Melbourne Theatre Company’s chief executive and artistic director Brett Sheehy has announced his resignation.
The theatre boss revealed in a statement on Friday afternoon that he would leave the high-profile theatre company after the launch of its 2022 season. He said it was time for a change of leadership as the business begins to emerge from its “darkest year” on record.
Melbourne Theatre Company’s artistic director and chief executive Brett Sheehy.Credit:Penny Stephens
“Now is the right time to transition,” Sheehy said. “I will leave this year with certainty that the 2021 program we have set for our recovery will see MTC survive and thrive and again confirm our place as one of the preeminent arts organisations of the nation.”
Sheehy has steered MTC’s programming for eight years. He has overseen more than 100 productions and helped grow its subscriber base into one of country’s largest. He also managed the company’s Next Stage Writers’ Program – resulting in half of MTC’s programming coming from new works – and oversaw the MTC’s Women in Theatre initiative. Since 2017, just over 40 per cent of the theatre company’s commissions have been by First Nations writers and people of colour.
