Hana Sharif, who led The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) as its Augustin Family Artistic Director for five years, is leaving the company to become Artistic Director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
“It has been one of the great honors of my life to lead The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and to build upon the incredible legacy of artistic excellence over the last five years,” Sharif said.
“I have forged deeply meaningful friendships, collaborations, and artistic partnerships in this beautiful community, and will miss the indomitable spirit of St. Louis.”
Sharif guided the organization through a cultural transition following the retirement of long-time artistic director Steven Woolf.
“Under Hana’s leadership The Rep has made significant strides to ensure that we remain a vital, twenty-first century arts organization that serves all St. Louisans by increasing access to the best emerging and established voices in the American theater and building bridges across the region,” said Danny Williams, The Rep’s Managing Director.
Sharif extended the The Rep’s dedication to staging world premieres every season, including
Somi Kakoma’s Dreaming Zenzile, Kirsten Greenidge’s Feeding Beatrice, Steph Del Rosso’s The Gradient, and Madhuri Shekar’s House of Joy.
Her other credits include diversifying The Rep’s programming, and she established the company’s first all-female design team for Steph Del Rosso’s The Gradient.
“Over the past five years Hana has brought forth a strong vision for The Rep that showed us what a top regional theater’s role could and should be within the community, producing and directing critically-acclaimed new works and classics; reaffirming the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and boldly navigating us through the challenges of the pandemic,” said Gwen Middeke, president of the board of directors of The Rep.
Sharif launched a new annual holiday tradition in 2021 with the magical warm holiday extravaganza “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, which was adapted by Michael Wilson. It will continue in 2023 as part of The Rep’s season.
She also rose to the challenge of creating new programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a drive-through illuminated puppet experience called “The Snowy Day: A Glowy Snowy Experience” based on the book “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats; and “Cooking, Carols, and Cocktails,” a virtual theatrical series that joined local chefs, mixologists, local bands and media personalities together.
To give back to the community, she launched REPresent STL, a conversation series centered on the issues that area residents say they care most about. She led cultural and civic partnerships related to themes in the performance seasons including collaborations with Dr. St. Louis Health Director Mati Hlatshwayo Davis for AIDS and HIV awareness, and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition to creatively share new voter regulations with St. Louisans.
She also partnered with other regional arts administrators from Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf Theater, Woolly Mammoth Theater Company, and the Public Theater in New York to commission short plays from writers having financial crises during the global shutdown. The collective developed Play at Home, a website that offered theaters new plays of 10 minutes or less, planned to be performed at home, over video conferencing platforms.
Sharif said “the move isn’t a decision she takes lightly but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity she couldn’t pass up.”
Her and Middeke both agreed the future of The Rep is in good hands under Williams’ direction.
“We are so grateful to Hana for the immense contributions she has made to The Rep and feel confident that her close collaborator and our brilliant managing director [Danny Williams] will continue to expertly steer the organization forward during this time of transition while we undertake a national search for a new creative partner who will enrich and inspire our community,” Middeke said.
Sharif will leave her role at The Rep in June.
The Rep is assembling a transition and search committee that will strategize the next steps to secure a new artistic director and will announce more information in the coming months.
