FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.: TheatreSquared (T2) has selected general manager Shannon A. Jones to become the company’s executive director. As of September, she will succeed Martin Miller in the role, who has served since 2009. Jones will co-lead the theatre alongside artistic director Robert Ford, with the support of its seven departmental directors.
“We couldn’t have dreamt up a more perfect fit for the role of executive director here at T2,” said Ford in a statement. “In Shannon’s nearly ten years here, she’s played a central role in defining T2’s ever-evolving culture. She knows the place inside out and is a fierce defender of our shared values, our fiscal health, and, above all, our people. It’ll be a privilege to serve with her as co-leader of this theatre that she’s poured so much of her heart and soul into.”
Jones has been with the organization since 2014, in positions including assistant stage manager, production stage manager, associate producer, and general manager. During her tenure, Jones has championed a community of artists, worked as a liaison with partners like the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and cultivated opportunities for donor-artist engagement. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, and has served as a member of the TRUE initiative/TRAIN cohort of NWA, furthering the ethos of inclusivity in Northwest Arkansas. She organizes TheatreSquared’s budgeting process and manages the logistics for the annual Arkansas New Play Festival, which brings together over 60 artists and creatives each year.
“Having managed theatre operations and collaborated intensively with our outgoing co-leader Martin Miller, Shannon’s produced a wealth of acclaimed shows and has been instrumental in both budgetary and fiscal management,” said board president Todd Simmons in a statement. “Her profound relationships with our esteemed artistic partners and our community’s supporters make her the ideal choice. The board feels extremely fortunate that she will continue to bring her deep knowledge of both T2’s operations and its unique culture, now to her new role.”
Prior to joining TheatreSquared, Jones worked at organizations across the east coast, from Florida to Maine. She is a member of 2023 Northwest Arkansas Forty Under 40 class. She holds a BFA in Stage Management from the University of Central Florida and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
“I’m both honored and humbled to step into the role of executive director,” said Jones in a statement. “TheatreSquared and Northwest Arkansas have held my heart since I arrived in 2014, and my commitment to our company, collaborators, community, and patrons remains unwavering as we take these next steps together.”
TheatreSquared is a regional professional theatre located in downtown Fayetteville, Ark. T2 believes that theatre done well and with passion can transform lives and communities. As of 2022, TheatreSquared had an approximate budget of $7.2 million.
