Theatre Philadelphia Names Darnelle Radford As New Executive Director

​After an extensive national search, the Board of Theatre Philadelphia has named Darnelle Radford as the organization's new Executive Director. A longtime advocate for the city's arts scene, Radford brings nearly two decades of experience as a theater producer, media entrepreneur, and arts administrator to the role.

Radford is best known as the founder of Represented Theatre Company and Em3ry, a media company producing acclaimed podcasts including Rep Radio, The Business of Theater, Broad Street Review Podcast, and A Working Title. His work has consistently centered on amplifying the voices of Philadelphia's artists and fostering conversations around the future of theater.

Most recently, Radford served as Director of Operations at Theatre Exile, South Philadelphia's only professional theater company, where he oversaw day-to-day operations and technical systems. His extensive experience also includes collaborations with leading cultural organizations such as The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Freedom Theatre, Historic Philadelphia, Inc., The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and the City of Philadelphia's COVID Containment Division.

Radford holds degrees in Multimedia and Web Design from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and Arts Administration from New York University.

“Since 2005, I have found ways to be a part of our theater community,” says Radford. “From founding a theatre company, to producing arts podcasts, I have had the pleasure of engaging many of our community's artists and arts leaders in a dialogue about the urgency of the arts and informing listeners on how they can join the conversation. It is my goal to reach into the community and continue engagement and explore new and exciting ways to elevate our community's artists and make all of our supporters feel proud to support such a vibrant and relevant community of passionate stewards of theater. I have said that I am “Philadelphia Theatre's Number 1 Fan” but I know there are many more who claim that title. I want to know you! I want to get you involved! I want everyone in our community to claim or reclaim Theatre Philadelphia and I can't wait to work with you all in this capacity!”

Board Chair Jason Lindner shared, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to say how excited I am to have Darnelle at the helm of this organization. He has been a true standard-bearer for us, with boundless enthusiasm and a deep-seated passion for every aspect of Philadelphia's theatre community. His energy, experience, and commitment to inclusion and collaboration make him the ideal leader to guide Theatre Philadelphia into our next chapter.”

Theatre Philadelphia's mission is to celebrate and strengthen the region's diverse and thriving theater ecosystem through programs such as Philly Theatre Week, the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, and year-round advocacy and audience engagement efforts.  Radford officially assumed his role as Executive Director on November 3rd, 2025