Lookingglass Theatre Company Unveils New Leadership Structure

Lookingglass Theatre Company has revealed a new leadership structure that brings together four longtime members of its ensemble and new Board leadership, marking the next chapter for the Tony Award-winning Chicago theater company.

Ensemble Members Ericka Ratcliff and David Catlin have been elected Co-Artistic Directors. Former Lookingglass Creative Producer Philip R. Smith will become Executive Director and Ensemble Member and co-founder David Schwimmer will serve as Producing Director. Most recently, Ratcliff was Literary Manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. David Catlin was the founding co-Artistic Director of Lookingglass, then served as Artistic Director from 2003-2010 and is a tenured Associate Professor and Head of Acting at Northwestern University. Philip R. Smith has been the Associate Director of Advancement at Writers Theatre after decades of working in multiple leadership roles at Lookingglass.

Lookingglass also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors, with Marci Masur serving as Board President and Deann Bayless as Board Chair.

The transition comes as Ensemble Member Kasey Foster completes her three-year term as Artistic Director, during which Lookingglass emerged from its post-pandemic pause, returned to producing and laid the groundwork for an ambitious new era for the company. Artistic Directors at Lookingglass are elected by the company's ensemble to three-year terms.

The new leadership structure comes at a moment of renewed artistic and institutional momentum for Lookingglass, building on nearly four decades of boundary-pushing work while setting the stage for an ambitious future. In 2026, Lookingglass celebrated two successful productions in its recently renovated space and hosted the most successful gala in its history. The company also recently signed a new 20-year lease at the Water Tower Water Works, securing its home for the next generation of Lookingglass artists and audiences, while exploring expanded programming, partnerships and earned-revenue opportunities designed to support continued artistic and institutional growth.

Ratcliff and Catlin will share responsibility for the artistic vision and programming of Lookingglass, extending the company's deeply collaborative approach to its artistic leadership. Together, the four leaders bring decades of experience as artists, directors and producers at Lookingglass, pairing deep institutional knowledge with distinct perspectives and a shared commitment to the company's defining values of collaboration, transformation and invention as they build on Lookingglass’s artistic legacy and shape what comes next.

“What excites me most about stepping into this role is the sheer range of talent in this Ensemble, and the opportunity to figure out together how we can continue to create the settings for risk, experimentation and ambitious work that might feel impossible anywhere else,” comments Ratcliff. “That is the unique power of Lookingglass. The impossible is the point, but the purpose is what makes the risk matter. We want to honor the history and DNA of Lookingglass and continue to push it forward, giving our artists and collaborators room to make work that surprises us, challenges us and feels deeply connected to this city.”

As Producing Director, Schwimmer will build on his renewed involvement with Lookingglass, focusing on producing, partnerships, fundraising and expanding opportunities for the company's work and artists. Earlier this year, the Lookingglass co-founder described his renewed commitment to the company as “doubling down,” as he expanded his involvement and efforts to strengthen the theater's long-term sustainability.

As Executive Director, Smith will oversee the company's administrative and organizational operations, working alongside Ratcliff, Catlin and Schwimmer to support Lookingglass's artistic ambitions and long-term institutional growth. Smith has been involved in the artistic leadership of Lookingglass since 2000 and has helped produce more than 70 productions for the company.

Lookingglass also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors, with Marci Masur serving as Board President and Deann Bayless as Board Chair. Masur and Bayless bring extensive experience spanning business, philanthropy, civic engagement and Chicago's arts community and will work alongside the company's new leadership team as Lookingglass continues to strengthen its institutional foundation and expand its reach.

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