PRINCETON, NJ (CelebrityAccess) – Paula Abreu has been named the new Director of Special Programming at McCarter Theatre Center on the campus of Princeton University. Her appointment came after Bill Lockwood announced he was stepping down but would act as a consultant through June 2023. Abreu will begin her position this summer and be with the company full-time in September 2022.
Abreu will oversee the lineup of Presented works annually and strengthen connections across departments and relationships with Princeton University, neighboring academic and arts institutions, and communities.
Abreu spent over a decade at New York’s SummerStage and Charlie Parker Jazz Festivals, programming a wide range of acts. She brings 15 years of experience in scouting and presenting established and up-and-coming talent from across the globe. Before SummerStage, Abreu worked at the Red Hot Organization and Lincoln Center.
“It is reassuring to know that the performers who consider McCarter home will be in expert hands with Paula Abreu – she is an inspired choice. It is wonderful to think about the new talent and energy she will bring to our stages, cultivating the next generation of artists and audiences,” said Lockwood.
Abreu will work closely with Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen and the Artistic team, specifically supporting McCarter’s new vision of bringing its Presented and Produced Theater series in greater alignment – under “one performing arts umbrella.”
“I can’t wait to join the Artistic team, bringing my passion for international artists and my approach to programming and discovery of new talent to the conversation. I am eager to expand McCarter’s roster of high-profile headliners and invite audiences of all ages to discover and engage with a diverse range of performers across music, dance, and spoken word,” said Abreu to New Jersey Stage. “I am honored to build upon the outstanding roster of world-class artists that Bill Lockwood has curated and nurtured for nearly 60 years! His relationships have distinguished McCarter and Princeton as a national cultural treasure.”
