Alexander Gemignani Named Artistic Director of National Music Theater Conference
(© Allison Stock)
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center has just named Alexander Gemignani the artistic director of their National Music Theater Conference . As previously announced, founding artistic director Paulette Haupt will step down this August after 40 seasons at the helm of the National Music Theater Conference.
Gemignani becomes the second artistic director in the conference’s history. Since its founding in 1978, the NMTC has developed more than 132 new musicals, including early works of Nine, Violet, Avenue Q, In Transit, and In the Heights.
An actor, musical director, composer, lyricist, and educator, Gemignani is currently performing as King George III in the Chicago company of Hamilton. His Broadway acting credits include Violet, Chicago, Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, The People in the Picture, and Sunday in the Park With George.
"I am deeply honored that Preston Whiteway and the board of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center have selected me to help shape the next generation of groundbreaking musicals," said Gemignani in a statement. "The O’Neill’s stellar reputation of cultivating work that challenges, stimulates, and inspires is one I'm thrilled to continue. I have enormous respect for my predecessor, Paulette Haupt, whose passion and insight have helped make the O'Neill a safe haven for creation for the last 40 years. I'm invigorated by the challenge of honoring the foundation and legacy of the American musical, while looking ahead to include new theater makers with bold approaches to storytelling. In short, I cannot wait to get started."
