The Repertory Theatre Of St. Louis Names Kate Bergstrom as New Artistic Director

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has named Kate Bergstrom the new Augustin Family Artistic Director. Bergstrom will assume the post starting May 13, 2024, after a six-month nationwide search following Hana S. Sharif's departure last summer. With her appointment, Bergstrom brings a passionate energy for The Rep's next chapter that builds on the theater's success as a vital, celebrated, cultural cornerstone of St. Louis.

“The unwaveringly beautiful and crucial component of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is, of course, St. Louis! I am honored and humbled to return to this wonderful community in this role to celebrate - through excellent, engaging and relevant storytelling - this beloved region,” said Kate Bergstrom, The Augustin Family Artistic Director. “The Rep is more than a theater; it serves as a critical cultural heart in St. Louis by elevating and expanding the capacity for the extraordinary in us all. I'm excited to set down roots and galvanize that transcendent work, using my skills and experiences to foster engagement that uplifts and world-class storytelling that is both tremendously entertaining and vital.

Bergstrom will be The Rep's eighth Artistic Director in its 58-year history. Her most recent productions at The Rep wowed audiences this past December with the critically acclaimed It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and The 39 Steps in 2022. In addition to her time at The Rep,  she's directed at LORT regional theaters across the country including Marin Theatre Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Trinity Repertory Company and more. As a festival director, she programmed the Big Eddy Film Festival in Upstate New York where her responsibilities included fundraising, audience and community development and partnership building. This grew from her tenure as Founder and Producing Artistic Director of On The Verge, a festival premiering female and LGTBQIA writers in Santa Barbara, CA. As a performance coach and account manager at Stand and Deliver, she has worked with dozens of large corporate clients such as Google, Genentech and Cisco co-leading multi-day programs and long-term adviserships toward improving external and internal organizational communication. Bergstrom holds an MFA in directing from Brown University and a BA in Directing and Actin g from UCLA. 

“Kate is a bold and generous leader, who works with a heart-forward approach to center an artistic vision that will bring out the best in The Rep,” said Danny Williams, Managing Director. “At this critical juncture in the organization, her passion, energy and commitment to St. Louis makes her an inspired choice to ensure a vibrant future for the theatre. I can't wait to partner with Kate to realize a beautiful new chapter for our amazing company. 

“The Rep has a long storied history of inspiring and thoughtful leaders, and we are thrilled to pass the torch of leadership to Kate Bergstrom,” said Brian Clevinger, The Rep's Board President. “Kate's It's a Wonderful Life was an electrifying production that brought out the best in our local talent and inspired joy throughout St. Louis. We look forward to her work in deepening The Rep's impact on its stages and in the community.”

To conduct the search for a new Augustin Family Artistic Director, The Rep engaged Arts Consulting Group (ACG). From a field of many applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences, the committee narrowed down the search to three extremely qualified candidates. Each candidate participated in Zoom interviews and full-day in-person meetings, during which The Rep staff were encouraged to meet and ask questions with the potential candidates. The above-mentioned process took six months and included Rep staff and leadership, along with a search committee of arts leaders and community stakeholders led by Board Vice President Ann Cady Scott, the board of directors and independent search firm ACG. 

The Rep's 24/25 season, which kicks off in September with the suspense thriller Dial M for Murder, was programmed by Danny Williams and the current artistic team. Bergstrom will lead the selection of the Steve Woolf Studio Series this season and continue to deepen her relationship with St. Louis and the local arts community by actively listening to audiences as crucial collaborators to bring about a vision and strategic plan for the 25/26 season and beyond.

“We have the grand opportunity ahead to celebrate the power of extraordinary togetherness in this beloved region during a divisive time,” said Kate Bergstrom. “By bridging the differences that make us unique and the undergirding humanity that unites us all, The Rep looks to spark joy, discovery, and that extraordinary togetherness towards a thriving St. Louis and beyond. I'm ready to infuse care, love for this community and a clear, heart-forward vision of excellence into the Rep for years to come.”

ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) is the region's premiere theatre for compelling, award-winning theatrical experiences that entertain, engage, and illuminate audiences' shared humanity. Founded in 1966, for more than five decades The Rep has sustained and built upon its commitment to artistic excellence by creating, developing, and curating adventurous new works and beloved classics from the most exciting emerging and established American voices. The Rep builds bridges within the St. Louis community and beyond by offering productions that allow audiences to see themselves and the stories that matter to them represented on stage, through the organization's robust community engagement programs, and across its educational initiatives.

The Rep welcomes audiences with inspiring and expansive productions at several inviting stages across St. Louis including the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts and other venues around the St. Louis area. A thought leader in The National Theatre landscape, The Rep is a dedicated partner with arts organizations in St. Louis and across the country, expanding audiences' appreciation and understanding of the world through theatre. In December 2023, The Rep was named a Missouri Historical Theatre, which is awarded to theaters that contribute to tourism in Missouri, promote arts in its community and throughout Missouri, and has been operational for a minimum of 50 years. 

Subscriptions to the 24/25 Season are currently on sale. Don't miss the suspense thriller Dial M for Murder September 18 - October 13, 202; the holiday musical Million Dollar Quartet Christmas in partnership with STAGES St. Louis on December 4 - 22, 2024; Lynn Nottage's Tony-nominated comedy, Clyde's, February 5 - March 2, 2025; or the up-roaring retelling of Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, March 19 - April 13, 2025, all performed at the Loretto-Hilton Center, in the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre on the campus of Webster University.  Visit www.repstl.org for details and follow @repstl.