The Arkansas Repertory Theatre says it is hiring Tony Award-winning Broadway producer William Trice to become its new executive artistic director.
The announcement late Wednesday comes after a turbulent year for The Rep. Financial difficulties forced it to suspend operations in April, but the arts community rallied in support of the theater which, after evaluating its operations, returned with plans for an abbreviated season this year.
"I couldn’t be more excited," Trice said in an interview with KUAR News. "This is my hometown. I grew up in Little Rock. The Rep is where I learned what it meant to make good theater and be a professional theater artist."
Trice graduated from Central High School in 1997 and has spent the last nine years in New York producing work that has earned him three Tony Awards and five nominations.
"We are delighted and I just can’t wait to get him here on the ground," said The Rep’s Board Chair Ruth Shepherd. "Will has so many skills and talents and connections to the state and the theater that he’s going to bring a multitude of things. One is his knowledge of the community and who we are and what we care about and the fact that he knows everyone in town or everyone in town knows him is going to be ideal."
Trice officially begins his new position in August, but The Rep said in a press release that he has been serving as a consultant since last month. He will be responsible for management and budgeting in addition to providing the artistic vision for the theater.
