Executive Leadership

Ryan Rilette, Artistic Director

Ryan Rilette is in his twelfth season as Artistic Director of Round House Theatre. During his tenure, he has produced five of the best-selling and highest-attended seasons in the theatre’s history. His productions have received 81 Helen Hayes Awards nominations and 21 Helen Hayes Awards, including Outstanding Original New Play or Musical, Outstanding Ensemble, and Outstanding Resident Musical. Ryan created the theatre’s Equal Play Commissioning program, Resident Artist program, Fair Play pay scale for artists, and Free Play ticketing program.

For Round House, he has directed "We declare you a terrorist...", Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up, Homebound, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Oslo, Small Mouth Sounds, “Master Harold”…and the Boys, The Book of Will, Angels in America: Perestroika, The Night Alive, Fool for Love, This, and How to Write a New Book for the Bible.

Prior to joining Round House, Ryan served as Producing Director of Marin Theatre Company, Producing Artistic Director of Southern Rep Theatre, and co-founder and Artistic Director of Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company. He is the former Board President of the National New Play Network, and formerly served on the boards of theatreWashington and Maryland Citizens for the Arts. Ryan is a member of SDC, AEA, and SAG-AFTRA

Ed Zakreski, Managing Director

Ed Zakreski is in his eighth season as Managing Director of Round House Theatre, where he oversees management, finance, marketing, and fundraising. He has been working in theatre and arts management in the DC region for more than 25 years. As an executive leader and fundraiser, he has raised more than $100 million in his career. At Round House, he has led the $14 million Full Circle Capital Campaign, and co-produced the four highest-grossing shows in the theatre’s history.
 
Prior to joining Round House in 2016, Ed spent 12 years as the Chief Development Officer at Shakespeare Theatre Company, where he completed the $75 million capital campaign to build Sidney Harman Hall and produced the $3 million opening gala, called “the most buzzed about gala” by Washington Life. He also doubled the annual fund and led the development of STC’s annual gala and Will on the Hill  into two of the top 10 events in Washington as rated by Bizbash.
 
From 1998-2005, Ed served at the Kennedy Center in increasingly senior positions, culminating as Director of Individual Campaigns where he oversaw a 22-member team raising more than $11 million annually. While there, he significantly increased the engagement and fundraising of many of the Center’s auxiliary boards and led unique experiential arts meetings around the United States and in Beijing, Budapest, Copenhagen, London, Paris, Prague, and St. Petersburg.
 
Ed holds a degree in arts management from American University. He is a frequent presenter and leader of workshops about management and fundraising for nonprofit arts organizations.