Jacob G. Padrón, 38, has been named the new Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre and will begin his role February 1, 2019.
“Long Wharf Theatre is one of the most important companies in the American theatre. I am overjoyed to join the board, staff, and New Haven community as we embark on new journey and aim to build a boundary breaking future together,” Padrón said.
The Board of Trustees unanimously voted in favor of Padrón at a meeting Tuesday night, completing a lengthy and competitive executive search process guided by Arts Consulting Group. The board received over 160 applications from individuals interested in becoming the institution’s fifth artistic director
“Jacob Padrón is the future of American theatre. He represents an exciting new generation of theatre leaders – people who are humble, creative, curious, dynamic – and who have an ear for the fresh voices and ideas that make live theatre so relevant and necessary,” said Laura Pappano, chair of the Board of Trustees. “He comes to Long Wharf Theatre at an ideal moment as we refresh and reset the theatre for a new era, one that respects the past but also seizes on the role theatre can have in public life. Jacob accentuates all the best things Long Wharf has always stood for, including a passion for new work, and a dedication to nurturing talent. While, of course, bringing our audiences compelling, high quality theatre (and a first peek at tomorrow’s stars).”
Padrón combines extensive industry experience – posts at The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival – with a vision for what’s possible and what’s next. In 2016, he founded The Sol Project, a national theatre initiative that showcases Latinx playwrights and artists of color through collaborative partnerships with leading theaters in New York and across the country, most recently with Yale Rep (EL HURACÁN).
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