Children's Theatre Company Names Ryan French as New Managing Director

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) has named current Deputy Managing Director Ryan French to be its new Managing Director. French joined CTC in 2022 as its Chief Operating Officer.

“We’re thrilled to have Ryan’s leadership at this time. He brings a diverse set of skills and experience plus strategic insight necessary as CTC continues to advance as the nation’s leading children’s theatre,” said Mary Loeffelholz, chair of the Children’s Theatre Company Board of Directors.

As managing director, French will oversee all administrative functions for the theatre including development, marketing and communications, audience services, education, finance, human resources, community partnerships, facilities, and legal affairs. 

“Ryan has been an incredible resource and support to me over the year-and-a-half that I’ve known him, and I support the Board’s decision wholeheartedly,” said Rick Dildine, CTC’s Artistic Director.

Prior to CTC, French served as Associate Vice President of Advancement and Campaign Director at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He led marketing and communications  at the Walker Art Center, and held leadership roles at the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and other not-for-profit organizations. French has an MBA with an emphasis in marketing and nonprofit management from the University of Minnesota and a BA in Music from St. Olaf College. For over 20 years he sang professionally with ensembles in Milwaukee and the Twin Cities. French lives in Saint Paul with his wife and two children.

“I’ve spent the majority of my professional career working and performing in the rich cultural landscape of Minneapolis-St. Paul. I know the power the arts can have and the value it brings to our entire community. Co-leading the theatre with a partner like Rick and with the many talented staff members, actors, and artisans at CTC will be an honor,” said French.

French succeeds Jill A. Anderson in the role of Managing Director.

About Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) 

Children's Theatre Company is the nation’s largest and most acclaimed theatre for young people and serves a multigenerational audience. It creates theatre experiences that educate, challenge, and inspire more than 200,000 people annually. CTC is the only theatre focused on young audiences to win the Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre and is the only theatre in Minnesota to receive three Tony nominations (for its production of A Year With Frog and Toad). CTC is committed to creating world-class productions at the highest level and to developing new works, more than 200 to date, dramatically changing the canon of work for young audiences.

CTC is the most significant provider of theatre education opportunities in the region. Every year, thousands of children experience theatre for the first time at CTC. Our student matinees and education programs demonstrably benefit the community, from the intergenerational conversations sparked by our world premieres, to the sequential skill-building that happens in our Theatre Arts Training, to the pre-K focus of our Early Childhood Initiative. ACT One is CTC’s comprehensive platform for access, diversity, and inclusion in our audiences, programs, staff, and board that strives to ensure the theatre is a home for all people, all families, reflective of our community.  

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