James Houghton Named as Juilliard’s Director of Drama

James Houghton, the founding artistic director of the Signature Theatre Company, will become The Juilliard School’s Richard Rodgers Director of Drama next season. He succeeds Michael Kahn, who is completing his 14-year-tenure in the position. Kahn will remain on the school’s faculty.

Meanwhile, Houghton will continue his duties at Signature while working at Juilliard. In the past 15 years, Signature has presented the work of Edward Albee, Lee Blessing, Bill Irwin, Arthur Miller, Paula Vogel, and Lanford Wilson, among other playwrights. Earlier this season, Signature offered a critically acclaimed revival of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful, and is currently serving up a revival of John Guare’s Landscape of the Body starring Lili Taylor and Sherie Rene Scott.

In making the announcement, Joseph W. Polisi, the president of The Juilliard School, said: “Jim Houghton’s appointment heralds a new era in the distinguished history of actor education at the school. His vision, knowledge, creativity, and extraordinary success in the profession as a director, producer, and supporter of young talent make him the perfect person to lead Juilliard’s program into the future.”