Board of Directors

Snehal Desai, Brindell & Milton Gottlieb Artistic Director, Center Theatre Group
Danny Feldman, Producing Artistic Director, Pasadena Playhouse
Donna Simone Johnson, Co-Artistic Director Watts Village Theatre Company
Mayank Keshaviah, Independent Writer and Theatre Critic
Jessica Kubzansky, Artistic Director, Boston Court Pasadena
Cricket Myers, Independent Sound Designer
Celia Mandela Rivera, Actor, Director, Creator of BLKLST, Literary Manager, IAMA Theatre Company
DeLanna Studi, Artistic Director, Native Voices.

Executive Director

David E. Shane

David is an arts administrator with over 10 years of leadership experience in both producing theaters and arts service organizations. He joins Theatre Commons Los Angeles as its inaugural Executive Director, coming from CO_LAB Theater Group, an Off-Broadway company that produces original work by, with, and for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He was hired to lead CO_LAB through a period of significant financial strain, and in his two years as Executive Director, he executed a dramatic financial turnaround, eliminating a $300,000 operating deficit within the first year and more than doubling operating reserves. At the same time, he increased staffing and salaries and oversaw the development of a new professional touring initiative that brings original work by disabled adult actors into NYC schools serving students with disabilities. 

From 2010 to 2024, David was at the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York), where, as Director of Program Services, he set the strategic vision and goals for a robust suite of programs serving over 450 of New York’s nonprofit theaters, and produced hundreds of live events and digital resources to help ensure a just and thriving theatrical ecosystem. During his tenure, David oversaw the development of new adaptive programming such as a theatre-specific Sexual Harassment Prevention Training, a Disability Equity workshop series, and semi-annual conferences that engage hundreds of leaders from across the sector each year. He also developed and launched the What’s Off? Podcast, for which he served as Executive Producer. 

Prior to A.R.T./New York, he held positions as the Program Director for StageSource in Boston, MA, and Associate Artistic Director of the Bristol Valley Theater in upstate New York, where, in addition to producing dozens of productions, he oversaw the launch of the BVT New Works Initiative.

Alongside administrative leadership positions, David maintains an artistic practice as a director with a focus on contemporary plays and the development of new work. His credits include the Off-Broadway productions of Gidion's Knot (TheatreRow) and Mare In The Men's Room (Am. Theatre of Actors); the World Premiere productions of Who Is Theo?, Cookie Fight, and Elijah at the Bristol Valley Theater; and the regional premiere of We’ll Get Back to You by Rob Bell at Prima Theatre. He has been a frequent visiting artist at UMASS Lowell, where he has devised and directed original verbatim theater and led numerous workshops and lectures.

Contact: [email protected]