Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) and Studio Theatre have announced in a joint statement that new STC Executive Director Rebecca Ende Lichtenberg will be returning to her previous role of Executive Director at Studio Theatre, and STC will begin a new search for an Executive Director effective immediately.
Ende Lichtenberg made the decision to step down in order to resolve issues arising from working alongside her husband, Dr. Drew Lichtenberg, Associate Director at STC. In an email to the STC staff and board, she shared in part:
“After taking some leave to support my husband during a personal crisis, we reached the incredibly difficult conclusion that the only way forward is for us not to work together. Although leaving STC is a deep disappointment, returning to Studio is a bright spot during a challenging time. I’m grateful that they have welcomed me back and I’m looking forward to picking back up with the staff and Board, and continuing to support the incredible work in its intimate spaces. I have no doubt that there are amazing things ahead for STC and I’ll always be a fan and supporter of the company.”
Anita Antenucci, STC’s Board of Directors Chair offered: “I support Rebecca and respect her decision to put her family first in this way. Everyone at STC wishes her and Drew all the best.”
Ende Lichtenberg’s initial move from Studio Theatre to STC was announced in November and during the interim she has been actively working with parties in both institutions on the transition. Studio Theatre, which was still in the early stages of the search for new leadership, welcomed her back when the decision was made that she would not remain at STC.
“Studio is pleased to welcome Rebecca back with open arms,” says David Muse, Artistic Director of Studio Theatre. “Her absence has been keenly felt by the staff, the board, and the entire Studio staff. We wish our friends at STC the best as they work to replace her and are confident that someone great will eagerly join them soon.”
STC will resume a search for a new Executive Director to lead the company alongside Artistic Director Simon Godwin. The search will be led by the Arts Consulting Group, under the direction of Antenucci and a committee of the board of directors. Susie Medak, a 32-year veteran of Berkeley Repertory who has acted as STC’s Interim Executive Director since June 2023, will continue in that position.
About Shakespeare Theatre Company
For over 35 years, the Tony Award-winning Shakespeare Theatre Company has been recognized as the nation’s premier classical theatre. STC tells vital stories in audacious forms, stories that are Shakespearean in the deepest sense, even if they are not written by Shakespeare. We stage epic stories in exhilarating style.
About Studio Theatre
Studio Theatre is a longstanding Washington cultural institution dedicated to the production of contemporary theatre. Over more than 40 years and 350 productions, the theatre has stayed committed to its core distinguishing characteristics: deliberately intimate spaces; excellence in acting and design; and seasons that feature many of the most significant playwrights of our time.
