Irene Green Named Director of External Relations at Children's Theatre Company

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) has named Irene Green to be its new Director of External Relations. She comes to CTC from The O'Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, where she has served as Executive Director since 2022. Previously, she served as Managing Director of Northern Stage in White River Junction, Vermont. She begins her role at CTC on July 27, 2026.

“We are thrilled to welcome Irene to CTC,” said Ryan French, managing director. “Her experience across all aspects of theatre management will be incredibly valuable as we focus on both increasing revenue and enhancing the patron experience. I'm looking forward to working with such a creative and proven arts leader."

As Director of External Relations, Green will oversee all marketing, communications, fundraising, and audience engagement efforts for CTC. She will report to Ryan French, managing director.

“I'm honored to join the talented team at Children's Theatre Company,” says Green. “I have long admired CTC's work and the transformational nature of its productions and education program. I look forward to contributing to the organization's continued growth and impact in the Twin Cities and beyond.”

About Irene Green

A nationally recognized arts leader, Green brings a proven track record of audience growth, revenue generation, fundraising success, and mission-driven innovation to Children's Theatre Company. Irene joins Children's Theatre Company after serving as Executive Director of The O'Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University, where she led the venue's strategic, artistic, operational, and financial direction. During her four-year tenure, she increased operating revenue by more than 56%, doubled annual attendance, launched the venue's first subscription and membership programs, and brought the Frey Theater into active operation with programming in the space now spanning nearly 25 weeks per year.

Green reimagined The O'Shaughnessy's programming to reflect St. Kate's mission and values while presenting internationally recognized artists, authors, and thought leaders, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Isabel Wilkerson, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. She also expanded opportunities for students to engage in the arts as performers, creative collaborators, and administrators. In 2025, she received St. Catherine University's Staff Excellence Award.

Prior to St. Catherine University, Green served as Managing Director of Northern Stage in Vermont, helping guide the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, Northern Stage became the first LORT theater in the United States to reopen following pandemic shutdowns, earning national recognition in The New York Times. She led the creation of a new outdoor performance venue, helped advance a $9.2 million capital campaign that resulted in a state-of-the-art theater facility, and launched a fundraising campaign for artist housing that secured more than $3 million in its first 90 days.

Throughout her career, Green has built a reputation as a collaborative and visionary arts leader with a track record of growing audiences, strengthening financial performance, and advancing mission-driven organizations. Her experience spans executive leadership, fundraising, marketing, operations, and community engagement, with a consistent focus on expanding access to the arts and building meaningful connections between organizations and the communities they serve.

Green holds a B.A. from Luther College, an M.A. with Distinction in Acting Musical Theatre from the Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London, and an M.B.A. from St. Catherine University.

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