In a board meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 9, the board of directors of Virginia Repertory Theatre removed Phil Whiteway as the organization’s managing director, according to several sources.
In a press release on Wednesday evening, Aug. 16, Va Rep announced that it was parting ways with Whiteway.
“We thank Phil for all of his contributions to Virginia Rep and the entire Richmond theatre community, and Virginia Rep will continue to recognize him as co-founder of the organization, and for his contributions over his long career,” the board states in the release.
The release also notes that the board will “soon engage in a national executive search for a new managing director. The board is meeting weekly with the staff leadership team and is supporting them as they fulfill the duties of the managing director until an interim leader is named.”
Whiteway, together with former Artistic Director Bruce Miller, founded the theater company Theatre IV in 1975 which then merged with Barksdale Theatre in 2012 to form Virginia Repertory Theatre. The two have been long-standing leaders in the local arts community, building the company into one of central Virginia’s largest performing arts organizations.
Reached for comment, Whiteway referred questions to Harris Butler of the law firm Butler Curwood. The firm specializes in “matters related to employment law, including discrimination, sexual harassment, overtime, retaliation and whistleblower claims,” according to its website.
Butler confirmed that “we are engaged in discussion with folks at Virginia Repertory theater” but that he had no comment at this time. “We will make one when appropriate,” he continued.
Virginia Rep owns and manages three different venues in the Richmond area, reaches an estimated audience of 500,000 patrons each year and reports approximately $6 million in annual income.
The company has gone through a series of leadership changes over the past several years, but until the recent move, Whiteway had maintained his core role managing business operations. Co-founder Miller stepped down as artistic director officially in 2016. In 2021, artistic co-directors Steve Perigard and Katrina Carol Lewis were hired to limited contracts.
Desirée Roots was named artistic director of community in November 2021 and then, in May of 2022, Virginia Rep announced the establishment of a tripartite structure for artistic direction. Roots was joined by Todd D. Norris, named as artistic director of education, and Rick Hammerly, given the title of artistic director of programming.
Virginia Rep recently announced the celebration of its 70th anniversary (Barksdale was founded in 1953) and is reportedly still integrating its new venue at the former Scottish Rite Temple site in the North Side into its operations. The $3.5 million purchase of the 45,000 square foot building, built in 1969, was announced in October 2022.
