Danny Williams is Managing Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, where he has helped lead a period of significant organizational growth and renewal since joining The Rep in January 2022. An experienced arts executive, Williams brings expertise in nonprofit finance, strategy, fundraising, organizational development, and institutional leadership to his work advancing the role of theatre in civic and community life.
Prior to joining The Rep, Williams spent 15 years at The Public Theater in New York, serving in a variety of leadership roles from 2006 to 2021. In his final role as Senior Director of Finance and Administration, he helped oversee the daily and strategic financial operations of the $50 million nonprofit organization. His work included long-term financial planning and analysis, cash and investment strategy, budgeting, project management, organizational systems, and partnership with fundraising and programmatic teams.
During his tenure at The Public, Williams worked on some of the organization’s most celebrated productions. Broadway credits during that time included Fun Home, Eclipsed, Hamilton, and Hair, with Off-Broadway productions including Here Lies Love, Into the Woods, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, White Noise, and Rock Bottom.
Williams serves on the National Planning Committee for the Professional Non-Profit Theatre Coalition, working with theatre leaders from across the country to advocate for lasting governmental partnership supporting the nonprofit theatre sector, including arts education, workforce development, and infrastructure needs. He is also a member of FOCUS St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis Cohort 51.
A frequent speaker on arts leadership and management, Williams has presented at national conferences and convenings for Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Tessitura Network, and CCS Fundraising. He has also served on the board of INTAR Theatre, an organization committed to the development and continuation of the Latine voice in American theatre.
Before moving into arts administration, Williams worked professionally as a performer, director, improviser, and producer. He appeared in the 2002 Westport Country Playhouse pre-Broadway production of Our Town, starring Academy Award winner Paul Newman, and performed extensively as an improviser at venues throughout New York. He also had the singular distinction of playing Shakespeare’s most famous bear in The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of The Winter’s Tale, appearing alongside Isaiah Johnson, Lindsay Mendez, and Big Bird.
As a director, Williams helmed several New York International Fringe Festival productions, including Gated and Yellow Brick Wall, both written by Marisa Marquez. From 2017 to 2019, he served as an Executive Producer with the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center in Big Sky, Montana, producing The Winter’s Tale, directed by Laura Savia; the world premiere of Stephanie DiMaggio’s Levity, directed by Stella Powell-Jones; The Last Five Years, directed by Jason McDowell-Green; and [title of show], directed by Danny Sharron.
Williams has also held positions with Musical Theatre International and Manhattan Theatre Club and served as an adjunct professor in Brooklyn College’s MFA program in Performing Arts Management. He holds degrees in marketing and theatre from Fairfield University and studied at Regent’s University London.
