Anthony McDonald, the new vice president and executive director of New Haven’s Shubert Theatre, is aiming to make his tenure at the historic venue a transformative one.

His plans include making the 107-year-old theater a reflection of the diverse New Haven community, including what people see on and off the stage and in its staff.

It’s a tall order for the not-for-profit theater that has had its ups and downs over the last century, and this one, too, as it faces shifting markets, increased competition and changing tastes — not to mention a global pandemic.

McDonald, 32, succeeds John Fisher, who headed Shubert for more than 20 years. McDonald, a Howard University and Columbia University graduate, had previous experience in general, company, house and venue management.

Most recently, he worked with the Nederlander Producing Co. of America at the Minskoff Theatre (home to the musical “The Lion King”) and Gershwin Theatre (home to “Wicked”). He is one of the few African-American executives in the presenting field and he sees his position as one to further the arts and entertainment industry’s announced goals of equity, inclusion and access.

“I’m somewhat of a unicorn in this business where there are not too many Black men around the country doing what I’m doing with a theater of this size and revenue,” says the New Jersey native who started his job in March.

With a dramatically downsized staff because of the shutdown, McDonald says he has an opportunity to build an “almost all-new team that only knows me and the future — and who are not held back by the past. I made it no secret to the board that we had to do better to resemble multicultural New Haven in every way if we want the community to come to the theater.”

Financial challenges

Developing new and diverse audiences for the approximately 200 events it hosts every year is something that presenting and producing theaters across the country are grappling with, he says, especially as they face a fast-changing entertainment landscape.

Though it posted a surplus of $589,812 in the 2018-19 year, according to public filings, the Shubert Theatre faced deficits in the two previous years totaling more than $400,000.

The 2019-2020 season was halted in mid-March by the pandemic, contributing to a $717,002 loss for the fiscal year.

Since 2013 the Shubert has been owned and operated by the not-for-profit CAPA — Connecticut Association for the Performing Arts — whose parent company is CAPA Columbus [Ohio]. The theater was previously owned by…|CONTINUED|