NAACP and OBIE Award Winner, Ty Jones, assumed CTH’s artistic and organizational management in 2009 after the financial crisis nearly forced the organization’s closing. Under his leadership, CTH stabilized its finances, grew its donor base and expanded its programming and community-based initiatives. Mr. Jones envisioned and launched CTH’s Uptown Shakespeare in the Park series in…
Ryan Patrick Ervin is a producer, dramaturg, and an arts administrator. Prior to his time at the Classical Theatre of Harlem he held management positions at the New-York Historical Society, Carnegie Hall, and the Rubin Museum of Art. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, he has an MFA in Dramaturgy from Columbia University, and a BA in…
Prior to joining CTH, Michele spent roughly 20 years in the investment banking and hedge fund industries. She was a Principal and the Director of Marketing at Sansar Capital Management where she raised over $2bn from institutional investors. She also worked at Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers in their investment banking and institutional equity sales…
Carl Cofield directed several plays for CTH before joining as a staff member in 2018. Notable directing credits for CTH include the critically acclaimed productions of The Bacchae, Antigone, Macbeth, The Tempest and Dutchman. In addition, he directed the award winning world premiere of One Night In Miami for Rogue Machine Theater and the Denver…
Dio (pronounced Jo) is a mission driven and results oriented professional with a passion for community building and development. Prior to joining CTH, he has held development positions at Partnership with Children, Jericho Project and Children of Promise, NYC. Dio holds a B.A. in Economics from The City College of New York. Outside of the…
Betty Shamieh is the author of fifteen plays. Her off-Broadway premieres include The Black Eyed (New York Theatre Workshop, Director: Sam Gold) and Roar (The New Group, Director: Marion McClinton). Roar was selected as a New York Times Critics Pick and is currently being taught at universities throughout the United States. In 2016, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship…
Elena Paul is a General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in performing arts and educational service organization that supports the activities of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey II, two dance companies extensive national and international performance and touring; The Ailey School; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs; and The Ailey Extension. Her legal…
Ruth is an arts administrator, who’s experience in theatre has spanned artistic and organizational roles. She previously held positions at Juilliard, the Metropolitan Opera House and the Play Company. Ruth Hollander received a BA in Theatre from Columbia University and a BA in Philosophy from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Shawn René Graham is a freelance writer and dramaturg from San Jose, California who has worked with many writers including Dennis Allen, France-Luce Benson, Nilo Cruz, Steve Harper, Walter Mosley, Lynn Nottage, Paul Rudnick, Susan Sontag, Dominic A. Taylor, Judy Tate, and Cori Thomas. She has been a guest dramaturg at the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, the…
Patricia Taylor founded her Financial and Management Services firm in 1995. As a skilled financial professional with a broad knowledge of business systems and general management, her interest is in helping small and mid-sized not-for-profits to achieve program goals through best practice accounting, budget oversight and planning for financial stability. Clients choose from a menu…
Maechi is a native New Yorker, a Princess Grace Award recipient (Gant Gaither Theatre Fellowship), and a graduate of The Juilliard School Drama Division.At Juilliard she was honored to receive the Drama Division’s John Houseman Prize for excellence in classical theater and to accept the Joseph W. Polisi, Artist as Citizen Award at graduation. A few of…
Mariana Wahrhaftig is an international producer and director based in Los Angeles, California. She has produced and directed everything from Season 3 of Nintendo’s world-wide phenomenon video game hit concert-series The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses – Master Quest that toured for 5 years all around the globe, and has been seen by hundreds…
Alessandro has over a decade of experience helping theatre, entertainment companies, and artists engage with new audiences around the world. Online content that he has created as a director/writer/editor has been viewed over two billion times across social media. For press inquiries, please contact alessandro@cthnyc.org