Meredith McDonough Named New Artistic Director at Trinity Rep
McDonough will begin her tenure at Trinity Rep on Aug. 3, 2026.
After a yearlong, nationwide search, Trinity Repertory Company has selected Meredith McDonough as the theater's next Artistic Director. A director, educator, and arts administrator of over 25 years, McDonough will begin her tenure at Trinity Rep on Aug. 3, 2026. Partnering with Executive Director Katie Liberman, McDonough's appointment marks the first time in Trinity Rep's history that both of its executive leaders are women.
“Meredith McDonough is a highly skilled director with an impressive resume of work at the best theaters in America,” Kibbe Reilly, chair of Trinity Rep's Board of Trustees, said. “Her experience, coupled with the complete joy she finds in being an artistic leader, is why we chose her as our next Artistic Director. I look forward to collaborating with her and supporting her as she guides Trinity Rep into an exciting future, including the opening of our renovated and expanded theater.”
“I fell in love with Trinity Rep the first time I visited Providence and experienced the power of the work happening on that stage,” McDonough said. “The theater's extraordinary company, its deep connection to the community, and its commitment to creating space for conversation and discovery make it a truly special place. I'm honored and excited to join this remarkable artistic family and begin our next chapter together.”
McDonough is a director and artistic producer known for championing new plays and musicals. From 2012 through 2019, McDonough served as Associate Artistic Director under Les Waters at the Tony Award-winning Actors Theatre of Louisville. She directed numerous productions, with personal favorites including both parts of Angels in America, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and The Last Five Years. As Associate Artistic Director, McDonough was a producer of the Humana Festival of New American Plays, a major incubator for new works and emerging playwrights. There, she directed the world premieres of Dot by Colman Domingo, brownsville song (b-side for trey) by kimber lee, The Delling Shore by Sam Marks, This Random World by Steven Dietz, Marginal Loss by Deborah Stein, and Airness by Chelsea Marcantel, among others.
McDonough began her tenure at Actors Theatre as a directing intern under Jon Jory, and went on to become the Associate Director of the Apprentice/Intern Program for the next two seasons. During her time at Actors Theatre, her passion for mentorship and training within a regional company first took root.
“I deeply believe that learning and practicing the craft of acting alongside professionals is one of the best paths for young artists, and mentoring emerging talent has always been central to my work,” McDonough said.
McDonough was also the Director of New Works at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, CA, where she developed, produced, and directed works by Rajiv Joseph, Matthew López, Bill Cain, Colman Domingo, GrooveLily, Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk, Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, Janine Nabers, Anna Ziegler, and more. At TheatreWorks, she directed the world premieres of Upright Grand and Auctioning the Ainsleys by Laura Schellhardt and the musical Triangle by Curtis Moore and Thomas Mizer. She was the creative producer of the premiere of Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, and Michael Mitnick's musical Fly by Night at TheatreWorks and, subsequently, at Dallas Theater Center. While in the Bay Area, she collaborated frequently with Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, directing the premieres of both Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly and Georgiana and Kitty at Marin Theatre Company. She also collaborated with Taylor Mac on the West Coast premiere of The Lily's Revenge at the Magic Theatre.
Throughout her career, McDonough maintained an active freelance directing schedule, developing and directing work at such prestigious theatres as The Guthrie, where she premiered Kate Hamill's Emma; Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where she premiered Sarah Gubbins' Fair Use; Denver Center, Dallas Theater Center, The Huntington Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Kansas City Rep, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Playmakers Rep, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Two River Theater, City Theatre, Round House Theatre, Village Theatre, Weston Theater Company, The Cape Playhouse, and Contemporary American Theater Festival, where she premiered Lisa Loomer's Side Effects May Include.
In New York City, McDonough developed work with Playwrights Horizons, Red Bull, Keen Company, Atlantic Theater Company, the Women's Project Theater, and Ars Nova. She was the Associate Artistic Director for The Orchard Project, the New Works Program Director for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, a Kesselring Award panelist, a Drama League Fellow, a member of the Women's Project Lab, and served on the board of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) for five years.
McDonough holds a BS in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and an MFA in Directing from the University of California, San Diego. She grew up in New Jersey, and is currently based in Brooklyn, NY. McDonough will relocate to Providence over the summer with her dog, Ron.
McDonough's selection follows a nationwide search led by Management Consultants for the Arts. The theater's search committee, chaired by trustee Bill Foulkes, included 13 representatives from Trinity Rep's community of staff, artists, and trustees.
“This is a joyful moment for Trinity Rep and for everyone who calls this theater home,” Executive Director Katie Liberman said. “Meredith McDonough is an extraordinary artist whose vision, humanity, and commitment to stories that challenge and unite us make her the perfect steward of Trinity Rep's next chapter. Meredith understands that theater at its best cracks your heart open and makes you feel less alone. From the moment we met her, it was clear she doesn't just want to run a theater; she wants to be in real relationship with this community. That spirit is exactly what Trinity Rep was built on, and I cannot wait to see where she takes us.”
McDonough will succeed Curt Columbus as Artistic Director. Columbus became Artistic Director in 2006 and held the position for over 20 seasons—longer than any other Trinity Rep Artistic Director besides Founding Artistic Director Adrian Hall. Said Liberman, “I am so grateful to Curt for everything he gave this company. Finding the right person to carry that forward was not something we took lightly. Now we celebrate what comes next.”
Columbus noted that McDonough joins an esteemed line of artists who have held the Artistic Director role at Trinity Rep. Beside Columbus and Hall, previous Artistic Directors include Oskar Eustis, who now leads the acclaimed Public Theater in New York City; Academy Award-nominee Richard Jenkins, who recently returned to co-direct Trinity Rep's A Christmas Carol; and Anne Bogart, who went on to co-found the Saratoga International Theater Institute (Siti Company). In 2006, Columbus took over from acting artistic director Amanda Dehnert, who will return to direct Next to Normal this spring.
“I have often said that artistic endeavors require renewal, and so I am incredibly pleased to welcome Meredith McDonough as the next artistic director,” Columbus said. “Meredith is a remarkable advocate for new plays, training, and community, as well as being a nationally celebrated director. She is the perfect person to lead Trinity Rep into the future.”
As for what McDonough hopes to bring to Trinity Rep, she suggests continuing the development of new plays and musicals, reexamining classic works, and a focus on educating the next generation of artists.
“I believe great theater grows out of collaboration between artists, institutions, and the communities they serve,” McDonough said. “I'm excited to bring my experience championing new voices, nurturing emerging artists, and building vibrant artistic partnerships to Trinity Rep and the State of Rhode Island.”
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