The Shaw Festival announced the appointment of Tim Jennings as the next Executive Director of the Shaw Festival. Jennings will succeed Elaine Calder, who is retiring in September of this year.

Well respected in both Canada and the United States for his creativity, financial acumen, leadership skills and energy, Jennings has had a long and successful career in theatre management, starting in production supervision and management at The Canadian Opera Company and River Run Centre. He also taught Theatre Production at Ryerson and Humber Colleges.

In 2000, he assumed the role of Managing Director of Toronto’s Roseneath Theatre, working with Artistic Director David S. Craig.

In 2008 Jennings moved to the United States to work with the Seattle Children’s Theatre as Managing Director, and then in 2011 moved to the world renowned, Tony Award-winning Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, one of the USA’s largest regional theatres, again as Managing Director. There he gained a reputation for increasing revenue, building the theatre’s endowment, creating new business lines to enhance the reputation and scope of the company, and supporting Artistic Director Peter Brosius in his visionary work.

“I am thrilled to accept this position and to be coming back to Canada to work with a theatre I have long held as the model for excellence,” said Mr. Jennings. I grew up in Georgetown with parents who saw the arts as hugely important and they took me to see a lot of work at Shaw. I credit it with a lifelong love of the art and starting my career in theatre. I am so excited to be working with Jackie as a partner, with the world class staff at the Shaw and to welcome Jackie’s successor!”