alex conley to leave soho rep
this press release just arrived:
Alexandra Conley, who has served as Executive Director of Soho Rep
since 1999, is leaving that post, it has been announced by Jon Dembrow,
Chairman of the Board at Soho Rep. Ms. Conley leaves Soho Rep to join
her husband in Milan, Italy, where he has accepted a new position in
the fashion industry. The search for a new Executive Director will
begin shortly and the position will be filled by summer ’08, according
to Mr. Dembrow
Artistic Director Sarah Benson also announced new dates in the fall of
’08 for the U.S. premiere of Sarah Kane’s play BLASTED: originally
scheduled for production this spring, BLASTED will start Oct. 2, 2008.
The date change accommodates the search and also Marin Ireland’s
schedule, who will star in the show, and is now scheduled to appear in
BLASTED in the fall.
As both Mr. Dembrow and Ms. Benson note, Soho Rep has experienced
tremendous growth since Alexandra Conley joined the company as
Executive Director nine years ago: during her tenure the theatre’s
budget has expanded 350% and attendance has grown from 42% to 85%
annually. As well, the company has successfully cultivated one of the
youngest adult audiences in New York City, with over three-quarters of
its theatre goers aged 18 to 35.
Now in its 33rd season — which is Ms. Benson’s first as Artistic
Director — Soho Rep has moved from an Off-Off-Broadway company to a
full-fledged Off-Broadway company. The theater has also instituted
some novel (and extremely popular) ticket pricing policies this season,
including all seats for 99-cents on Sundays.
According to Ms. Benson, “Alexandra has led the company through
terrific institutional growth, and has furthered the vision of this
theatre through her remarkable passion and dedication to the work at
the heart of Soho Rep. She leaves the company in wonderful shape.”
Mr. Dembrow adds, “Alexandra’s professionalism in managing the
theater’s operations has been extraordinary. The board has had a great
trust in her fiscal management of the theater. We wish Alexandra and
her family only the best in their move to Italy. Our thorough search
to find a replacement will be a difficult task, but we feel confident
that we will find the right candidate to continue to build support for
Soho Rep’s expanded artistic output.”
Soho Rep, which began its 2007-08 season with a sold-out engagement of
John Jesurun’s PHILOKTETES followed by an acclaimed, extended run of NO
DICE by Nature Theatre of Oklahoma, will continue the season with a
wide range of developmental work, including the popular Writer/Director
Lab in April and May, and a workshop in May of Jenny Schwartz’s (GOD’S
EAR) new play SOMEWHERE FUN.
For information about Soho Rep, call 212 941 8632 or visit the website