Goodspeed Musicals Appoints Frank Stilwagner as Director of Development
Tom O’Connor Consulting Group (TOCG) is pleased to announce that Frank Stilwagner (he/him) has been appointed Director of Development by Goodspeed Musicals (Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director; David B. Byrd, Managing Director) in East Haddam, CT, following our extensive national search.
Stilwagner joins Goodspeed Musicals following his most recent post as Director of Advancement at Village Theatre in Washington, a leading producer of musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. During a span of over 16 years at Village Theatre, Stilwagner also held positions as Director of Development and Director of Marketing. Previous positions include Executive Director of Flying House Productions in Seattle. He also actively supported regional arts marketing and development professionals by serving as Co-Chair of Market the Arts Task Force as well as founding and co-chairing Fundraising for the Arts Task Force. He holds a BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University.
“We are delighted to welcome Frank to the Goodspeed Musicals team. His vast experience connecting with donors in meaningful ways will complement our growing fundraising efforts in this continued COVID recovery moment. The future at Goodspeed is bright and we are glad to have a new colleague in Frank to help us achieve our mission of providing the very best in live musical theatre,” states Managing Director David B. Byrd and Artistic Director Donna Lynn Hilton.
“I am honored to join the team at Goodspeed Musicals. I have admired their work for years and it is a privilege to be afforded this opportunity,” says Frank Stilwagner. “I look forward to building upon and advancing their current fundraising in support Goodspeed’s future strategic goals and growth while celebrating the history and contributions Goodspeed has made over the past 60 years to musical theatre.”
“Frank’s experience in development leadership and strong track record in raising funds for musical theatre is a perfect fit for Goodspeed Musicals as they enter a period of great evolution for the organization and for the field. Innovative fundraising approaches will be essential to serve Goodspeed's artists, staff, and audiences, and realize the mission of this storied and important organization. We are thrilled that we were able to match Frank with the dynamic new leadership at Goodspeed, and their extraordinary team,” says Tom O’Connor, President of TOCG, who co-led the search with TOCG Consultant Anne Trites.
About Goodspeed Musicals
Goodspeed Musicals is the foremost expert in American Musical Theatre. Founded almost 60 years ago, Goodspeed has produced 280 musicals, including over 70 world premieres, and exported 21 productions to Broadway. Goodspeed gained worldwide recognition for the creation of three of Broadway’s longest-running musicals—Annie, Man of La Mancha, and Shenandoah—and has been recognized within the industry with two Special Tony Awards.
Goodspeed Musicals, led by the new leadership team of Artistic Director Donna Lynn Hilton and Managing Director David B. Byrd, envisions a bright future as a thriving artist community where the creative process informs the work on their stages and expanding educational and engagement programs. They are committed to discovery and innovation that will enrich the field with the next generation of musical theatre artists.
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, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Lincoln Center Theater, The Metropolitan Opera, Next Chapter Podcasts, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, SPACE on Ryder Farm, and more.
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