The roof of the Rufus and Margo Rose Barn Theater.
 
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The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center welcomes Tiffani Gavin as its new Executive Director. 

 

Prior to joining the O’Neill, Tiffani held managerial and creative development roles in both nonprofit and commercial theater, including serving as managing director at the American Repertory Theater, Executive Producer at SFX/Clear Channel, and most recently as Manager of the Marquis Theatre on Broadway.  

 

“I am thrilled to be at the O’Neill in a position that utilizes all my management and creative development experience” shares Tiffani Gavin. “The O’Neill is where innovation happens, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of the O’Neill’s famed new work development process and it is in support of this incredible legacy that I am excited to lead O'Neill further into its next phase of life, one with theatrical innovation and diversity at the forefront.”

 

Gavin is the fifth Executive Director in the O’Neill’s 55-year history, and the first Black woman to hold the position. 

 

O’Neill Board Chairman Tom Viertel led the national search process and says: “Tiffani impressed everyone who met her as someone who can lead the O’Neill to great new heights. Her extensive experience in both not-for-profit and commercial theater as a senior executive and a producer responsible for new work is a perfect combination for the position.”

MEET TIFFANI

Tiffani Gavin brings more than 25 years of experience in theater administration and producing to her new position as Executive Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. After beginning her career in general management at The Public Theater in NY and as a company manager at Blue Man Group, she went on to hold leadership positions in both nonprofit and commercial theater organizations, including Clear Channel Entertainment and the American Repertory Theater. She's been the Manager of the Marquis Theatre on Broadway and has managed productions such as the National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera. As an Executive Producer for Clear Channel Entertainment and later as the General Manager/VP of Production at Martian Entertainment she commissioned and developed new work by emerging artists across the U.S. and internationally. While producing at Clear Channel, her broad portfolio included Broadway and off-Broadway productions as well as national tours. Among them were Ragtime (National Tour), The Producers (Broadway, National Tour), Hairspray (Broadway, National Tour), Sweet Charity (2005 Broadway Revival), Gumboots (National Tour, European Tour), Squeezebox (Off-Broadway), and Contact (National Tour). She was also the Sr. Director of Professional and International Licensing for Theatrical Rights Worldwide where she acquired and licensed secondary performing rights for musicals such as Monty Python’s Spamalot and The Color Purple. Tiffani is a native of East Norriton, PA, and has a B.A. from Brown University in both Sociology as well as in Modern Culture and Media with a focus in Mass Media and Cultural Representation.

leadership & staff

tiffani gavin, executive director

Tiffani Gavin, Executive Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Tiffani Gavin brings more than 25 years of experience in theater administration and producing to her new position as Executive Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. After beginning her career in general management at The Public Theater in NY and as a company manager at Blue Man Group, she went on to hold leadership positions in both nonprofit and commercial theater organizations, including Clear Channel Entertainment and the American Repertory Theater. She's been the Manager of the Marquis Theatre on Broadway and has managed productions such as the National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera. As an Executive Producer for Clear Channel Entertainment and later as the General Manager/VP of Production at Martian Entertainment she commissioned and developed new work by emerging artists across the U.S. and internationally. While producing at Clear Channel, her broad portfolio included Broadway and off-Broadway productions as well as national tours. Among them were Ragtime (National Tour), The Producers (Broadway, National Tour), Hairspray (Broadway, National Tour), Sweet Charity (2005 Broadway Revival), Gumboots (National Tour, European Tour), Squeezebox (Off-Broadway), and Contact (National Tour). She was also the Sr. Director of Professional and International Licensing for Theatrical Rights Worldwide where she acquired and licensed secondary performing rights for musicals such as Monty Python’s Spamalot and The Color Purple. Tiffani is a native of East Norriton, PA, and has a B.A. from Brown University in both Sociology as well as in Modern Culture and Media with a focus in Mass Media and Cultural Representation.



