ArtsEmerson is a non-profit, professional theater and film presenting and producing organization in Boston, Massachusetts. Based on an idea from Emerson College President Jackie Liebergott and founded in 2010 by theatrical producer Robert Orchard, ArtsEmerson is part of the Office for the Arts at Emerson College's Boston campus. The organization presents and produces theatrical performances, films, and public dialogues across several Emerson College venues and in other locations in Greater Boston.
History ArtsEmerson's first season in 2010–11 presented 17 theater productions, 92 films, and four concerts.
Leadership Robert Orchard founded ArtsEmerson and was its first executive director. In 2012, David Dower joined the organization as Director of Artistic Programs. P. Carl joined ArtsEmerson as Creative Director in 2013, after joinging the Office of the Arts as Director of HowlRound. In 2015, Robert Orchard shifted to the role of Founder and Creative Consultant and David C. Howse joined as executive director. Also in 2015, David Dower, P. Carl, and David Howse began a "three-legged" leadership period, sharing leadership as two co-Artistic Directors (Dower and Carl) and an executive director (Howse). This partnership which continued until P. Carl's departure in 2017. David Dower departed in 2021. ArtsEmerson is currently under the leadership of Interim Executive Director of the Office of the Arts & ArtsEmerson Director of Artistic Programming, Ronee Penoi (Laguna Pueblo/Cherokee). Penoi joined ArtsEmerson in 2021. B.6.
Recognition ArtsEmerson was named "Boston's Best Theater" by Boston magazine in 2013 and again in 2015. In 2019, WBUR recognized ArtsEmerson as a "A Model For Equity In The Arts", stating, "From its inception, ArtsEmerson has instituted programs at the intersection of civic dialogue and artistic exploration that have expanded its audience and engaged communities that arts organizations have historically ignored."
Theatrical Presentations and Productions
2025–26 Season
Kristina Wong, #FoodBankInfluencerBernstein, Isabella. 2025. How do you become a food bank influencer? comedian kristina wong has answers. Boston Globe (Online), Sep 19, 2025. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/how-do-you-become-food-bank-influencer-comedian/docview/3252179323/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026). Hang Time (The Flea)Wallenberg, Christopher. 2025. ‘Hang time’ has a title both literal and metaphorical: The new ArtsEmerson production was inspired by the media reaction to the shocking deaths of two black men. Boston Globe, Oct 05, 2025. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/hang-time-has-title-both-literal-metaphorical/docview/3257149641/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026).Colby, Celina. 2025. 'Hang time' is a powerful portrait of black men in america. The Boston Banner, Oct 09, 2025. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/hang-time-is-powerful-portrait-black-men-america/docview/3263170093/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026). The 4th Witch (Manual Cinema)Aucoin, Don. 2025. ‘4th witch’ springs off from shakespeare to tell a powerful new story. Boston Globe (Online), Nov 03, 2025. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/4th-witch-springs-off-shakespeare-tell-powerful/docview/3268205868/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026). Spacebridge (Irina Kruzhilina & Visual Echo) Noli Timere (Rebecca Lazier & Janet Echelman)Aucoin, Don. 2025. ArtsEmerson announces new season of programming: Circus arts and social issues all find a place on the calendar. Boston Globe, May 26, 2025. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/artsemerson-announces-new-season-programming/docview/3207585653/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026). The Things Around Us (Ahamefule J. Oluo) Dead as a Dodo (Wakka Wakka)Savage, Gitana. 2026. In this musical, the puppeteers don’t disappear, they sparkle: For wakka Wakka’s ‘Dead as a dodo’ — playing at the emerson cutler majestic theatre this week — the humans might don sequins, but they’re not the main characters. Boston Globe, Mar 07, 2026. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/this-musical-puppeteers-don-t-disappear-they/docview/3310785919/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026). The Secret Sharer (DNAWORKS)Taylor, Nicole Estvanik. 2026. Boston welcomes two shows about men at sea on the same day: Their directors found even more common ground. Boston Globe, Apr 19, 2026. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/boston-welcomes-two-shows-about-men-at-sea-on/docview/3331234755/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026). In Old Age (Mfoniso Udofia & Front Porch Arts Collective)Byrne, Terry. 2026. ‘In old age’ is a graceful pas de deux between two skilled actors. Boston Globe, Jun 23, 2026. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/old-age-is-graceful-pas-de-deux-between-two/docview/3355008892/se-2 (accessed July 7, 2026).
