In a major development in the leadership of New York City’s non-profit theater scene, Lincoln Center Theater has named directors Lear deBessonet and Bartlett Sher to the roles of Artistic Director and Executive Producer, respectively.
The appointments take effect when longtime LCT artistic director André Bishop concludes his 33-year tenure this June, as previously announced. The transition comes in conjunction with the close of Lincoln Center Theater’s 40th anniversary season.
“It is the deepest honor of my professional life to serve as the next Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater, following the astonishing legacy of André Bishop,” said deBessonet, whose current tenure as Artistic Director of Encores! at New York City Center has included well-received productions of Once Upon a Mattress (currently on Broadway), Into the Woods, Oliver!, Jelly’s Last Jam and Titanic.
“I believe the theater is a space for the creation and restoration of community – and it is my intention in this job is to be of service to the mission and boundless possibilities of LCT, to our city, and to the field,” deBessonet’s statement continued. “I am thrilled to work alongside my dear friend Bartlett Sher, whose artistry and vision have profoundly affected my work as a director, and the extraordinary board and staff of Lincoln Center Theater to lead this theater into its next chapter of great success.”
Sher, a director whose credits include Aaron Sorkin’s hugely successful adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird as well as productions of My Fair Lady, the 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I and The Bridges of Madison County, called Lincoln Center Theater “one of the most important theaters in America” and touted Bishop’s legacy “of exceptional quality and enormous strength.”
“Lear deBessonet is an incredible artist and leader and I am deeply honored to collaborate with her as she guides Lincoln Center Theater into a transformative future,” continued Sher, whose position of Executive Producer is a new one for LCT. He has been a resident director at Lincoln Center Theater since 2008, and directs LCT’s current production of McNeal, a new play by Ayad Akhtar starring Robert Downey Jr.
In announcing the new appointments, LCT board chair Kewsong Lee said the hirings follow a comprehensive search of international scope, and thanked Bishop for his “artistry and leadership” of the institution. “LCT would not be where we are without him,” Lee said.
Said Bishop, “I am sad to be leaving, but incredibly grateful for the many happy years I spent at our wonderful theater. Lear and Bart are gifted and intelligent artists, and I am confident that Lincoln Center Theater will continue to grow and flourish.”
As Artistic Director, deBessonet will be responsible for all programming and season planning; cultivating and maintaining relationships with artists; and oversight and day to day operating of the staff and organization.
As Executive Producer, Sher will be responsible for the oversight of strategic priorities such as the development of international partnerships, brand expansion, as well as the expansion of fundraising and LCT’s resources.
Both deBessonet and Sher will assume their roles on July 1, 2025, and will report directly to the Chair of the LCT Board. Both will join the Board as ex-officio members.