New York Times Reassigns Chief Theatre Critic Jesse Green In Arts Desk Shakeup

According to Variety, Jesse Green will be reassigned from his role as chief theatre critic at The New York Times. He is one of four veteran critics being reassigned to new roles in the newsroom, alongside television critic Margaret Lyons, pop music critic Jon Pareles, and classical music critic Zachary Woolfe.

The paper announced the restructuring this week in an internal memo outlining a major shift in its arts and culture coverage. A search is now underway for his replacement. Green has held the title since 2017, when he succeeded longtime critic Ben Brantley. 

“These critics are best in class, and we are so proud of their excellent body of work,” said culture editor Sia Michel in the memo. While new roles for the four critics have not been detailed, Michel emphasized the need to bring “different perspectives to core disciplines” as the Times evolves its coverage beyond traditional reviews to include essays, video, and new formats.

The reorganization comes amid a changing cultural landscape, where legacy institutions face disruption and audiences are increasingly fragmented across platforms. “Our readers are hungry for trusted guides to help them make sense of this complicated landscape,” Michel wrote.

The Times has not announced a timeline for naming a new chief theatre critic, but searches for all four beats are expected to begin in the coming weeks.