Christopher Ashley, the Tony-winning director of "Come From Away," has been appointed as the new artistic director of Roundabout Theatre Company. Ashley has spent the past 17 years as the artistic director of San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse and will begin his tenure with the New York-based nonprofit in July 2026 with the 2027-2028 season.

The Tony Award-winning director has been hired to serve as artistic director of New York City’s prestigious Roundabout Theatre Company

The artistic director will leave the playhouse to take on the same role with New York’s Roundabout Theatre Company, the playhouse announced.

Roundabout Theatre Company has named Christopher Ashley as its incoming artistic director. Ashley, who has served as artistic director of San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse for 17 years, will succeed Scott Ellis, who has served as the nonprofit’s interim artistic director since the passing of Todd Haimes in 2023.

In the third major shake-up of leadership in New York’s non-profit theater world in recent months, the Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that Tony Award-winning director Christopher Ashley will become its Artistic Director in July 2026 for the 2027-28 season.