Omaha Community Playhouse Names New Executive Director

The Omaha Community Playhouse has announced the appointment of Kevin Johnson-Sather as its new Executive Director, effective August 3, 2026. Following a national search, Johnson-Sather will lead the century-old organization, the largest community-based theatre in the United States and a long-standing pillar of the arts in Omaha and throughout Nebraska.

Johnson-Sather comes to the Omaha Community Playhouse from East West Players (EWP) in Los Angeles, California, where he most recently served as Managing Director. Founded in 1965, EWP is the nation's longest-running Asian American theatre company and the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works and recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. During his nearly six-year tenure, which also included leadership roles as General Manager and Audience Services Manager, Johnson-Sather guided EWP through a pivotal period of unprecedented operational growth, staff expansion, and modernization.

As Managing Director at EWP, Johnson-Sather worked on more than 20 productions, overseeing eight, including the acclaimed revival of Pacific Overtures, the world premiere of On This Side of the World, and the Los Angeles homecoming of Cambodian Rock Band. Most recently, he produced East West Players' largest production to date with Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal, the newly revised Flower Drum Song featuring a new book by David Henry Hwang.

“I am delighted to welcome Kevin Johnson-Sather to the Omaha Community Playhouse,” said Tim Jeffrey, President, Omaha Community Playhouse Board of Directors. “Kevin brings a strong combination of artistic vision, operational expertise, and financial discipline, along with a thoughtful and people-centered approach to leadership. He is a leader who will strengthen connections across the organization while advancing OCP's mission in meaningful ways.”

Johnson-Sather succeeds Rebecca Noble, who served as Executive Director from August 2023 to April 2026.

His appointment comes at an exciting time for the Omaha Community Playhouse, which celebrated its Centennial season just one year ago. With a reputation for artistic excellence and a vibrant volunteer base of more than 500 volunteers annually, the organization continues to build on its legacy through innovative programming, impactful arts education, audience development, and meaningful community engagement efforts.

“I am deeply honored to join the Omaha Community Playhouse as the next Executive Director and to help lead this extraordinary institution into its second century. My own journey in the arts began in community theater, and throughout my career, I have been committed to creating opportunities for the arts to bring people together and transform lives both on and off the stage,” said Johnson-Sather. “I look forward to working with the Board of Directors, Vincent Orduña, the talented staff, artists, volunteers, and the entire OCP community to build on the Playhouse's remarkable legacy while strengthening its financial and operational foundation to ensure it continues to be a place for creativity and connection for generations to come.”

Previously, Johnson-Sather served as General Management Associate at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, where he served as the lead management contact for major Broadway touring productions and facilitated critical labor relations. He has also worked with organizations including Echo Theatre Company and Timber Lake Playhouse.

Recognized for advancing equity, organizational vitality, and community connection through data-informed leadership, Johnson-Sather has worked as a DEIA facilitator with the Aspire Consulting Group and has consulted for organizations including Theatre Aspen, The Industry opera company, and Los Angeles Performance Practice. He has also served as a mentor for the Graduate Business Mentor Program at California State University, Long Beach.

Johnson-Sather holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and a dual Master of Fine Arts and Master of Business Administration in Theatre Management from California State University, Long Beach. He is an alumnus of both the Arts for LA ACTIVATE Advocacy Training Program and the Los Angeles Emerging Arts Leaders Program and is a member of the social justice interACT theater troupe.

About the Omaha Community Playhouse:

Founded in 1924, Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) is the nation's largest non-profit community theatre. As one of the oldest arts organizations in the Omaha, Neb. region, OCP is dedicated to enriching the lives of audiences and participants through entertainment, thought-provoking stories, and first-hand involvement. OCP features two state-of-the-art performance spaces — the 558-seat Howard and Rhonda Hawks Mainstage Theatre and the 200+-seat Howard Drew Theatre. In addition to its full season of stage productions, OCP offers arts education programming for all ages through its educational wing, the Shirlee & Henry Fonda Theatre Academy, along with programming for those with sensory sensitivities and a multitude of community outreach initiatives.

The Omaha Community Playhouse is supported in part by the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Established in 1924, the Omaha Community Playhouse is the largest community theatre in the United States based on memberships sold and facility size, among other factors. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

About East West Players:

East West Players (EWP), the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, was founded in 1965, at a time when Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) faced limited or no opportunities to see their experiences reflected outside of stereotypical and demeaning caricatures in the American landscape. EWP not only ensures that AAPI stories are told, but works to increase access, inclusion, and representation in entertainment and media. Designated by the Ford Foundation as one of America's Cultural Treasures in 2020, EWP continues its groundbreaking work through defining and expanding the representation and stories of the AAPI community.

East West Players is supported in part by the Perenchio Foundation, Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and many other generous foundations, companies, and individuals.

Need more Omaha Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...