The Acting Company Reveals New Artistic Leadership

The Acting Company announced that after four years as Artistic Director, Kent Gash will step into the new role of Director of Special Projects to serve as an artistic advisor to the Company.  Devin Brain, long-time member of the Artistic Leadership team, has been selected to succeed Gash with the title of Producing Artistic Director. The staff change is effective immediately and is designed to set the stage for the next chapter of the storied company's National Tour, New York Performances and Education Initiatives.

“We have been fortunate to have Kent as Artistic Director and to reap the benefits of his experience, industry reputation and relationships, and artistic chops to renew and expand the Company's mission as we emerged from the pandemic and entered our second fifty years,” said Earl Weiner, Chairman of the Board. “In addition to his artistic leadership, Kent has played a vital role in forging important alliances with other theaters around the country and we are grateful that he will continue in these efforts as our Director of Special Projects.  We thank Kent for all he already has done and will continue to do for the Company.  Happily, we can expect a smooth transition in artistic leadership.  Devin Brain, our new Producing Artistic Director, has a long history with the Company and has worked closely with Kent during Kent's entire tenure.  We are comfortable that Devin is uniquely positioned to take up the torch from Kent and to add his own considerable talent and experience as the Company moves forward.”

“Four years ago I was honored to be named Artistic Director of the Company,” remarked Kent Gash, Director of Special Projects. “My opportunity to serve in this role was particularly meaningful to me because the late John Houseman, co-founder of the Company, was instrumental in my pursuit of professional theater training and my subsequent career. During my tenure the Company emerged from the pandemic and returned to national touring, bringing innovative classical work, the world premiere of newly-commissioned American plays, and the first national tour of August Wilson's Two Trains Running to audiences, often of underserved populations, throughout America.  We have continued our dedication to diversity, gender parity and equity principles as they have come under fire. We continued our mission of nurturing young artists to become the next generation of American professional actors and have expanded our artistic collaborations with new and venerable national partners. I am proud of all we have accomplished during my tenure and am pleased to continue my relationship with the Company in helping to develop new projects and relationships.”

“The Acting Company has been my artistic home for more than a decade, just as it has been the artistic home for hundreds of artists before me,” said Devin Brain, Producing Artistic Director. “This is a company whose legacy is impossible to overstate, so I am both honored and excited to lead it into the future.  I am stepping into big shoes...Kent Gash, Ian Belknap, Michael Kahn, James Bundy, and of course the inimitable Margot Harley…I am excited to help carry their legacy forward because I believe that this company remains as vital to the industry today as when it was in 1972, when the first class from Juilliard Drama was ushered onto a tour bus by Margot Harley and John Houseman.”

Devin Brain has been part of the Executive Leadership team over the past three years, serving as the Producing Director alongside Kent Gash as Artistic Director and Erik Schroeder as Managing Director.  He began his time with The Acting Company as a staff director on the 2012 National Tour of As You Like It and Of Mice and Men.  Since then, he has directed several national tours, including Macbeth, Julius Caesar (also Off-Broadway at The New Victory), and The Comedy of Errors; as well as serving as line producer and associate artistic director, before he joined the Executive leadership team as Producing Director.