tom viertel, board chairman

Tom Viertel, Chairman of the Board for the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Tom Viertel and his partners have produced and managed a wide range of productions for the past 32 years, including, among others, the original Broadway productions of The Parisian Woman with Uma Thurman, The Producers, Hairspray, Young Frankenstein, Smokey Joe’s Café, Angels in America, Penn & Teller, The Weir, The Encounter, and Swing. Their notable revivals include Gypsy with Patti LuPone, The Norman Conquests, A Little Night Music with Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury and later Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch, John Doyle’s groundbreaking productions of Sweeney Todd with Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris and Company with Raul Esparza, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Nathan Lane and later Whoopi Goldberg, Damn Yankees, and the first-ever Broadway revivals of The Sound of Music and Little Shop of Horrors. Notable off-Broadway premieres include Driving Miss Daisy, Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune, The Cocktail Hour, Love Letters, Oleanna, Jeffrey, Marvin’s Room, and Stomp. They’ve mounted many national tours and productions in London, Australia, Canada, Europe, and throughout Asia. This season they are co-producing The Band’s Visit and Angels in America on Broadway, both of which won 2018 Tony Awards, and Young Frankenstein in the West End. Their productions have received dozens of awards, including 2 Pulitzer Prizes, 4 Grammy Awards, and 2 Olivier Awards for Best Musical. Their 8 Tony Awards include all 4 “Best” categories – play, musical, revival of a play, and revival of a musical. They also own and operate the acclaimed Broadway-themed nightclub/cabaret Feinstein’s/54 Below. Mr. Viertel is the Executive Director of the Commercial Theater Institute, a joint venture of the Broadway League and TDF. A graduate of Harvard University, Mr. Viertel is a member of the Board of Governors, Government Relations, and Professional Development Committees of the Broadway League and a Trustee of the Equity-League Pension Funds.



george c. white, founder

George White, founder of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center George White’s career includes not only his 37 years as Founder and Chairman of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, but also numerous activities and accomplishments in theater throughout the world. The son of Nelson and Aida White, George was raised in Waterford, Connecticut, and was graduated from Yale with a BA from Yale University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. In addition to his responsibilities at the O’Neill, George served as Co-Chairman of the Theater Management Program at the Yale School of Drama, and regularly directed plays in such venues as the Actors Theater, the Guthrie Theater, the Hartman Theater, the Annenberg Center, and the Hedgerow Theater. He was the Founding Chairman of the Sundance Institute, served as a member of the Tony Awards Nominating Committee, and served on the following boards: National Arts Council, Metropolitan Opera Guild, Arts and Business Council, New Dramatists, Center for Inter-American Relations, International Theater Institute, Connecticut Commission on the Arts, and American Soviet Theater Initiative, Camargo Foundation, and Save Venice. George’s contributions to theater extend beyond the borders of the United States. Beginning in 1972, he has spearheaded cultural exchange efforts in such countries as Australia, Peoples Republic of China, Russia, and Brazil. In 1984 he directed a production of Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie in Beijing, and in 1987 he directed Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man in that same city. He continues to lecture throughout the world on behalf of the U.S. Information Agency. His international accomplishments have been recognized in being awarded the Royal Swedish Order of the Polar Star from King Carl Gustaf, and the French Republic’s Chevalier des Artes et des Lettres. Of particular note are the numerous theatrical exchanges that George initiated in Russia, since the Cold War days of the early 1980s. He was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2013.



