Sacramento, California – January 7, 2025: Managing Director Keith Riedell announced he will retire in August of 2025 at the conclusion of Capital Stage’s 2024-25 Season after 19 years of distinguished service to the company. The Capital Stage Board will launch a nationwide search for a new managing director in the coming weeks.

Riedell joined Capital Stage in 2007 and was appointed Managing Director in 2014. Under his leadership, Capital Stage strengthened its position as one of the Sacramento Region’s most critically acclaimed theater companies and expanded its artistic and educational programming. Among his many accomplishments, Riedell is credited with creating and implementing Capital Stage’s 5-year strategic plan in 2023, which will guide the company into the future.

“Working with the Company’s founders in our formative years was an honor and I am thankful for their trust in me and for allowing me to grow in the organization. I’m also thankful to our current Artistic Director, Michael Stevenson, for how he has led Capital Stage with compassion, dignity, and grace. But now it’s time for a new generation of leadership and I’m happy to hand over the torch,” said Riedell.

Capital Stage Board President Kathryn Doi praised Riedell's contributions: “When Keith joined Capital Stage during the company’s infancy, ticket sales were made by telephone and answering machine. Keith’s passion, commitment, and boundless energy have been critical to the development of Capital Stage into the sophisticated and successful arts organization that it is today. We will be forever grateful for his many years of leadership and stewardship.”

Capital Stage will conduct a national search for its next Managing Director beginning later this month. The company has established a search committee comprised of Board members and staff representatives to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

KEITH RIEDELL

Keith Riedell brings to Capital Stage his varied experiences in the theatre, management, team building, counseling, training and corporate improvement. During his 18-1/2 years at Capital Stage he grew box office operations and installed online ticketing and donor systems, developed sound accounting and financial policies, championed the hiring of our new development director, led efforts to provide living wages to the staff and artists, began the apprenticeship program improvement efforts and be an outspoken voice for diversity,equity, inclusion and belonging efforts. Working with the board of directors Mr. Riedell led the development of a five year strategic planning process with Michael Kiser and the DeVos Institute of Arts Management. The plan was completed in the Summer of 2023. Along with Artistic Director Michael Stevenson, Keith has worked on capacity building projects with Third Plateau and the University of the Pacific.

Prior to coming to Capital Stage Keith served as Managing Director of River Stage. Keith received his Master’s Degree in counseling in 1998 and is a nationally certified mental health counselor. In 2004, Keith was certified as a Six Sigma process improvement black-belt, focusing on the application of process improvement techniques on business processes. As an organizational development expert, Keith has successfully led major efforts to build organizational capacity and designed workshops for groups in team building, appreciative inquiry, workplace diversity/inclusion, and LGBT workplace issues. Keith has led organizations and community leaders through corporate change efforts including providing accommodations for people with disabilities to establishing the future direction of HIV/AIDS care and services in Southern Arizona. He is always thrilled to find opportunities to combine his talents for helping organizations grow with his lifelong passion for the theatre.

CAPITAL STAGE

Capital Stage is a professional nonprofit theatre company in Sacramento whose mission is to entertain, engage and challenge its audience with bold, thought-provoking theatre. Founded in 2005, Capital Stage presents seven full-length live theatre productions each year, as well as various concerts and special events in its Midtown Sacramento home at 2215 J Street, Sacramento. Identified by the Sacramento Bee as “one of the most respected arts organizations in the region,” Capital Stage is a leader in cutting-edge quality theatre in Northern California.