Rick Lombardo** (Producing Artistic Director) is now in his twelfth season as New Rep’s Producing Artistic Director. He is honored to be a two-time recipient of the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director. Last season, he directed New Rep’s critically-acclaimed production of The Pillowman, along with Silence and The Wild Party. Recent season's productions include: Ragtime (IRNE Awards-Best Director of a Musical and Best Musical); Bill W. and Dr. Bob (which he also directed Off-Broadway last spring in NY); Romeo and Juliet; the multiple IRNE Award-winning Into the Woods; Quills; and the world premiere of Approaching Moomtaj by Michael Weller. Locally, he also directed Hamlet for Actors’ Shakespeare Project, La Vie Parisienne for Opera Boston, and Ashes to Ashes and The Lover for Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre. Other memorable New Rep productions include: The Threepenny Opera; the world premiere of A Girl’s War; his new musical adaptation of Moliere’s Scapin; Waiting for Godot (IRNE Award, Best Drama); the acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd (2004 Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Director, IRNE Award for Best Director, and Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Musical Production); The Weir (IRNE Award, Best Drama); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Elliot Norton Award, Outstanding Director); The Scarlet Letter; American Buffalo; A Moon for the Misbegotten; Twelfth Night; Beast on the Moon; Das Barbecü; Tartuffe; The Real Thing; and Moby Dick-An American Opera, among others. Rick was previously the Artistic Director of the Players Guild in Ohio, as well as the Founding Artistic Director of the Stillwaters Theatre Company in New York City. He has taught at several universities, including Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center, where he was also Co-Director of the theatre program. Rick is currently President of NEAT, the Association of New England Area Theatres, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of both Arts Boston and StageSource. He is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
Harriet Sheets (Managing Director) joined New Repertory Theatre as Managing Director in Fall 2000, bringing with her experience in human resources, union contracts and negotiations, budgeting and cash flow management, as well as Marketing, Development and Special Events. During her tenure, Ms. Sheets has successfully managed the theatre’s increasing operational budget, while maintaining several years of positive net assets and moving the company from Newton Highlands to Watertown’s Arsenal Center for the Arts. Her management of the Marketing and Development departments has garnered increased growth in subscription and single ticket sales, as well as increased support for annual fundraising events and funding from corporate and foundation sources. Prior to her employment with New Rep, Ms. Sheets was the General Manager at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT). Ms. Sheets was at MRT for nine years, where she worked as Stage Manager, Production Manager, Operations Manager, and finally General Manager. Ms. Sheets started her theatre career as an Equity Stage Manager and has worked for numerous theatres including The Opera Company with Sarah Caldwell, North Shore Music Theatre, The Wilbur, The Huntington Theatre Company, Worcester Foothills Theatre, Theatre by the Sea in Portsmouth, and the Ogunquit Playhouse. She holds a BFA from Arizona State University, where she met her husband, Dave Brown, Production Manager for Stoneham Theatre.
Bridget Kathleen O’Leary (Artistic Associate) received her MFA in directing at Boston University. Most recently, she completed her thesis production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Prior to her thesis, Bridget directed the Boston Playwright’s Theatre production of The Devil’s Teacup. In 2007 she assisted Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg at the National Playwrights’ Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, where she assisted on new plays by Rebecca Gilman and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. B.U. credits include The American Clock, Curse of the Starving Class, and Sarah Kane’s Crave and 4.48 Psychosis. While in Washington, D.C., Bridget worked with the Olney Theatre Center, Theater Alliance, Cherry Red Productions, Charter Theater, Studio Theatre Second Stage, and Phoenix Theatre DC, of which she was a founding member. DC directing credits include Independence, Parallell Lives, and the creations of Unwrapped and Lulu Fabulous by area playwrights.
Meron Langsner (Playwright-in-Residence) has had his plays performed around the country and overseas. Local companies and venues include: Brandeis, Tufts, Another Country Productions, Puppet Showplace Theatre, South City Theatre, and Independent Submarine Productions. NYC venues include: Medicine Show, Episcopal Actor’s Guild, Polaris North, Harold Clurman Theater/Samuel French Festival, PACT, Brooklyn College, Lamia Ink, and the Jewish Theatrical Project at NYU. Additionally, he has had plays performed in Anchorage, Buffalo, Chicago, Delaware, Maine, Minneapolis, and Rhode Island and internationally at Harrogate Theatre in North Yorkshire, England and the Monday Lizard at Scotland’s Traverse Theatre. Meron holds an MA in Performance Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and an MFA in Playwriting from Brandeis. He is currently pursuing doctoral work in theatre history at Tufts University.
Debra Rafson (Management Associate) is now in her third season with New Rep. Previously, she worked with companies such as Harvard University, the Publick Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, and Stoneham Theatre. She is a member of Stoneham’s Board of Trustees, serving on the Strategic Planning Committee and Chairing the Branding Committee. She has been a Stage Manager for Blue Man Group in Boston since 2003 and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. Debra holds a BA from Brandeis University and an MS in Arts Administration from Boston University, where she is Treasurer of the Arts Administration Alumni Association.
Mark W. Soucy (Development Manager) has blended his management, marketing, public relations, customer service, sales, computer, and accounting experiences over his several years at New Rep. As Development Manager, he builds corporate and foundation support for New Rep, garnering new funding from Bank of America, The Shubert Foundation, TD Banknorth, Sovereign Bank, CN8 The Comcast Network, and many more. He served as Box Office Manager for the Orpheum Theatre in Foxborough, Controller for Proscenium Magazine, and the Marketing Director for StageDoor Theatre Company. As an actor, Mr. Soucy has received three Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatre (EMACT) recognition awards.
