Leadership Transition Revealed at The Providence Performing Arts Center

Joseph W. Walsh, Esq., Chair of the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) Board of Directors, has announced that as of December 31, 2025, long-time President and CEO J.L. “Lynn” Singleton will leave that position and as of January 1, 2026, General Manager Alan J. Chille will take the helm as President and CEO of PPAC.

Walsh said, “Our Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge Lynn’s outstanding vision and leadership, which paved the way for PPAC to build on its previous foundation to become the highly respected world-class venue that it is today.”

Singleton joined the Providence Performing Arts Center as Executive Director in May 1983, later becoming its President and CEO. Under the leadership of Singleton and the Board of Directors, the nearly $8 million stagehouse expansion project was completed in the mid-1990’s; this project required moving the Theatre’s back wall by 12’, modernizing and expanding the backstage area. This stagehouse expansion project was vitally important in making it possible for PPAC to book and present national touring blockbuster musicals like THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, Disney’s THE LION KING, WICKED and other large scale productions which in turn helped to increase the number of season subscribers as well as overall attendance. 

Since 2008, 24 national tours have opened or launched at PPAC, including LES MISÉRABLES (2017), TINA – THE Tina Turner MUSICAL (2022) and A BEAUTIFUL NOISE – THE Neil Diamond MUSICAL (2024), among many others. In 2011, Singleton successfully led an initiative to expand Rhode Island’s film tax credit to include the opening of national Broadway tours – the first show presented at PPAC to benefit from the tax credit was ELF: The Musical in 2012.  Each tour opening delivers an economic boost to the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island, with audiences, performers and creative team members frequenting local restaurants and hotels and using parking facilities.

Singleton said, “As an organization, we have been fortunate to benefit from two chairmen, the late Governor Bruce G. Sundlun (from 1978–1991) and Joseph W. Walsh (1991–present). Joe’s leadership and wisdom for the past 35 years have guided our transition from a small arts organization to a world-class, respected performing arts center. I wish to thank Joe and the Board of Directors for their confidence and support, as they have been instrumental to our success. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to the entire PPAC staff, whose dedication, talent and unwavering commitment make our achievements possible and bring our mission to life every day.”

In 1989, Sundlun, the PPAC Board of Directors and Singleton founded Professional Facilities Management (PFM), Inc. PFM is a wholly owned subsidiary of PPAC specializing in venue management and booking. Singleton will remain in his current position as PFM President and CEO.  PFM currently manages nine venues across the country, including The VETS in Providence, Rhode Island, the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, Florida and The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) in Durham, North Carolina; PFM works in partnership with The Nederlander Organization in managing DPAC.

In announcing Chille’s appointment as PPAC’s new President and CEO, effective as of the first of the year, Walsh said, “Alan has served as PPAC’s General Manager for over 41 years and has first hand knowledge of managing all administrative aspects of PPAC, including overseeing day-to-day operations.  It is rare to have this type of in-depth, institutional and experiential knowledge in a successor, so we are very fortunate and confident that Alan’s appointment will ensure seamless continuity at PPAC.”

Chille said, “I am honored by the recognition of our Board of Directors in choosing me to become the new leader of PPAC and I am deeply appreciative to Lynn for the opportunity to work collaboratively during all these years and for his confidence in supporting me as his successor. My intention is to continue with and build upon, with the entire PPAC staff, all the great work we have accomplished together.”

Rhode Island Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. SWEENEY TODD (East End Theatre and Performing Arts)

13% of votes

2. THE WIZARD OF OZ (Stadium Theatre)

12.6% of votes

3. THE LITTLE MERMAID (Stadium Theatre)

10.8% of votes

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