Harriet Sheets (Managing Director) joined New Repertory Theatre as Managing Director in Fall 2000, bringing with her experience in human resources, union contracts and negotiations, budgeting and cash flow management, as well as Marketing, Development and Special Events. During her tenure, Ms. Sheets has successfully managed the theatre’s increasing operational budget, while maintaining several years of positive net assets and moving the company from Newton Highlands to Watertown’s Arsenal Center for the Arts. Her management of the Marketing and Development departments has garnered increased growth in subscription and single ticket sales, as well as increased support for annual fundraising events and funding from corporate and foundation sources. Prior to her employment with New Rep, Ms. Sheets was the General Manager at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT). Ms. Sheets was at MRT for nine years, where she worked as Stage Manager, Production Manager, Operations Manager, and finally General Manager. Ms. Sheets started her theatre career as an Equity Stage Manager and has worked for numerous theatres including The Opera Company with Sarah Caldwell, North Shore Music Theatre, The Wilbur, The Huntington Theatre Company, Worcester Foothills Theatre, Theatre by the Sea in Portsmouth, and the Ogunquit Playhouse. She holds a BFA from Arizona State University, where she met her husband, Dave Brown, Production Manager for Stoneham Theatre.
Bridget Kathleen O’Leary (Associate Artistic Director) is in her fourth season at New Rep as Artistic and Education Associate. Most recently, she has directed New Rep’s productions of DollHouse (Elliot Norton Nomination, Best Production, 2011), boom, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and Fool for Love. Other directing credits include: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, for Summer Festival Theatre, Roxbury Latin; Aunt Dan and Lemon, for Whistler in the Dark; The Boys of Winter (IRNE Nomination, Best New Play, 2008) for BKS productions; The Devil’s Teacup (IRNE Nomination, Best New Play, 2007) at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre; and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The American Clock, Much Ado About Nothing, Curse of the Starving Class, Dancing at Lughnasa, and Sarah Kane’s Crave and 4.48 Psychosis, all at Boston University. In 2007, she assisted Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg at the National Playwrights’ Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and worked as an assistant on new plays by Rebecca Gilman and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Before moving to Boston, Bridget worked in Washington, D.C. with the Olney Theatre Center, Theater Alliance, Cherry Red Productions, Charter Theater, Studio Theatre Second Stage, and Phoenix Theatre DC, of which she was a founding member. Selected D.C. directing credits include: Independence, Parallel Lives, and the creations of Unwrapped and Lulu Fabulous by area playwrights. Bridget received her MFA in directing at Boston University. She lives in Watertown with her husband Chris.
Heather Darrow (Development Director) recently joined the team at New Repertory Theatre in the fall of 2011. Her career began at New York City Opera where she remained for 4 ½ years fostering Marketing and Group Sales efforts for productions such as La Boheme, Tosca, Le Nozze di Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Macbeth, Carmen, The Flying Dutchman, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd starring Elaine Paige and Candide starring John Cullum. In the winter of 2006, Heather relocated to the Boston area as Associate Marketing Manager for Broadway Across America-Boston, where she was later named Marketing Director. During her 5 ½ years there, she supported marketing efforts for Broadway touring shows such as Wicked, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, In the Heights, My Fair Lady, The Drowsy Chaperone, August: Osage County, Spamalot, Mamma Mia, Les Miserables and Twelve Angry Men. Heather received a BA in Theatre and Music from Bradford College and continues to perform in both musicals and plays with theaters throughout the Greater Boston Area. She lives in Woburn with her husband Todd.
Christine Toohey (Management Associate) joined the New Repertory Theatre family in 2010. She has worked as the Marketing Associate for the Huntington Theatre Company and SpeakEasy Stage Company, and has experience in management, marketing, and development with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, ImprovBoston, the Longwood Players, and the Independent Drama Society. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Boston University with a B.A. in English and a minor in French Language and Literature. She performs on Saturdays as a cast member of ImprovBoston's Family Show.
Merli V. Guerra (Creative Services Associate) comes to New Rep with a background in design and the performing arts. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Dance and Studio Art, and is now Co-Founder, Artistic Director and one of two choreographers for Luminarium Dance Company in Cambridge. She performs classical Indian dance locally and abroad with Nataraj Dancers, and is also an award-winning artistic filmmaker. Merli is delighted to have found a position in which all of her artistic pursuits (visual, performance, and film) can be put to good use while promoting an exceptional theatre.
Todd Michael Hall (Audience Services Manager) is happy to return for his eighth season. He held the Box Office Manager position at The Boston Center for the Arts for four years. BA in Theatre/English: The University of Vermont. He has produced shows in Vermont, Boston, and NYC. Set/Light Designer: On Guilt, Gender Bender, Rainbow Chaser, The Unemployable Livia Peacock. Actor: Prisoner in Zeitgeist Stage Company’s Far Away, God in The Cart of Thespis’ Everyman. Director: On Guilt, Rainbow Chaser. Playwright: On Guilt, Rainbow Chaser. He is also currently working on his first novel. He has also worked as a Production Manager with 20 American Dollars, a Boston-based independent film company.
Rachael Donnelly (Development and Front of House Associate) started with New Rep during Into the Woods, and is happy to return to New Rep for her sixth season. While her grandmother wanted her to be a Broadway star, Rachael is more interested in production and development. Rachael has also taught a makeup class for New Rep's 2007 and 2008 Summer Studio and was part of the makeup team for New Rep's 2008 production of According to Tip. Her work as a makeup artist has been seen in such places as the Tribeca Film Festival. She also co-produced the short film Vigilance in 2005.