FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Broom Street Theater Announces New Artistic Director
Madison, WI (June 14, 2023) – Broom Street Theater is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria Dahman as the new Artistic Director.
Dahman will begin her new role on July 1, 2023. She will succeed Doug Reed, who has served as Artistic Director for the past six years. Reed will transition to the role of Managing Director, where he will focus on the theater's day-to-day operational needs.
Dahman received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from DePauw University in Indiana and studied acting at a two year conservatory program in Chicago. She worked with several Chicago theater companies before moving to Zürich, Switzerland, where she joined the local English-speaking theater group. Dahman began working with Broom Street Theater when she and her family moved back to the Midwest in 2017 and has served on the board of directors since 2020.
Dahman said, “I was researching theaters before we moved back to the U.S., and I just recently found a postcard I had written to Doug in 2016, but for some reason never sent! I’m delighted that we found each other, regardless. At this point, I’ve worked with Doug and Broom Street as a performer, director, writer, and board member, and I am so glad that I’ll continue to work with Doug as he transitions to Managing Director.”
Reed said, "Over the years I've worked with Maria, I've been impressed with her intelligence, her empathy, her sense of theatricality, and her willingness to wear all the hats necessary to keep a small arts organization going. I'm thrilled to see the direction she takes the theater in."
Broom Street Theater was founded in 1969 by Stuart Gordon. Shortly after Gordon left the theater the title of Artistic Director was bestowed on Joel Gersmann, who became the face, the heart, and the soul of the theater for three dozen years, until his unexpected death in 2005. Despite the name, the theater has been located on Williamson Street since 1977. Broom Street has produced over 300 original plays, and is the longest-running continuously-operating theater in the United States dedicated to original and experimental work.
Dahman said, “I look forward to continuing to produce inclusive works, bringing voices to live theater that aren’t typically heard, and supporting the expression of local artists.” She continued, “I love the pay-what-you-can model and other improvements in accessibility. My great hope is that we continue to bring in audiences that wouldn’t ordinarily see a live theater performance.”
For more information about Broom Street Theater, please visit www.bstonline.org.
Published on June 14, 2023
