Please join Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) in welcoming two new members to our year-round leadership team. Raphael Picciarelli joins WTF as Managing Director, Strategy & Transformation and Eric Gershman joins as Interim Managing Director, Operations & Advancement.
This news represents an exciting next step in the work we have done over the last two years to reimagine what the future of summer theater looks like. In their new roles, Raph and Eric will work alongside Jenny Gersten, who will complete her final season as Interim Artistic Director in 2024, and the WTF Board of Trustees to drive the Festival’s new vision, which we will share in the coming months. A national search is currently underway for a permanent Managing Director, Operations & Advancement. It is being facilitated by the Tom O’Connor Consulting Group and a search committee that includes WTF artists, staff, and members of the Board of Trustees.
“WTF is proud of its 70-year legacy of artistic excellence and innovation and is building upon it to develop a leadership model that serves the evolving needs of the Festival. This reinvention is critical to ensuring that WTF can continue to deliver on its mission now and for generations to come.
As we look toward the future of WTF, I am excited to welcome Raphael Picciarelli and Eric Gershman to the leadership team and hope you’ll join in welcoming them to the Festival family. We are deeply grateful to Jenny Gersten for her tireless commitment to the Festival and the enormous contributions she has made in getting us to where we are today.”
– Margaret Gould Stewart, Chair of the WTF Board of Trustees
A NOTE FROM RAPH & ERIC
Dear Friends of the Festival,
Williamstown Theatre Festival has spent the past few years reflecting, asking questions, listening to our communities, and imagining what the next iteration of our Festival might be. This deeply intentional process has led us to the beginning of an exciting new vision for WTF.
As you know, WTF has taken many shapes and forms over its 70-year history while always maintaining a unique, vibrant alchemy in those magical summer months. In today’s world that’s more isolated, divided, and disconnected than ever, we can’t help but feel that we need a place like WTF more than ever—a singular place where we can come together to connect with one another, with nature, with stories, with culture, with what it means to be human.
We are embarking on a journey of transformation. We’re building toward a sustainable future with an equitable model at its core, supporting continued growth for artists and staff, curating dynamic experiences for audiences near and far, and practicing audacious creativity that drives innovation and excellence in its many forms. We look forward to sharing the details of WTF’s new vision and 2024 Season in the coming weeks. There’s so much more to come—more clarity, more exploration, more work, more joy, and on and on. We’re so energized and inspired by where we’re heading, and we can’t wait to embark on this journey together with you.
Warmly,
Raph & Eric