Gabriella Calicchio will become the fifth executive director at the 89-year-old theater institution in Southern Oregon.
Calicchio said she鈥檚 wanted to come work for OSF ever since spending her honeymoon here more than two decades ago.
鈥淚 would say that my dream of one day being the executive director probably started that long ago, in 2003," she said.
Calicchio will be taking the place of Tyler Hokama, who鈥檚 been the interim executive director since June of 2023.
OSF鈥檚 previous executive director, David Schmitz, stepped down early last year during a time when the company was facing major financial difficulties.
Calicchio said she鈥檚 already taken a look at OSF鈥檚 financials and things are looking healthier than 2023, when the company was still recovering from a drop-off in attendance from the pandemic, an issue faced by theaters nationwide.
"That鈥檚 probably one of the first things that I鈥檒l be doing, is getting more intimate with our financial position so that I know what we鈥檙e working with and where we need to go and what kind of plans we need to put in place to get there,鈥� she said.
OSF has managed to turn around its finances after two emergency fundraisers last year. 2024 featured the first full season since the pandemic, with nine shows and an emphasis on one-person plays. They鈥檒l be celebrating the theater鈥檚 90th anniversary in 2025, which will also feature a full lineup of shows and bring back a rotating repertory style of theater, where actors perform in multiple shows.
Calicchio is coming from the Bay Area, where she was the executive director and founder of the Marin Cultural Association. She's also worked as an executive at other theater and cultural institutions, including The Walt Disney Family Museum and the Children's Theater Company in Minneapolis.
Calicchio said she鈥檚 looking forward to inviting in young audience members and working with donors who are just as passionate about theater as she is.
鈥淗er extensive background in the arts, combined with her passion for theatre and her infectious spirit, make her an ideal partner as we continue to push the boundaries of what鈥檚 possible on stage," said OSF Artistic Director Tim Bond in a statement.
Calicchio will officially start in November. But, she'll start onboarding immediately to get up to speed on the organization's current operations.
