Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre Appoints Katie Maltais as Managing Director

Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre, one of the nation’s premier regional theaters, announced today the appointment of Katie Maltais as Managing Director. Maltais will assume the role on September 5, 2023, succeeding Bernadine (Bernie) C. Griffin, who retired after 21 years at the organization in July.

 

“Katie’s unwavering dedication to nurturing sustainable organizations that foster the creation of art is truly inspiring,” said The 5th’s Producing Artistic Director, Bill Berry. “Her boundless enthusiasm and unwavering belief in the transformative power of musical theater are forces to be reckoned with. I eagerly anticipate the journey ahead, partnering with her to fulfill The 5th’s mission in the years to come.”

 

Maltais is currently the Managing Director of Stages in Houston, and previously served as Managing Director of Curious Theatre Company in Denver. Throughout her tenures as Managing Director, she has led by remaining steadfast to the core values of transparency, teamwork, and a commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices - values she will bring with her to her role at The 5th. 

 

Maltais’ appointment comes after a months-long search for The 5th’s next Managing Director. A search committee of staff, board members, and community leaders was formed in late 2022 to partner with Tom O’Connor Consulting Group to find the next executive leader. 

Board Chair Beth Porter said, “Katie demonstrated a strong skill set with revenue management and generation, and measurable success in her two previous leadership roles as Managing Director. That, and her national reputation for being a leader in positive culture change within institutions, made her a stand-out candidate amongst the other skilled individuals interviewed. However, we are most excited about her passion for musical theater and the industry, and her deep desire to work in collaboration and partnership with Bill, the staff, and the Board in The 5th's next period of growth.”

As Managing Director of The 5th, Maltais will lead the business operations for the theatre, collaborating closely with Berry on the strategic direction of the organization. Together, they will present an exciting repertoire that includes a rich mix of classic and contemporary productions. Furthermore, she will work diligently to ensure the accessibility and inclusivity of the theater’s programming, actively seeking ways to connect with communities and engage a broader audience. 

 

“Helming The 5th Avenue Theatre along with Bill is a dream come true,” said Maltais. “I have long followed the organization and admired its commitment to an artform I deeply love. I am looking forward to collaborating with this incredible team of staff, board, and artists to ensure the longevity and vibrancy of The 5th for generations to come. Downtown Seattle is going through a renaissance and I’m so eager to join city, business, and nonprofit leaders in forging opportunities for residents and visitors to find connection and joy in our community.”

 

“Katie Maltais stood out as someone who understands the importance of The 5th Avenue Theatre in this region’s arts infrastructure, and as someone who has the experience, skills, and passion needed to steward its mission into the future,” said search committee member and President and CEO of Artsfund, Michael Greer. “Katie brings a technical, artistic, and equitable approach to nonprofit arts leadership and we look forward to welcoming her to the Seattle arts community.”

 

About Katie Maltais:

Katie Maltais is a values-driven leader who centers teamwork, transparency, and striving towards an anti-oppressive world. She has served as Managing Director of Stages in Houston since 2021; there, she oversees all business aspects and revenue areas of the regional theater, which produces a blend of contemporary musicals and plays across its three performing spaces. In addition to navigating the theater through Covid and the challenges of creating theater in a post-pandemic environment, Katie helms Stages’ strategic planning efforts, and oversees the fundraising, marketing, finance, and operations teams. During her tenure, Stages had its highest revenue season in history, produced twelve world premieres including Plumshuga, the Rise of Lauren Anderson and MacGyver: The Musical, and welcomed its youngest and most racially diverse audience ever. Katie spearheaded the creation and funding for the Houston Theater Training Coalition, a citywide initiative to cultivate and support emerging theatermakers. Prior to joining Stages, Katie served as Managing Director at Curious Theatre Company in Denver, Colorado, where she created “The Loyalty Target,” a progressive model of arts administration that has been adopted by arts organizations across the United States and Europe. Under her leadership, Curious saw an explosion in community-building and audience diversity, as well as achievements in brand clarity and budget stabilization. Previously, Katie served on the executive team of the Lone Tree Arts Center, where she led the organization through a period of exponential growth. She also worked for the international consulting firm TRG Arts, where Katie oversaw the client services team, as well as personally worked with such notable organizations as Nederlander Alliances, Center Theatre Group, Goodman Theatre, and Arts Club Theatre Company. Katie regularly speaks at industry conferences and has been a guest lecturer at the DeVos Institute and the University of Denver. She earned her BA in Arts Administration and Theatre from Drury University, located in Springfield, Missouri.

 

About The 5th Avenue Theatre:

The 5th Avenue Theatre is one of America’s leading musical theater companies. We enrich the community we love with the art form we love—giving the Pacific Northwest a front-row seat to original powerhouse productions that go on to light up marquees and audiences all the way to Broadway. From the page to the stage, we bring passion and epic scale to every musical we create with big talent and bigger-than-life productions. As a nonprofit theater company and one of our region’s largest performing arts employers, we spread the joy of great musicals with people of all ages across our region and state. Each year, we reach 30,000 young people through our nationally acclaimed education programs. Programs designed to develop new musicals ensure that the next generation of great musicals will be there to tell the stories that captivate tomorrow’s audiences. On the national stage, we are a leading voice for the power of this art form to lift the human spirit.

Photo credit: Natasha Nivan 

 

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