Karen S. Goldfeder (Individual Gifts Manager) joined the New Rep staff in August 2007. Prior to New Rep, she spent four years as a member of the Development team at the Celebrity Series of Boston. Ms. Goldfeder holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Boston College. While in college she worked as an actor, designer, choreographer, and arts administrator. Ms. Goldfeder is a member of Women in Development of Greater Boston.
Chris Carcione (Development Assistant) is excited to be joining New Rep for his first season as a staff member after working as the Marketing/PR Assistant this summer. Chris is the executive board Vice President of Stage Troupe, the premiere performing arts group at Boston University, and he has directed four productions with them. He is also the Founding Director of The Spontaneous Theater Project, where he directed their first production, The Shape of Things. Chris is currently a senior at BU, completing a B.S. in Public Relations and a minor in Theatre Arts.
Gia Pododobinski (Marketing and PR Manager) Ms. Podobinski is thrilled to be joing New Rep. Ms. Podobinski began her career at Golin/Harris, an international public relations firm, where she maintained the brand equity for reputable brands, such as Lysol, Post, Harry and David. After leaving Golin/Harris, she worked as an independent consultant to non-profits and start-up businesses. Wishing to pursue her passion in promoting the arts, Gia accepted the positon of Marketing Director for Central Square Theater and its two professional theaters, The Nora Theatre Company and Underground Railway Theater.
John Howrey (Creative Services Associate) is thrilled to combine his lives in graphic design and theatre. Local credits include Musical Direction for Stoneham Theatre, Riverside Theatre Works and Suffolk University. In Austin, Texas, he worked as Director, Musical Director and educator for several organizations including Zachary Scott Theatre Center, Austin Musical Theatre, Naughty Austin Productions and Broadway Texas. For several years he was the resident Musical Director and Head of Musical Theatre for Texas Arts Project.
Christopher Webb (Group Sales Associate) is excited to join the New Rep family. He has previously worked administratively with Miller Auditorium, the Denver Center for Performing Arts, and Stoneham Theatre. As an actor, he has appeared regionally with the Denver Center Theatre Company, the Borealis Theatre Company, the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, the Whole Art Theatre, Foothills Theatre, the Boston Theatre Marathon, and the Boston Theatre Works Unbound Festival. He has taught for the Illinois Institute of Art, the Denver Center Theatre Academy, Stoneham Theatre, and currently teaches for the Munroe Center for the Arts and the United South End Settlements.
Todd Michael Hall (Audience Services Manager) is happy to return for his fourth season. He held the same position at The Boston Center for the Arts for four years. BA in Theatre/English: The University of Vermont. He has produced shows in Vermont, Boston, and NYC. Set/Light Design: On Guilt, Gender Bender, Rainbow Chaser, The Unemployable Livia Peacock. Acting: Prisoner in Zeitgeist Stage Company’s Far Away, God in The Cart of Thespis’ Everyman. Directing: On Guilt, Rainbow Chaser. Playwrighting: On Guilt, Rainbow Chaser. He is currently working on his first novel.
Rachael Donnelly (Box Office Associate) started with New Rep during Into the Woods, and is happy to return to New Rep for her third season. While her grandmother wanted her to be a Broadway star, Rachael is more interested in production and administration. In addition to working in the box office, Rachael was thrilled to teach a makeup class for New Rep’s 2007 Summer Musical Theatre Program. Her work as a makeup artist has been seen in such places as the Tribeca Film Festival. She also co-produced the short film Vigilance in 2005.
Vawnya Nichols (House Manager) is happy to be joining New Rep for her second season as House Manager. Vawnya graduated from the University of Florida with her BA in Theatre, and then received her Master's Degree from The Ohio State University in Theatre: History, Literature, and Criticism. While in Columbus, Vawnya honed her skills as Assistant Director and Dramaturg on numerous productions. She also worked with Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City before moving to Boston, where she is excited to be continuing her theatre career.
Scott Nason (Production Manager) is very happy to be starting his fifth season as Production Manager for New Rep. He brings with him 37 years of diverse theatrical experience. Using the stage name “Great Scott,” he produced and performed a vaudeville-style magic show that toured New England continuously for eighteen years. Scott is also a musician, composer, and sound designer. He provided digital percussion for New Rep's triumphant productions of Sweeney Todd, The Threepenny Opera, and Into the Woods. He was also the Sound Designer for last season’s Orson’s Shadow and White People.
Jamie Whoolery (Assistant Production Manager)
Carola Morrone* (Production Stage Manager) is happy to return to New Rep for her fifth season. New Rep favorites include The Wild Party, THOM PAIN (based on nothing), Into the Woods, Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Ragtime, and The Pillowman. Other credits: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company); Happy Days and My Old Lady (Gloucester Stage); Cyrano and Our Town (New Rep On Tour); Bella Donna (Devanaughn Theatre); Brutality of Fact and Smokey Joe’s Café (Connecticut Repertory Theatre); Homebody/Kabul (Boston Theatre Works); and Siddhartha and It Goes Without Saying (Berkshire Theatre Festival). Carola holds a BA from the University of Connecticut and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.
Jennifer Braun* (Assistant Stage Manager) is thrilled to be back at New Rep for her third season. Past credits include: The Beard of Avon (Publick Theatre); That Championship Season (StanleyB); Guardian 6 (Gen Con); For Colored Girls... (Animus Ensemble); and West Side Story (Musical Theatre Guild). Jennifer attended MIT and is a proud member of Actors' Equity.
Emily Brenner (Production Assistant) is very excited to be on board for her first season at the New Rep and to work with and learn from such great people! She recently graduated summa cum laude from Clark University, where she stage managed several productions and majored in Theatre Arts and French. Other recent credits include a summer at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and stage managing Foxrock Performance Company’s production of Endgame at Worcester Foothills Theatre.