OAKLAND, CALIF.: Bay Area Children’s Theatre (BACT) has appointed Khalia Davis to be its artistic director, in a newly created role, as current executive artistic director Nina Meehan transitions to the title of CEO. Davis, in her new role, will focus on the artistic future of BACT while Meehan, who has led the company since its inception, will primarily focus on shaping the company’s strategic path through the current pandemic and beyond. Meehan will also continue to provide artistic oversight in collaboration with Davis and the BACT leadership team in artistic areas such as season planning.

“Khalia Davis has been a beloved, multitalented, stellar member of the BACT family over the years as an actress, a choreographer, a teaching artist, a director, and more,” said Meehan in a statement. “I am thrilled that she has agreed to join BACT in a key leadership role.”

Previously, Davis directed the world premiere of BATC’s She Persisted, the Musical, inspired by Chelsea Clinton’s bestselling book, and A Kids Play About Racism, which Davis adapted from the Jelani Memory book A Kids Book About Racism. Davis is also committed to amplifying BIPOC voices.

“BATC has been my artistic home for nearly a decade,” said Davis in a statement. “I’m excited and honored to be joining the team that will forge the future for the company and our loving relationship to the communities we serve.”

For the past several years, Davis has divided her time between the San Francisco Bay Area and New York. She has directed and devised new works with prominent TYA theaters such as BACT (She Persisted, The Musical) Atlantic Theater Company’s Atlantic for Kids, New York City Children’s Theater, Spellbound Theatre, and others. Davis recently served as the director of inclusion and education with Brooklyn Children’s Theatre, restructuring their children’s musical theatre programming through an anti-racism lens. She has taught with New York City Children’s Theater, the Atlantic Acting School, and Disney Theatrical Group, leading music and movement workshops and facilitating audience and community engagement. She is an artistic associate for the nationally known arts education organization the Story Pirates. As a performer, she has worked regionally and toured nationally on both coasts. Davis was awarded the 2019 Emerging Leader Fellowship with TYA/USA and the NYCCT Leader Fellowship for 2019-20. She holds a BA in Theater Arts from the University of Southern California.