Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Reveals Next Artistic Director

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company has announced Reggie D. White as its next Artistic Director. White becomes only the third artistic leader in Woolly’s 46-year history, following the seven-year tenure of Maria Manuela Goyanes, who stepped down in September 2025, and Howard Shalwitz, the company’s co-founder who led for 38 years.

White will officially assume the role in early Spring 2026, joining Managing Director Kimberly E. Douglas on the executive leadership team, with ongoing support from Board President Kaiti Saunders.

Currently the Senior Director of Artistic Strategy & Impact at Arena Stage, White brings nearly twenty years of multifaceted experience as an actor, director, playwright, educator, and arts strategist. His artistic footprint spans Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, international stages, and key institutional leadership positions.

White made his Broadway debut in Matthew López’s Tony Award–winning The Inheritance and has earned praise for roles on stage and screen including, most recently, Goddess at The Public Theater. His directing credits include Atlantic Theater Company, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and The Williams Project.

As a playwright, his work has been developed at Bay Street Theater and Berkeley Rep, and his play Fremont Ave. will next be seen at California’s South Coast Repertory after its world premiere at Arena Stage this fall opened to critical acclaim and won the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. He previously served as Artistic Director of the Atlantic Acting School (2018–2022), Associate Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (2022-2024), is a resident artist at Vineyard Theatre, and a recipient of numerous honors, including the Colman Domingo Award, TCG Fox Fellowship, TBA Titan Award, and the RHE Artistic Fellowship.

White shared his excitement and connection to the company’s origins:

“I have been a fan of Woolly Mammoth since my earliest days as a theatre-maker, and to be named its next Artistic Director on the verge of its 50th Anniversary is a profound honor.

As a sophomore at Cal State Hayward, I wrote a research paper about an audacious, vanguard, ensemble-based theatre company in the Nation’s Capital led by Howard Shalwitz, and now to be trusted with carrying forward the incredible legacies of both Howard and Maria Manuela Goyanes feels surreal. ‘Pinching myself’ barely begins to cover it.

We have always needed stories, and always will – stories that comfort us, confront us, and crackle with undeniable truths. Those stories are the cornerstone of Woolly’s legacy. I can’t wait to deepen Woolly’s connection to DC’s vibrant theatre community and bring new groundbreaking storytellers, both familiar and brand new, into the fold.”

In his first 60–90 days after joining Woolly in early Spring 2026, White plans to focus on deeply engaging with Woolly’s staff, artists, audiences, and D.C. theatre peers; reviewing programming pipelines and commissioning opportunities; deepening community partnerships and accessibility initiatives; supporting the theatre’s ongoing anti-racism and equity commitments; and collaborating on Woolly’s upcoming 50th Anniversary strategic vision.