American Players Theatre head Brenda DeVita to step down in 2029

Lindsay Christians, The Cap Times

After 31 years at American Players Theatre, 12 of those as the company’s artistic director, Brenda DeVita has announced that she will step down at the end of 2029.

DeVita’s announcement comes at a high point for the classical repertory company in Spring Green, which took home the 2026 Regional Theatre Tony Award in June.

A search and selection committee to find her replacement is already meeting, made up of board members, core acting company members and year-round staff. The increased national visibility may help them fill what is, by all accounts, a very specific and challenging job.

“This is such a unique operation,” DeVita said. “The location is unique — the outdoor spaces, the (repertory structure), the company. Just putting a season together is mind-blowing. There are so many considerations.”

American Players Theatre has an operating budget of about $10.2 million, with 35 year-round staff and 300 employees during the season. That season, which runs from June to early October, involves five plays running in repertory in the 1,075-seat outdoor Hill Theatre and three plays in the indoor, 200-seat Touchstone Theatre.

For a time, APT staged holiday shows. Now, there is a single-show “shoulder season” that opens in late October and runs about a month. This year, Jen Silverman’s “Witch” opens in the Touchstone on Oct. 22, and the run is nearly sold out.

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