New Rep Theatre names interim executive arts director
New Repertory Theatre
New Repertory Theatre recently announced the appointment of the Boston-based and award-winning theater producer and director M. Bevin O’Gara as its interim executive artistic director, effective April 5.
O’Gara will serve in this position for approximately 9 to 12 months until the search for a permanent artistic director has been completed and a new leader is appointed. She succeeds Michael J. Bobbitt, who began his new role as the executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council in February.
“New Rep’s search committee is thrilled with the appointment of Bevin as our interim executive artistic director,” Jo Trompet, chair of New Rep’s board of directors, said. “Her familiarity and connections with the Boston theater community, previous employment at New Rep and strong commitment to using theater to advance equity and anti-racism made her a unanimous choice.
After a brief but significant tenure as artistic director of Watertown s New Repertory Theatre, Michael J. Bobbitt will depart this month to become executive director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Bobbitt – who joined the nonprofit theater in August 2019 and led it not only in expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, but also in the development of its Strategic Anti-Racism, Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Accountability Action Plan, all while simultaneously dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic – will take over leadership of the MCC on Feb. 1.
“I had planned to be at the New Rep for many years, so the timing of this move seemed a little off,” Bobbitt, 48, acknowledged in a recent telephone interview from his home in Cambridge. “But this position with the MCC was too good to turn away from. It’s a tremendous opportunity.”