David B. Byrd Named Director of Marketing at Westport Country Playhouse

David B. Byrd joined Westport Country Playhouse as director of marketing, beginning July 6, responsible for all organizational marketing initiatives for the historic theater's five-play season and surrounding year-round programming.

Most recently Byrd was director of marketing and communications for the American Dance Festival at Duke University in North Carolina.

"David is smart, dynamic and strategic-minded, with not only a strong background in new media, but a firm belief in a one-on-one relationship with our patrons," said Michael Ross, Playhouse managing director. "I couldn't be more thrilled to have him on board."

For Westport Country Playhouse, Byrd's responsibilities include the development of seasonal and individual production marketing initiatives; oversight of all communications, with emphasis on branding and social media using web-based technologies; strategic efforts in audience development, including the organization of detailed audience research; in-depth budget management; and the management of both the marketing and patron services staff.

"The Playhouse is one of our nation's most respected and storied theatres," states Byrd. "I am delighted to join Mark (Lamos), Michael and the entire Playhouse team in creating theater that engages, enlightens, and enriches."

Byrd began his career at Triad Stage in North Carolina, working his way up from marketing associate to general manager. He was associate managing director at Yale Repertory Theatre and fulfilled a Yale Fellowship at Guthrie Theater.

Byrd received an MFA in theater management from Yale School of Drama and a BA in drama from University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
About the Playhouse

Westport Country Playhouse, a not-for-profit theater, serves as a treasured home for the performing arts and is a cultural landmark for Connecticut. Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management direction of Michael Ross, the Playhouse creates quality productions of new and classic plays that enlighten, enrich and engage a diverse community of theater lovers, artists and students. The Playhouse's rich history dates back to 1931, when New York theater producer Lawrence Langner created a Broadway-quality stage within an 1830s tannery. The Playhouse quickly became an established stop on the New England "straw hat circuit" of summer stock theaters. Now celebrating its 80th season, Westport Country Playhouse has produced more than 700 plays, 36 of which later transferred to Broadway, most recently the world premiere of "Thurgood" and a revival of Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" with Paul Newman, and in earlier years "Come Back, Little Sheba" with Shirley Booth, "The Trip to Bountiful" with Lillian Gish, and "Butterflies Are Free" with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner. For its artistic excellence, the Playhouse received a 2005 Governor's Arts Award and a 2000 "Connecticut Treasure" recognition. It was also designated as an Official Project of Save America's Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is entered on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, the Playhouse transformed into a year-round, state-of-the-art producing theater, which has preserved its original charm and character. In addition to a full season of theatrical productions, the Playhouse serves as a community resource, presenting educational programming and workshops; a children's theater series; symposiums; music; films; and readings.

Westport Country Playhouse's five-play 2010 season: "She Loves Me," a romantic musical comedy, with book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, directed by Mark Lamos, April 20 - May 15; "Dinner with Friends," a comic drama by Donald Margulies, directed by David Kennedy, Playhouse associate artistic director, June 1 through 19; "Happy Days" by Samuel Beckett, a play of luminous beauty and rare power, directed by Mark Lamos, July 6 through July 24; "I Do! I Do," an endearing musical, with book and lyrics are by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, directed by Susan H. Schulman, August 10 through August 28; and "The Diary of Anne Frank," a timeless and powerful classic, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, adapted by Wendy Kesselman, directed by Gerald Freedman, September 28 through October 16.

For information or ticket purchases, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets may be purchased online at www.westportplayhouse.org.

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