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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rob Weinert-Kendt is editor-in-chief of American Theatre. He was the founding editor-in-chief of Back Stage West and cofounder of StageGrade, and he writes for The New York Times, America magazine, and his blogs The Wicked Stage and Train My Ear. He studied film at USC and is a composer member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. rwkendt@tcg.org, @robkendt.

FIRST THEATRE MEMORY: A community theatre production in Phoenix, Ariz., of Oliver! It obviously had a big impact: I played the London cast album at home till it wore out, became a rabid Anglophile (I’m mostly over that, but the residue lingers), and my first son got the name.


MANAGING EDITOR

Kelundra Smith is managing editor of American Theatre. An Atlanta–based journalist, playwright, and storyteller, her articles have appeared in The New York Times, ESPN’s Andscape, Food & Wine, Garden & Gun, The Bitter Southerner, Atlanta magazine, and elsewhere. She got into theatre because that’s where teachers put the kids who talk too much in class. As a playwright, she has a passion for southern narratives rooted in the African diaspora. Her long-term goals are to land on the New York Times bestseller list, travel the world, open a late-night dessert restaurant, as well as have her plays adapted for television. ksmith@tcg.org

FIRST THEATRE MEMORY: I’m sure the first show I saw was something at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, but my first theatre memory is of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The ceiling looks like a starry night sky with moving clouds. Looking up at that ceiling when I was five years old made me fall in love with everything onstage.


ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Alexandra Pierson is the associate editor of American Theatre. She grew up performing at the Cornerstone Playhouse in Sussex, N.J. She earned a dual bachelor’s degree in journalism and English with a creative writing concentration from New York University. She served as books and theatre editor at the Washington Square News and was a publications intern at Playscripts, Inc. Alli also devoted a semester to studying Shakespeare and arts criticism in London. apierson@tcg.org, @alli_pierson

FIRST THEATRE MEMORY: Seeing Les Misérables on Broadway at age four. My parents were worried it would be too much for me, but I was mesmerized. My older sister fell asleep.


CHICAGO EDITOR

Jerald Raymond Pierce is the Chicago editor of American Theatre. He studied acting at Ohio University and received his M.A. in arts journalism from Syracuse University. A member of the American Theatre Critics Association, he is also a freelance reviewer for the Chicago Tribune. Previously, he served as the arts and culture reporter and theatre critic for The Seattle Times and as associate editor for American Theatre. jpierce@tcg.org, @TheJRPierce

FIRST THEATRE MEMORY: I learned and memorized not only my lines but the lines of everyone I was onstage with for every play I was in as a young child. Yes, I did correct them when they made mistakes. Yes, I am sorry. Please forgive me.


FOUNDING EDITOR

Jim O'Quinn

Jim O’Quinn was the founding editor-in-chief of American Theatre. His articles and reviews also appeared in StagebillTheatre HeuteTatlerHigh PerformanceEncyclopedia Britannica, and other publications, and he was a regular theatre reviewer for the now-defunct Manhattan weekly 7 Days. He also edited The Journal, a quarterly publication of the SDC Foundation, for six years, and created the Downtown Arts section of The Villager newspaper in downtown Manhattan. Prior to joining Theatre Communications Group in 1982, where he collaborated on the creation of American Theatre and became its founding editor, O’Quinn was managing editor of the journal TDR: The Drama Review, published by New York University; a city-desk reporter for The New Orleans Times-Picayune; and publisher for two years of an award-winning weekly newspaper in southwest Louisiana. His work at American Theatre has been recognized with two National Magazine Awards for Editorial Excellence (2001, 2002) and an Excellence in Editing Award for Sustained Achievement from the Association of Theatre in Higher Education (2010).


DESIGN MANAGER

Monet Cogbill (she/her) has managed the visual branding for TCG programs and services since 2004. Educated at Hampton University and Pratt Institute, Cogbill has design experience grounded in supporting the marketing efforts of purpose-driven publications and diverse print media.


PLAYSCRIPT DIRECTOR

Kathy Sova is playscript director for American Theatre magazine and has managed the editorial and production work for TCG Books since 1995. She has edited plays and theatre reference books by Anne Bogart, Eric Bogosian, Athol Fugard, André Gregory, Adrienne Kennedy, Lisa Kron, Tony Kushner, Donald Margulies, Suzan-Lori Parks, Sarah Ruhl, Wallace Shawn, Paula Vogel, the Thornton Wilder estate and August Wilson, among others.. Ms. Sova has a B.A. in theatre from Hofstra University.


PUBLISHER

Terence Nemeth has led TCG’s publications department since 1982. Before joining TCG, he spent 14 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he co-founded Mudra, a literary publishing house, and was one of the original employee-owners of Bookpeople, which was the most prominent distributor for independent publishers in the country. He also directed its book imprint, Wingbow Press, publishers of Edward Dorn, Diane di Prima, Michael Ondaatje, Colin Wilson, Jayne Anne Phillips and Peter Blue Cloud among others. Mr. Nemeth has served as a lecturer and panelist on small-press publishing and distribution for organizations such as the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Massachusetts State Council for the Arts and the American Association of Publishers and was the chair of the New York State Council for the Arts Literature Panel. He was awarded an Obie in 2004 for play publishing.


DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Carol Van Keuren (she/her) has been active in the professional theatre since 1983. Prior to joining the TCG staff in 1996, Ms. Van Keuren worked at Pennsylvania Stage Co., Williamstown Theatre Festival, Jewish Repertory Theatre, American Place Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Circle in the Square, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. While working with Jeffrey Richards, she served as the press representative for the Broadway production of The Kentucky Cycle, and, through Springer Associates, the National Actors Theatre’s Broadway production of Inherit the Wind. As Director of Advertising at TCG, Ms. Van Keuren is responsible for display and classified advertising in American Theatre magazine, web ads for AmericanTheatre.org and tcg.org, and ARTSEARCH.

WHAT GOT ME INTO THEATRE: A production of Antigone by Sophocles. I wanted to share the passion of the Greek tragedies with the world.


CIRCULATION MANAGER

Carissa-Cordes

Carissa Cordes earned their BFA in Acting from NYU. Since then they have acted and worked in numerous positions at various regional theatres, independent NYC theatres, and arts organizations. They came to TCG after serving as staff accountant at the League of American Orchestras, the first production coordinator for NYU’s New School, and the ticketing associate at New York Theatre Workshop.

WHAT I DO WHEN I’M NOT AT WORK: See theatre, participate in theatre, learn and occasionally perform aerials, and learn about Chinese medicine.


EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Teresa-Eyring

Teresa Eyring (she/her) is executive director of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre and publisher of American Theatre. Prior to arriving at TCG in March 2007, Eyring spent more than 20 years as an executive in theatres around the U.S. Positions included managing director of the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis from 1999 to 2007; managing director of the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia from 1994 to 1999; and assistant executive director of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis from 1989 to 1993. She began her theatre career as director of development for the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. She holds a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and an MFA in Theatre Administration from Yale School of Drama. She is a member of the boards of the Performing Arts Alliance, and The Actors Fund. Under her leadership, TCG adopted a new strategic plan with a major focus on diversity and inclusion, as well as audience and community engagement. With this plan, TCG has articulated a new, unifying vision statement. In summary it is: “A better world for theatre. A better world because of theatre.”

Follow her online on Twitter.

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