Educational Theatre Foundation Welcomes Two Theatre Leaders To Board Of Trustees

The Educational Theatre Foundation has announced the appointment of two nationally respected theatre leaders to its Board of Trustees: acclaimed lighting designer Herrick Goldman and Tony Award winning producer and stage manager Cody Renard Richard.

The appointments bring together two accomplished artists whose careers reflect the collaborative spirit at the heart of theatre education. Both Goldman and Richard have built nationally recognized careers while remaining deeply committed to expanding access to arts education and mentorship for the next generation of theatre makers.

“Herrick Goldman and Cody Renard Richard are extraordinary leaders whose careers reflect the power of theatre education,” said Matt Conover, Chair of the Educational Theatre Foundation Board of Trustees. “Their artistry, mentorship, and commitment to expanding opportunity will help guide our work as we continue to support the next generation of theatre makers.”

Herrick Goldman

Goldman is the founder and principal designer of Evoke Collaborative and HG Lighting Design. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he has received numerous industry honors, including a 2020 Drama Desk Award nomination for Einstein's Dreams and a 2018 SALT Award for The Wizard of Oz at Syracuse Stage. He has also earned Henry Hewes Design Award nominations for Rooms: A Rock Romance and Falling for Eve, as well as major industry recognition including the ISES Big Apple Award for Best Event Lighting and the Live Design Excellence Award for Best Theatrical Lighting Design.

His work spans off Broadway and regional theatre productions, large scale corporate events, permanent installations at Madame Tussauds in New York and Las Vegas, a signature water feature installation at LaGuardia Airport, and major national tours. In addition to his design work, Goldman has taught lighting design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has created artistic installations on every continent except Antarctica. He is a member of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829; the theatrical designers' union affiliated with IATSE.

“This foundation is a continuation of the work I have tried to do throughout my career,” Goldman said. “My life was changed by a passionate high school drama instructor in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, who brought us to the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival. That experience changed the way I saw theatre and introduced me to hundreds of peers and creative processes. After founding Evoke Collaborative, I established a diversity scholarship initiative to do what ETF is already doing. I look forward to broadening those goals with the entire board and staff. Theatre education is so important in this moment. The ability to relate to strangers and build empathy and understanding is everything theatre teaches.”

Cody Renard Richard

Joining Goldman on the board is Cody Renard Richard, a Tony Award winning producer, educator, advocate, and professional stage manager whose career spans Broadway, television, opera, and Cirque du Soleil.

On Broadway, Richard has served as a full-time and substitute stage manager on more than 20 productions. His credits include The Last Five Years, Lempicka, the 2023 revival of Sweeney Todd, the 2022 revival of Into the Woods, Freestyle Love Supreme, Hamilton, Jesus Christ Superstar Live!, Ragtime, and the upcoming Cats: The Jellicle Ball, and ten productions with New York City Center Encores!

As a producer, Richard co-produced the Tony Award winning Broadway revivals of Parade and A Strange Loop, along with Thoughts of a Colored Man, Othello starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, and the national tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical. He has also served as adjunct faculty at Columbia University and previously at New York University and Fordham University.

Richard is the founder of The Cody Renard Richard Scholarship Program for aspiringtheatre makers of color, now operated in partnership with the Black Theatre Coalition, and a founding member of the RISE Theatre Directory. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

“I'm honored to join the Board of Trustees for the Educational Theatre Foundation,” Richard said. “We share a mission of giving young people access to the arts and the tools to grow. As someone who benefited from the resources of EdTA as a young Thespian, I could not pass up this full circle moment to give back. I'm especially excited to connect with fellow alumni and serve as a Thespian Alum Ambassador as we prepare for the 100th anniversary. I'm ready to serve and be of service.”