administrative staff

EXECUTIVE OFFICE Executive Director: Tiffani Gavin Executive Assistant & Special Events: John Reinschmidt (x288) BUSINESS OFFICE Business Manager: Clara Blickenstaff (x212) Business Management Associate: Wilson Plonk (x308) DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Director of Development: Rob Mooney (x213) Institutional Giving Associate: Darcy Van Ness (x211) MARKETING OFFICE Director of Marketing & College Relations: Amanda Kay Ritchie (x224) Media Associate: Isaak Berliner (x280) Marketing Associate: Kelsey Houlihan (x274) LITERARY OFFICE Literary Manager: Lexy Leuszler (x227) PRODUCING OFFICE Associate Producer: Chandler Smith (x282) Arts Engagement Strategist: Patrese D. McClain NATIONAL THEATER INSTITUTE Artistic Director: Rachel Jett (x219) NMTI Associate: Scott Murphy (x233) NTI Associate Director: Aanika Allen (x286) Director of Marketing & College Relations: Amanda Kay Ritchie (x224) NTI Program Coordinator: Jenna Doherty (x226) Program Representatives & Teaching Artists: Carrigan O'Brian, Charlotte Newman (x284) CAMPUS OPERATIONS Director of Operations: Eric Bemont (x231) Facilities Assistants: William Hurst & Wayne Lipphardt (x278) IT Coordinator: Shaun Anderson (x222) Head of Housekeeping: Stephanie Sutera (x278) Housekeeper: William Speer (x278) Campus Attendant: Jake Miller (x278) Security Guards: Corey Jones & Mack Ryan Head Chef: Harvey Jones (x214) Assistant Chef: Rory Haff (x214) Kitchen Assistant: Vincent Pecoraro (x214) ARTISTIC Artistic Director, National Puppetry Conference: Pam Arciero Artistic Director, National Music Theater Conference: Alexander Gemignani Artistic Director, National Playwrights Conference: Wendy C. Goldberg Artistic Director, National Theater Institute: Rachel Jett (x219) Director, National Critics Institute: Chris Jones Artistic Director, Cabaret and Performance Conference: John McDaniel Director of Education, Young Playwrights Festival: Sophia Chapadjiev



board of trustees

OFFICERS Thomas Viertel (Chairman), Theatrical Producer - Scorpio Entertainment, Inc.
Ruth Hendel (Vice Chair), Theatrical Producer
Stephen Hendel (Treasurer), Hess Energy Trading Company Executiv
Linda Mariani (Secretary), Attorney
TRUSTEES Jeff Aiosa, Carriage House Mercedes Benz, Dealer Principal Jim Calhoun, University of Connecticut, Retired Head Basketball Coach Pat Calhoun, Philanthropist Roger S. Christiansen, TV/Film Director - Secrist Productions Ron Cowen, Screenwriter & Playwright Jason Crosby, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Head of Portfolio Products Distribution Colman Domingo, Actor, Director, Writer, and Producer Michael Douglas, Actor/Director - Further Films Lily Fan, Producer - Scandobean Productions Lynn R. Fusco, Fusco Corporation, President Alva Greenberg, Philanthropist Carolyn Greenspan, CFO Blue State Coffee Riccardo Hernández, Designer Genia Kaplan Quinn, Consensus Digital Media - Executive Editor Tom Kitt, Composer/Arranger/Orchestrator Rita Pietropinto-Kitt, Chair, Drama Department Marymount School Peggy Koenig, Chair, Abry Partners & Theatrical Producer Herb Kohler, Jr., Chairman of the Board and CEO, Kohler Co. Daniel Lipman, Screenwriter & Playwright Soraya Nadia McDonald, Culture Critic, The Undefeated David Preka, Owner, Advanced Group Ellen Quinn, Consultant, Otis Elevator Michael Rauh, President & CEO, Chelsea Groton Bank Scott Richards, Composer/Librettist/Educator Madleine Sayet, Director, Playwright, Educator Bernie Schilberg, CEO, Prime Materials Recovery, Inc. Beth Schilberg, Philanthropist & Volunteer Sally Speer, Philanthropist Betsy White, (Founding Trustee) Philanthropist George C. White, Founder Eugene O’Neill Theater Center EX-OFFICIO Rob Brule, Town of Waterford First Selectman David Jaffe, Connecticut College Faculty
Dorita Lieberman, Philanthropist Traci Santos, Chairman, Waterford Recreation & Parks Commission