Writers Theatre in Glencoe finally has hired a new artistic director: Braden Abraham, previously the artistic director of the Seattle Repertory Theatre.
Abraham, 46, replaces the co-founder of the theater, Michael Halberstam, who resigned in the summer of 2021 following allegations of harassment. Since then, the theater has been without a permanent artistic leader.
Abraham, who will start his new job in February, has spent the last 20 years in various artistic posts at Seattle’s most prominent theater, serving for the last eight as artistic director. Seattle Rep’s annual budget has hovered around $15 million in recent years, more that twice the budget of Writers.
The hiring of the artistic director of the largest nonprofit theater in the Pacific Northwest by the downtown Glencoe company, which operates in a relatively new $34 million theater complex designed by Jeanne Gang, is likely to be seen nationally as a coup for the theater.
“The motivation for the move is not what I am leaving but what I am moving towards,” said Abraham, in a telephone interview.
“Writers is a theater that puts great acting and writing right at the center,” he added, “and Chicago artists and among my favorite collaborators.”
Abraham, who was born in Oregon and grew up in Seattle, has not previously directed in Chicago although he has worked in Seattle with Chicago playwrights such as Rebecca Gilman and actors like Steppenwolf’s Kevin Anderson. In Seattle, he was best known for developing and directing a bushel of new work over the years. He is married to actor Cheyenne Casebier.
“Braden is a talented artist, an advocate for inclusivity, and has a strong vision for Writers’ future and for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead,” said board chair Mary Pat Studdert in a statement. “I very much look forward to the growth of Writers Theatre under Braden’s artistic leadership.”
Executive director Kate Lipuma, who will continue in her position, called Braden “an engaging artist with a real vision for Writers Theatre.”
Separately, Northwestern University announced the appointment of Alex Gemignani, 43, the son of the legendary musical director and conductor Paul Gemignani, as the head of its American Music Theatre Project.
Gemignani, who is married to the theater director Erin Ortman, already has moved to Evanston. He said that he hopes to be involved in other professional work in Chicago theater.
A well-known figure on Broadway, Alex Gemignani served as conductor for the Broadway revival of “West Side Story” and, memorably, appeared as King George in the original Chicago company of the musical “Hamilton.”
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.