and Device Law blog. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College and received his law degree from University of Chicago Law School where he was a member of the Law Review.

Founded in 1974, Philadelphia Theatre Company is a leading regional theatre company that produces, develops and presents entertaining and imaginative contemporary theatre focused on the American experience. By developing new work through commissions, readings and workshops, PTC generates a national impact and reaches broad regional audiences. Under the guidance of PTC's Executive Producing Director, Sara Garonzik, since 1982 and Executive Managing Director Priscilla M. Luce, who joined the leadership team in April 2013, PTC supports the work of a growing body of diverse dramatists and takes pride in being a home to many nationally recognized artists who have participated in more than 140 world and Philadelphia premieres. PTC has received 57 Barrymore Awards and 180 nominations. PTC's home on the Avenue of the Arts, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, which opened in October 2007, has helped revitalize Center City Philadelphia as a thriving arts district.

For further information, please call 215-735-7356.

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