Classical Theatre of Harlem Appoints Chesray Dolpha as Director of Education and Community Programs
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is pleased to announce that Chesray Dolpha (she/her) has been appointed Director of Education and Community Programs by Classical Theatre of Harlem (Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director; Carl Cofield, Associate Artistic Director) in New York City, following our extensive national search. The Director of Education and Community Programs is a newly created role and will work with Executive and Artistic leadership to develop education and community programming inspired by CTH’s mission, artistic vision, and deep community roots.
Chesray Dolpha joins Classical Theatre of Harlem on May 31, 2023 following a multi-dimensional career across theatre, education, and community. Most recently Chesray has served as the Resident Director for The Tina Turner Musical on its Broadway run. Prior to that she served as the Artistic Director of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC), supervising programming at the intersection of artivism, storytelling and social justice. Previously Chesray worked as the Director of Theatre at Harlem School of the Arts. Additional credits include Teaching Artist and Program Director roles at the Theatre Development Fund, Rehabilitation through the Arts, Urban Arts Partnership, and the International Theatre Project which brought her home to Cape Town, South Africa.
CTH’s Producing Artistic Director, Ty Jones shared; “Chesray’s arrival represents an opportunity for growth, innovation, and collaboration that will expand upon in a full time capacity the work of Onyemaechi Aharanwa, a Juilliard trained actress whose education work in a consultant capacity changed the lives of many young scholars with CTH - especially during the pandemic. The passing of the baton to Chesray is a seamless transition of our mission-driven work to nurture the next generation of artists and audiences.”
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at Classical Theatre of Harlem!” said Chesray Dolpha, “I believe in the power of theatre and education as a dual social force that deepens our connection to ourselves and the communities we live in. Classical Theatre of Harlem is doing such exciting and critical work in making classical work accessible and humanising to communities that often don't get to see themselves represented in classical work. And how exciting we get to build on the existing legacy of artistry in the Harlem community!”
Edie Demas, Vice President at the Tom O’Connor Consulting Group, led the search and shared; “this was a highly competitive process, however, it soon became clear that Chesray’s professional and life experience stood out. She brings both deep and broad experience in education, theatre and storytelling, along with the personal perspective of an immigrant who found community in Harlem, to the role. It’s a transformative match.”
About Classical Theatre of Harlem
Founded in 1999 at Harlem School of the Arts, CTH’s mission is to maintain a professional theatre company dedicated to returning the classics to the stages of Harlem; to create employment and educational outreach opportunities in the theatre arts; to create and nurture a new, young, and culturally diverse audience for the classics; and to heighten the awareness of theatre and of great art in Harlem.
The company provides theatrical productions and theatre-based educational and literary programs at little or no cost to underserved communities in Harlem and beyond. Since its founding in 1999, CTH has prioritised opportunity and access in the theatrical arts: onstage, backstage, in its administration, board, and audience. By leading with diversity, equity and inclusion as its core values, CTH attracts one of the most racially, generationally and socio-economically diverse theatre audiences in New York City.
About Tom O’Connor Consulting Group
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is a NYC-based consultancy that supports arts institutions and leaders with two integrated services: organizational strategy and executive search. Consulting specialties including marketing, strategy, assessment, and organizational development. Founded in 2015, TOCG is a fully remote company with team members spanning the country and the globe.
Select clients have included Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Carnegie Hall, Cincinnati Opera, Huntington Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, Next Chapter Podcasts, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, SPACE on Ryder Farm, and more.
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