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Off-Broadway's Keen Company is adopting a new dual leadership model following the departure of Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein, appointing the new team of Artistic Director Kelly Kerwin and Producing Director Annie Middleton to take the reins of the company. 

Silverstein, whose final Keen production All the World's a Stage recently won Best Musical at the Off-Broadway Alliance Awards, will officially depart the company June 30.

Kerwin joins the Off-Broadway company after serving as artistic director of Oklahoma City Repertory Theater, a tenure that saw Kerwin revitalize the formerly dormant theatre into one of the region's top professional theatres.

Middleton comes to Keen after serving as a general manager consultant with Perelman Performing Arts Center, and also worked as a development consultant with A.D. Hamingson & Associates.

The duo will be Keen's third leadership era, following founder Carl Forsman, who served from 2000-2012, and Silverstein, who announced his departure earlier this year. Kerwin and Middleton were chosen following a nationwide search conducted by Keen's Board of Directors.

鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for the opportunity to co-lead Keen Company, and I am honored to take the baton from the wonderful and generous Jonathan Silverstein," says Kerwin in a statement. "He made Keen a beacon for intimate theatre that helped people feel connected and seen. I look forward to serving Keen鈥檚 mission and audience while making big things happen. We will celebrate artists who bring surprise and meaning to our lives. To say I am thrilled to partner with Annie Middleton is an understatement. Annie鈥檚 commitment to cultivating joyful spaces for theatre artists makes her uniquely suited to this position. Together we will lead Keen into the future, and we will work to help alleviate the current culture of exhaustion by producing theatre that replenishes the spirit and brings people together."

鈥淭he board of directors of Keen Company is deeply grateful to Jonathan Silverstein for his extraordinary dedication and skill as artistic director over the past 12 years," adds Board President Courtney Costello. "During his time as artistic director, Jonathan broadened the range of experiences and identities depicted on our stage and formed authentic relationships with the audiences whose stories were being told. In this way, he realized the Keen mission [of creating 'intimate theatre that celebrates the complexities of hope and the joys of the human condition'] on a new level. The collaboration between Jonathan and Managing Producer Ashley DiGiorgi, which was integral to the company鈥檚 achievements, allowed us to grow both artistically and financially through challenging times and to expand our reach to audiences and artists. As Kelly Kerwin and Annie Middleton assume co-leadership of the company, we honor the legacy that Jonathan has created and welcome them warmly, confident that they will craft a unique and forward-looking expression of Keen鈥檚 mission. Their fearlessness, expertise, and creativity, combined with a deep understanding of our company鈥檚 values, make them the ideal leaders for Keen鈥檚 next era.鈥�

Keen's 26th season programming is to be announced.