2024–25 Season
Rough Magic (BrownEnough Productions, Parker Morrison Productions, Annie Gonzalez, and IKIGAI Management & Media) Fight Night (Ontroerend Goed) In the Same Tongue (Dianne McIntyre Group) On the Eve of Abolition (Papel Machete) Life & Times of Michael K (Baxter Theater Center, Handspring Puppet Company) The Seasons (Boston Lyric Opera, ArtsEmerson) It's a Motherf**king Pleasure (Flawbored) Utopian Hotline (ArtsEmerson, Museum of Science Boston)(Theater Mitu)
2023–24 Season
Little Amal (The Walk Productions in association with Handspring Puppet Company) We Are the Land (Wampanoag Nation) The Book of Life, Hope and Harmony from Rwandan Voices (Volcano Theatre and The Woman Cultural Center) The Real James Bond ... Was Dominican (DNAWORKS) Moby Dick (Plexus Polaire) Duel Reality (The 7 Fingers, U.S. premiere) Mrs. Krishnan's Party (Indian Ink Theatre Company) Book of Mountains and Seas (Huang Ruo and Basil Twist, Produced by Beth Morrison Productions)
2022–23 Season
Drumfolk (Step Afrika!) On Beckett (Bill Irwin) Theatre for One: We Are Here (Nairobi Edition) (Octopus Theatricals) Made in China 2.0 (Wang Chong/Malthouse Theatre) Frankenstein (Manual Cinema) Cointelshow: A Patriot Act (Mondo Bizarro) Shadows Cast (Raphaëlle Boitel) And So We Walked (DeLanna Studi) Nehanda (Nora Chipaumire)
2021–22 Season
Out of Order (Les 7 doigts de la main) … (Iphigenia) (Wayne Shorter & Esperanza Spalding) Zoo Motel (Thaddeus Phillips/Steven Dufala) White Rabbit Red Rabbit (Nassim Soleimanpour) Dreaming Zenzile (Somi Kakoma) Everyday Life and Other Odds and Ends (Sleeping Weazel) Burgerz (Travis Alabanza /Hackney Showroom) Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower (Toshi Reagon / Bernice Johnson Reagon) Sea Sick (Alanna Mitchell/ The Theatre Centre)
2020–21 Season
State vs. Natasha Banina (Arlekin Players Theatre) Stono (Step Afrika!) Julia (Christiane Jatahy) En Masse (Circa) chekhovOS /an experimental game/ (Arlekin's Zero Gravity (ZERO-G) Lab & The Cherry Orchard Festival Foundation) A Brimful of Asha (Why Not Theatre)
2019–20 Season
Passengers (Les 7 doigts de la main) Triptych (Eyes of One on Another) (Arktype/Thomas O. Kriegsman in cooperation with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation) The Magic Flute (Isango Ensemble) An Iliad (Homer's Coat) The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes (Back to Back Theatre) Detroit Red (produced by ArtsEmerson) Plata Quemada (Teatrocinema)
2018–19 Season
Hamnet (Dead Centre) The Peculiar Patriot (Liza Jessie Peterson) Measure For Measure (Cheek by Jowl and Pushkin Drama Theatre) WET: DACAmented Journey (Cara Mía Theatre Company & Ignite/Arts Dallas) The End of TV (Manual Cinema) When Angels Fall (Raphaëlle Boitel) An Inspector Calls (The National Theatre) American Moor (Keith Hamilton Cobb) /peh-LO-tah/ (Marc Bamuth Joseph) See You Yesterday (Global Arts Corps) To the Source (AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków) Born for This: A New Musical
2017–18 Season
Reversible (Les 7 doigts de la main) HOME (Geoff Sobelle) Kiss (Guillermo Calderón) Gardens Speak (Tania El Khoury) The State of Siege (Théâtre de la Ville) Bangsokol: A Requiem for Cambodia (Rithy Panh/Him Sophy) Ada/Ava (Manual Cinema) In the Eruptive Mode (Sulayman Al-Bassam Theatre) Torrey Pines (Clyde Peterson) The White Card (Claudia Rankine) Hamlet / Saint Joan (Bedlam) The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence (Step Afrika!) Cold Blood (Michèle Anne De Mey)
2016–17 Season
