People

René works with the Board of Directors to determine the vision and goals for the Theater, then sets about working with the staff on strategies to meet them. After 16 years of for-profit management, she traded in the long corporate hours of planning, budgeting, and fundraising for the long non-profit hours of planning, budgeting, and fundraising. But at the end of the day, when she comes downstairs, there’s dancing. Or singing. Or poetry or acting or sometimes even a girl on a trapeze. René thinks she has the best job in Pittsburgh.

Scott is the liaison and technical advisor to all the artists who produce and perform their work at the Theater. He works closely with them to make their magic happen. He ensures that all our theatrical equipment is, as he likes to say, rock solid. A problematic set design is no problem. Any audio and video glitches are immediately unglitched. He provides a smoothly functioning venue and assists in troubleshooting just about every electrical or mechanical thing we have around here, from the lighting console to the ice machine.

Kayla is thrilled to call the New Hazlett Theater home. She brings with her a deep understanding of the arts and a passion for supporting creative communities. She’s excited to help raise the theater’s visibility, expand its reach, and build lasting relationships with audiences and supporters. Kayla believes in the transformative power of art and is eager to contribute her skills to advance the New Hazlett Theater’s mission and support the incredible artists who call it home.  Outside the theater, Kayla enjoys spending quality time with her family and exploring new recipes in the kitchen. She’s passionate about fostering a sense of community both inside and outside the theater walls.

Sadie already feels like the New Hazlett is home! She is excited to once again have an office where she can peek in on rehearsals and connect with art practitioners and audiences. Behind the scenes, Sadie oversees human resources, business processes, and venue rentals. She is thrilled to put her experience in fundraising, finance, and personnel management to work in the Northside. She lives in Marshall-Shadeland with her husband and four kids.

Melissa is happy to call The Hazlett her artistic home, where she oversees the CSA Emerging Artist Performance Series, offering local talent a platform to showcase groundbreaking work. Melissa is passionate about creating opportunities for artists to push creative boundaries, and she’s excited to contribute to The Hazlett’s reputation as an incubator for the arts. With years of experience directing and producing new works in New York City, including Off-Broadway and having her work featured on PBS All Arts, Melissa brings a wealth of expertise in crafting powerful, engaging theater. Now back in Pittsburgh, she’s energized by the opportunity to produce new works and support the next generation of local artists. The Hazlett feels like a perfect fit, and Melissa looks forward to helping build a space where dynamic new art can thrive.

Dylan is responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of productions, including planning, organizing, and supervising theatrical activities. He personally handles all pre-production elements, supervises each technical crew, and serves as our in-house advisor to artists as they develop their projects.  Dylan enjoys every opportunity to help each artist’s experience at the theater run as smoothly as possible as they bring their projects to life on the New Hazlett stage. He also finds that working in a beautiful historic building is a huge perk to the job.

Allyson King, Program and Events Manager, is the liaison between artists, community & corporate organizations, or any other individuals looking for a unique space to host their next performance or event.  With over a decade of experience in non-profit party and event planning, Allyson has the knowledge and skills to help every client get the best experience from their time with the New Hazlett.  She offers guidance and assistance through every step of the rental process, from the initial tour of the space to contracting to the final production meeting & load-in.  She loves being in such a historic and creative setting that inspires dynamic art for all ages, and strives to bring every clients’ vision to life, whether it be an artistic performance, corporate party, or dream wedding.

Lauren oversees our front-of-house staff and serves as the theater’s resident House Manager. From selecting your perfect cocktail at the bar to helping you find the best seat in the house, Lauren’s here to help you enjoy your time at the theater.  Interested in ushering at the New Hazlett? Give Lauren a shout!

Nathan runs the box office for all the theater performances. He works closely with the theater’s rental partners and CSA artists to get tickets on sale in an efficient and timely manner. In addition to being a ticketing guru, Nathan monitors and maintains the patron donor database. Nathan is usually the first face a patron sees when they walk into the New Hazlett. Feel free to stop and say hi the next time you come to an event!

Zach’s job is to maintain the building and grounds, as well as handle any fabrication and construction needs for the New Hazlett.  A day in the life of Zach can entail anything and everything from fixing broken pipes, modifying railings or even making an access door to the HVAC unit on the roof. It’s no surprise that Zach’s favorite aspect of working at our theater is the great variety of projects on a day-to-day basis.

Krista is responsible for all things communication and design coordination. Whether it be e-blasts, social posts, press releases or program books, Krista’s job is filled with words and images. Krista enjoys the creativity of her role and getting to meet so many amazing artists!

Adam came to the audio world by way of a life in music. While studying trombone at William Paterson University and in the ensuing years, he has had the pleasure of playing alongside Randy Brecker, Jimmy Heath, The New York Voices, Parallel Brass Quintet, and Pittsburgh’s own Dr. Zoot and the Suits.

Adam has nurtured a lifelong love of theatre from many orchestra pits and mixing consoles, and is delighted to be a part of the fabulous crew here at NHT and of Pittsburgh’s warm and welcoming theatre scene at large.

You’ll see our front-of-house folks at every performance. They greet patrons, make sure we stay on schedule, and deal with emergencies should they arise. They provide outstanding customer service, to patrons and performing companies alike. Need help finding parking? They’re on it. Watch for them near the entrance to the Theater – they’ll be happy to help with directions.