McCarter Theatre Center’s Resident Playwright/Artistic Director Emily Mann and Managing Director Timothy J. Shields have announced Debbie Bisno as the theater’s new resident producer.
Ms. Bisno, a Broadway producer with two decades in the commercial and non-profit theatrical arenas, assumes her new leadership role immediately. Ms. Bisno will be based in Princeton as an important member of the artistic team at McCarter, and she will maintain and expand McCarter’s relationships in New York, regionally and abroad. Her existing company, Bisno Productions, will continue operations in Manhattan.
Ms. Bisno will work closely with Ms. Mann in curating McCarter’s theater series, overseeing world premieres, co-productions, and new works. She will identify strategic producing alliances, fostering regional theater partnerships and future commercial collaborations.
Ms. Bisno brings 20 years of creative producing expertise and an extensive industry network to her position, reinforcing McCarter’s history of transfers of new works to and from its multiple stages: the 1,072 seat Matthews Theatre, the 373-seat Roger S. Berlind Theatre, and “The Room” – an intimate 70-seat performance studio, which is home to McCarter’s Lab – an incubator for new plays, readings, workshops, and annual “Spotlight” productions.
”McCarter’s sophisticated approach to the artistic process — and product — is second to none,” Ms. Bisno said in a press release. “A passionate commitment to nurturing new plays, ambitious world premieres, and classical adaptations has established the theater as a premiere destination for first class talent and strategic partnerships.”
Ms. Bisno has theatrical roots in Chicago, and her credits include Broadway, off-Broadway and West End productions. Among the shows she has produced or co-produced are Terrence McNally’s “Mothers & Sons;” Craig Wright’s “Grace;” “War Horse:” and others.
Prior to her commercial producing track, Ms. Bisno was the founder and producing director of Roadworks Productions, a Chicago theater ensemble comprised of Northwestern University graduates formed in 1992.
”I am very excited about Debbie joining us as our resident producer,” Ms. Mann said. “She brings extraordinary expertise and experience in producing from both the profit and non-profit sectors and promises to be an inspiring colleague for me and the entire McCarter staff.”
McCarter is expected to announce its 2016-17 theater series in April.
