Philadelphia Young Playwrights Announces LaNeshe Miller-White as New Executive Director

LaNeshe Miller-WhiteLaNeshe Miller-White (Submitted Image)

PHILADELPHIA, PA — After an extensive search, the Board of Directors of Philadelphia Young Playwrights is thrilled to announce they have hired LaNeshe Miller-White as the organization’s new Executive Director. Miller-White has started in her new role, and has left Theatre Philadelphia, where she wrapped up a very successful Philadelphia Theatre Week. She will take the reins of the organization following the seven-year tenure of outgoing Executive Director Lisa Nelson-Haynes who has taken a national role at StoryCorps.  Miller-White brings with her more than 15 years of experience on the Philly arts and culture scene.  She is a graduate of Temple University, where she worked with Philadelphia Young Playwrights in 2004 by performing in her first Philadelphia acting role in a PYP showcase. Her experience with PYP comes full circle from being a new actor performing in her first show for PYP to now returning to lead the organization.

“The Board of Directors of Philadelphia Young Playwrights welcomes LaNeshe Miller-White as our new Executive Director,” said PYP Board President Peter Mastriano. “LaNeshe is uniquely suited to increase the visibility of PYP’s impact in Philadelphia and the region. She has a unique set of artistic and leadership skills, along with deep connections for our community. She has a proven track record of raising up Philadelphia’s creative voices – and she brings with her a passion for making a difference and getting things done. We are thrilled to have her join our organization for our next chapter.”

“When I came to Philadelphia in 2004 to attend Temple University my very first theater gig within the first few weeks of arriving here was as an actor in the yearly fall PYP showcase at Temple,” said Miller-White. “Since then I’ve had the pleasure of being an in-classroom actor, participating in a Saturday playwriting retreat, and the 2nd Annual Pep Rally. I have always been extremely touched and inspired by the scenes and plays the students participating in PYP programs have written. I am so honored to be able to join PYP in the capacity of Executive Director and lead the organization in bringing the transformative power of playwriting into classrooms.”

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She added, “Philadelphia Young Playwrights is such a stellar opportunity to introduce students to the power of playwriting and using creative writing to express ourselves and connect with one another. As a big advocate for keeping arts experiences in schools I am so excited to join PYP as Executive Director and be a part of enabling arts education for Philadelphia area youth.”

As the organization’s new Executive Director, Miller-White will help Philadelphia Young Playwrights champion and celebrate student voices through the art of playwriting – in our schools and in our communities. Programs are designed to provide students with creative experiences that build community, inspire change and transform lives. Current programs include in-school programs, an annual playwriting festival, resident playwrights, playwriting workshops and classes, and community-based programs.

First on her priority list will be continuing to execute and measure benchmarks for PYP’s new strategic plan. She will also begin meeting with donors, community partners and educational leaders this spring – and she will learn more about student’s works through the Summer Literary Committee.

Mastriano said, “An ongoing challenge of PYP is visibility and awareness among regional individual donors. PYP enriches young minds.  This is not tangible like a public mural or a hot meal. As students, our beneficiaries are not in a position to advocate for us. One assignment of the new ED will be to bolster broader awareness of PYP and reconnect with the students we have touched over the decades now that they are adults. We have all the confidence in the world Miller-White can lead this important work as we head into the future.”

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Theatre Philadelphia has also announced its search to fill Miller-White’s outgoing role as their Executive Director.  Miller-White hopes to work with Theatre Philadelphia down the road as a community partner as she turns her attention to raising up new young voices from our community. Her dream is in five years to see a student work from PYP’s program make their world premiere debut on a Philadelphia stage during Philly Theatre Week – which she just spent the last several years championing.

Miller-White will also continue to remain active in producing theatre through her work with Theatre in the X. She will also take to the stage this May with a role in the Philadelphia Artists Collective world premiere adaptation of Jane Eyre at Christ Church Neighborhood House.

Philadelphia Young Playwrights is thanking and celebrating the outgoing Executive Director Lisa Nelson-Haynes who will continue to empower others to take control of their stories and voices – but now on a national stage. She will now serve as Interim Chief of Programming at StoryCorps.

“Under Lisa’s leadership, Philadelphia Young Playwrights developed syndicated student podcasts, showcased intimate virtual artist conversations between professionals and students about works in progress, expanded programming into Philadelphia communities, and delivered virtual programming to keep students feeling creative and emotionally connected throughout the pandemic and overlapping period of social unrest,” said Mastriano. “On behalf of our board and staff, we want to thank Lisa and wish her well as we she her on in her new position.”

For more about the work and team at Philadelphia Playwrights, please follow @pyplaywrights and visit www.phillyyoungplaywrights.org.

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