Christopher Ashley Will Be Roundabout Theatre Company's Next Artistic Director

Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley, Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse for the past 17 years, will be the next Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company. He will begin his tenure in July 2026 with the 2027-28 season. Associate Artistic Director Scott Ellis has been serving as Interim Artistic Director since Roundabout's longtime leader, Todd Haimes, died in April 2023. Ellis will continue as Interim Artistic Director for the 2025-26 season and collaborate with Ashley for the 2026-27 season while Ashley honors his previous commitments at La Jolla Playhouse.

“I am honored and exhilarated to step into the role of Artistic Director at Roundabout Theatre Company," said Ashley in a statement. "Under Todd Haimes’ leadership, Roundabout has become a home for an extraordinary array of artists, working in five beautiful theaters on and off-Broadway. I look forward to collaborating with Scott Ellis on programming the 2026-27 season and joining Sydney Beers, Chris Nave and the superb staff full time in July 2026. As we navigate this moment of immense change in the American theater, I hope that Roundabout can be a town square, where urgent questions can be investigated, the joy of live theater can be shared, and we can together find community and hope.”

Kitty Patterson Kempner, Board of Directors Chair, commented, “As our country’s largest and most influential not-for-profit theatre company, we understand how important this decision is to the cultural landscape of New York City and to the future of theatre. On behalf of our Board of Directors, we are proud of the thoughtful process we took to name Christopher as our incoming Artistic Director. Christopher impressed us with his appreciation for Roundabout’s history and for our potential as a theatrical community with many unique voices—and as a national theatre for America. He also leads with kindness and compassion, two qualities Todd treasured most. As a longtime leader of La Jolla Playhouse, he is also well suited to lead our complex network of off-stage activities including Education, Workforce Development and industry innovation.”

Ashley has served as La Jolla Playhouse’s Rich Family Artistic Director since 2007. Among the new works he premiered at La Jolla are The Outsiders and Here There Are Blueberries, both seen in New York this past year (The Outsiders earned the 2024 Tony Award for Best Musical). His own directing credits include the world premieres of Come From Away, The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, Babbitt and Memphis. His Broadway directing credits include Come From Away (Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Diana, Memphis (Tony Award nomination), Xanadu, Leap of Faith (Drama Desk Award nomination), Escape to Margaritaville, All Shook Up and The Rocky Horror Show (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations).

The Board (in collaboration with Christopher Ashley, Scott Ellis, Sydney Beers and Chris Nave) is now in the process of searching for a Managing Director to join Roundabout's new leadership team.