Cuisine & Confessions (Les 7 doigts de la main) G 1. Ouroboros Trilogy (Beth Morrison Projects with The Friends of Madame White Snake) Machine De Cirque (Machine de Cirque) Here All Night (Gare St. Lazare Ireland) Mala (Melinda Lopez) Our Secrets (Bela Pinter & Compagnie) The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Druid Theatre Company) Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower 17 Border Crossings (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental) How to be a Rock Critic (Jessica Blank/Erik Jensen) Citizen: An American Lyric (Claudia Rankine)
2015–16 Season
Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Matthew Kwatinetz) Mr. Joy (Daniel Beaty) An Audience with Meow Meow (True Friend Productions) uCarmen / A Midsummer Night's Dream (Isango Ensemble) Chopin Without Piano (Centrala) Twelfth Night (Filter Theatre) An Octoroon (Company One) The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go! (Ma-Yi Theatre Company) Three Sisters (Maly Drama Theatre) Historia de Amor (Teatrocinema) Daughter of a Cuban Revolutionary (Marissa Chibas) Premeditation (Latino Theater Company) Not I / Footfalls / Rockaby (Samuel Beckett)
2014–15 Season
Traces (Les 7 doigts de la main) King Lear (Shakespeare's Globe) The Magic Flute (Isango Ensemble) The Old Man and The Old Moon (PigPen Theatre Company) The Trip to Bountiful (ArtsEmerson and Jonathan Reinis Productions in association with Center Theatre Group) G 4. Breath & Imagination (Daniel Beaty) Green Porno, Live on Stage (Les Visiteurs du Soir) Tristan & Yseult (Kneehigh Theatre) Culture Clash 30th Anniversary Tour: Muse & Morros (Culture Clash) Needles and Opium (Ex Machina/Robert Lepage) Ulysses on Bottles (Israeli Stage) The Grand Parade (of the 20th Century) (Double Edge Theatre)
2013–14 Season
Columbinus (American Theater Company) Baritones Unbound (Marc Kudisch and Friends) Kiss & Cry (Charleroi Danses) Waiting for Godot (Gare St. Lazare Players and Dublin Theatre Festival) Mies Julie (Farber Foundry) Step Afrika! (Step Afrika!) Sleeping Beauty (Colla Marionette) We Are Proud to Present a Presentation … (Company One) House/Divided (The Builders Association) Red-Eye to Havre de Grace (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental) No Place To Go (Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra) Man in a Case (Baryshnikov Productions) A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bristol Old Vic) Not By Bread Alone (Nalaga'at Deaf-Blind Acting Ensemble) 25. Lebensraum (Habitat) (Jakop Ahlbom) The Wholehearted (Stein/Holum Projects) Sontag Reborn (The Builders Association)
2012–13 Season
Paris Commune (The Civilians) Sequence 8 (Les 7 doigts de la main) Hamlet (Shakespeare's Globe Theatre) Ted Hughes' Tales From Ovid (Whistler in the Dark) The Pianist of Willesden Lane (Hershey Felder) La Belle et la Bete (Lemieux Pilon 4D Art) Family Happiness (Fomenko Theatre) The Servant of Two Masters (Goldoni) Metamorphosis (Vesturport and Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)) Emergency (Daniel Beaty) Neva Guillermo Calderón Trojan Women (SITI Company) An Iliad (Denis O'Hare) An Evening with Maurice Hines The Next Thing (TNT) Festival American Utopias (Mike Daisey) Vision Disturbance (New York City Players) Blood Play (The Debate Society) A (Radically Condensed and Expanded) Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again (After David Foster Wallace) (Daniel Fish) Birth Breath Bride Elizabeth (Sleeping Weasel) Spring Training (Universes)
2011–12 Season
PSY (Les 7 doigts de la main) How Much Is Enough: Our Values in Question (The Foundry Theatre), World Premiere Delusion (Laurie Anderson) The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer, American Premiere The Speakers Progress (Sulayman Al-Bassam Theatre)