Kansas City Repertory Theatre Board of Directors Chair Andrew Kaplan today announced that Jeremy Dewey has been selected as the new Executive Director, effective June 1, 2025. Dewey will succeed Angela Gieras, who served as Executive Director from 2013 until 2024, when she departed to assume the role of Executive Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company located in Washington, D. C. As Executive Director, Dewey will oversee strategic management, operational oversight and external relations to ensure the theatre’s success and sustainability and as well work collaboratively with Artistic Director Stuart Carden to support all artistic programming and initiatives at KCRep. Search facilitated by Management Consultants for the Arts, with the team of Jonathan West and Emily Knapp.
Carden stated, “We are so fortunate to have Jeremy Dewey join us as KCRep’s next Executive Director. Jeremy has helped lead large and small organizations, including most recently the thriving multi-disciplinary urban arts organization the Brooklyn Academy of Music. A Midwesterner at heart, Jeremy is an in-service leader who centers connection and community. With extensive experience in change management and strategic planning Jeremy is an inspiring leader in this moment of generational change for KCRep.”
Andrew Kaplan, Chair, Board of Directors shared, “After an exhaustive and well-orchestrated executive search, we are pleased to have selected Jeremy Dewey as our new Executive Director. Jeremy’s intellect, experience and knowledge of the performing arts will serve our organization well as move forward towards our next exciting chapter. Working with Artistic Director, Stuart Carden, we know we have a winning leadership team to lead KCRep into the future as we work to fulfill our ongoing mission of providing transformative theatre in the Kansas City community.”
Jeremy Dewey brings a dynamic combination of artistic vision, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to community engagement as the incoming Executive Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Currently serving as Chief of Staff at the renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), he guides senior executives in the implementation of BAM’s strategic five-year institutional vision of impact, growth, and sustainability. He also provides oversight for key initiatives such as a transformative $15 million renovation of the BAM Rose Cinemas.
He is also Founder and Senior Impact Advisor of Dewey Impact Group (DIG), a consulting group dedicated to empowering cultural and educational organizations to dream ambitiously, design strategically, and deliver meaningful change. Through his leadership, DIG has helped organizations navigate change with clarity and purpose through business strategy, fundraising, and leadership transitions. Since 2023, DIG consultants have supported leading institutions including Jazz at Lincoln Center, National Dance Institute, The Metropolitan Opera, the National Blues Museum, and the 92nd Street Y, among others.
A passionate theatermaker at heart, Dewey co-founded Trusty Sidekick Theater Company, a celebrated New York City- based ensemble specializing in original theatrical experiences for young audiences and families. This formative experience continues to shape his belief in the transformative power of bold storytelling and meaningful, inclusive audience engagement.
Dewey’s extensive experience in arts administration also includes previous roles as Director of Project Management and Strategic Planning at BAM, and Senior Director of Development and Finance at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in St. Louis, where he supported significant organizational change and a major capital expansion. His earlier career positions at New York City Ballet, executive search firm DHR International, and Kansas Audio-Reader Network have provided him with a holistic perspective across nonprofit management, arts administration, fundraising, and operational management.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Kansas, and earned dual master’s degrees in Business Administration and Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University. Raised on a farm in Kansas, he has a lifelong love of gardening and the outdoors, which shaped his appreciation for patience, care, and growth—values that continue to inform his creative and professional work. He and his husband, Dr. Gary Parker, have been together for 14 years and share a love of the arts, travel, and time with their dog, Benton. They are excited to make their new home in Kansas City.
Dewey stated, “It is an incredible honor to join Kansas City Repertory Theatre, a premier cultural institution with a powerful history of artistic excellence and community impact. As someone who has dedicated my career to ensuring the arts reflect the community’s lived experience, I’m inspired by KCRep’s ability to bring people together through compelling storytelling and transformative experiences. I look forward to collaborating with the talented staff, artists, board, and community partners to build on that foundation and shape an ambitious, inclusive future for the theatre and the greater Kansas City region.”