Let the curtain rise for Syracuse Stage’s newest leading man, Jeffrey Woodward. He might not sing, dance or recite any lines, but the newly appointed managing director is a brand new addition to Syracuse Stage.

‘Jeffrey brings to Syracuse Stage the exceptional skill and talent he honed while working at one of the nation’s preeminent regional theatres,’ said Timothy Bond, producing artistic director of Syracuse Stage and the SU Department of Drama.

‘I am thrilled he has accepted our offer, and I am eager to begin a partnership in the exciting work of building the future for Syracuse Stage and the Syracuse University Department of Drama,’ Bond said.

Woodward and Bond will take the places of former Stage producing director and chair of the SU Department of Drama, James A. Clark, and former Stage artistic director, Robert Moss. Clark and Moss announced their joint decision to step down from their leadership positions in June 2006 after having worked for 12 years as the art and management team for Syracuse Stage.

But Woodward and Bond have their own goals to accomplish.

‘Our goal is to build upon the accomplishments of Jim Clark and Bob Moss and make Syracuse Stage one of America’s leading theaters,’ Woodward said. ‘That means producing great theater, launching a new play development program, expanding the audience and the donor bases and building alliances with the community and the University.’

Bond undertook Moss’s position in July 2007 working as overall head of the institution. However, managing director Clark’s shoes were not filled until earlier this month.

‘It had been long and difficult to find a replacement for him,’ said public relations director for Syracuse Stage, Patrick Finlon.

A committee of Syracuse Stage and university professionals conducted an extensive international search before they found Woodward. He was working a similar role as managing director at the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, N.J. Woodward joined the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton in 1991 and has fulfilled a successful tenure.

The lengthy pursuit for a managing director finally ended, and the committee selected Woodward. Effective March 24, he will be Syracuse Stage’s third managing director in its 35-year history.

Woodward came as ‘highly regarded,’ Finlon said. His familiarity with the joint efforts of a drama department and professional school made him an ‘ideal candidate.’

‘He is a really generous and supportive manager who will bring a lot of experience to the table,’ Finlon said.

As managing director, Woodward will work to support the administrative side of operation, overseeing day-to-day business and operations, marketing, developing, financing, personnel and board and community relations. Woodward will also report directly to and work closely with Bond, and together they will share oversight of the stage’s production and education departments.

‘It’s a terrific opportunity for me,’ Woodward said. ‘I’m very excited and pleased to be working with Tim Bond. He’s a terrific artist and a wonderful addition to the stage as well as the university.’

Upon taking office, Woodward plans to improve the Stage by developing approaches to encourage interaction between the performing arts and student communities. He hopes to carry on his achievements of increasing student engagement at the McCarter Theatre to Syracuse Stage.

‘It’s really important to me and Tim to get students to come to Syracuse Stage,’ Woodward said. ‘It’s going to be one of our objectives to make the work that we do of interest to students. At the end of the day, what we want to do is great theater.’