Avery Willis Hoffman has been appointed as the Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director of Court Theatre, starting November 1. Hoffman will be responsible for shaping and implementing the theatre's artistic vision and programming.
Hoffman began her professional stage career at age 12 and has developed a career in directing, dramaturgy, producing, and working with artists on cross-disciplinary performance projects. Her academic background includes ancient Greek and Roman drama and Shakespeare, aligning with Court Theatre’s mission to reinterpret classic works for contemporary audiences.
“Avery brings an extraordinary breadth of experience and a deep commitment to the transformative power of theatre,” said Provost Katherine Baicker. “Her vision and leadership will build on Court Theatre’s tradition of excellence while opening new pathways for artistic innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement. We are thrilled to welcome her to the University.”
Hoffman has collaborated extensively with director Peter Sellars on global theatre, opera, and dance productions including Shakespeare’s Othello, Mozart’s Zaide, Toni Morrison’s Desdemona, as well as cultural festivals like the New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna. She also served as international tour producer for Park Avenue Armory’s FLEXN.
Her recent role was as the inaugural artistic director of the Brown Arts Institute at Brown University where she led initiatives such as the Artistic Innovators Collective and curated collaborations with artists like Theaster Gates and Carrie Mae Weems.
Previously, Hoffman was program director at Park Avenue Armory in New York City focusing on artistic experimentation. She also contributed to exhibitions at Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture among others.
Hoffman holds a D.Phil. from Oxford University where she was a Marshall Scholar and a BA from Stanford University.
She succeeds Charles Newell who served as Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director for three decades.
“I am deeply honored to join Court Theatre and the University of Chicago at this pivotal moment,” Hoffman said. “I’m excited to build on the legacy of my predecessors...and collaborate with Court and University leadership...to reimagine how we understand and stage the classics.”