Stamford’s Palace Theatre Names Broadway’s BT McNicholl New Producing Artistic Director

Stamford’s Palace Theatre, with a rich and storied tradition of presenting the best in regional arts and entertainment, now embarks on its next exciting chapter with the appointment of new Producing Artistic Director, BT McNicholl.

Under the visionary direction of McNicholl, a veteran of the Broadway theatre community, the Palace intends to escalate the breadth and depth of its programming for Stamford and surrounding areas. 

Stepping into a position originally held by legendary impresario Alexander H. Cohen (founder of the Tony Awards telecast), McNicholl will oversee productions at the historic 1927 Palace and a soon-to-be-completed Off-Broadway-sized playhouse. In addition, just four blocks away is The Palace’s sister theatre, the state-of-the-art Rich Forum, currently leased by NBC Universal as a television production studio.

“After talking with Mike Nichols, James Lapine and other theatrical luminaries -- all of whom spoke highly of BT’s artistry and professionalism -- we felt he would be a perfect match for the organization’s bold new initiatives,” said Stamford Center for the Arts and Palace Board Chair Mike Widland. 

“I’m thrilled to take the reins of these beautiful theatres, so close to the vibrant arts and resources of Manhattan,” said McNicholl.  “Our stages will be teeming with artists engaged in large productions, small plays and new works that will continually entertain, engage and enlighten.”  In addition to masterminding the shows in Stamford, he will continue to helm productions in New York. 

McNicholl has had a prolific career as director and writer in the U.S. and internationally. Winner of the Australian “Tony” for Best Direction, he has also staged record-setting runs in Paris and Madrid.  On the creative team of a dozen Broadway plays and musicals including Spamalot, Cabaret and Billy Elliot, he has been a protégé of master directors David Hare, Sam Mendes, Stephen Daldry and Jerry Zaks, in addition to legends Nichols and Lapine.  A BMI-Award winning writer, McNicholl’s work with the Roundabout, MGM, Shubert Organization, O’Neill Theatre Center as well as hit productions for The Goodspeed Opera House, Walnut Street Theatre and others have poised him for success on this new venture.

Growing up in nearby Darien, McNicholl has fond memories of The Palace and an innate knowledge of the area that will contribute to the development of programming and community involvement. 

About the Palace Theatre
The 1,580-seat Palace Theatre is dedicated to performing arts of all genres - music, dance, theater and comedy.  In addition to hosting world-renowned performers in each of those fields, The Palace partners with arts organizations like the Stamford Symphony and Connecticut Ballet for their performances.  The Theatre’s three floors encompass a deeper-than-typical Broadway-size stage, a café, a Learning Center, a theatre-long art gallery and a magnificent glass-walled promenade.  The Palace is dedicated to providing exciting entertainment that enriches the cultural, educational, economic and social life of the community.

Below is a link to a high definition video featuring BT McNicholl at The Palace:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tsldp2ikgnnkrpr/palace-final-logo.mp4

Here’s the YouTube version of the video for your reference:
http://youtu.be/c4cunWMxPRU