Seasoned Bay Area Arts Leader Joins Company as It Approaches Its Historic 20th Anniversary Season
Berkeley Playhouse, the East Bay’s beloved nonprofit musical theater, has named Mike Lawson as its new Managing Director. Lawson brings more than fifteen years of arts administration and operations leadership to the role, having most recently served as Senior Manager of Company Operations at San Francisco Ballet.
In his new role, Lawson will oversee Berkeley Playhouse’s operations, finance, and administrative functions, working in close partnership with Artistic Director Kimberly Dooley as the company prepares for its landmark 20th Anniversary Season in 2027.
“Mike brings both operational experience and genuine theatrical passion that Berkeley Playhouse needs,” said Dooley. “He understands the complexity of running an arts organization, and he understands why we do it.”
Lawson comes to Berkeley Playhouse following a successful tenure at San Francisco Ballet, where he oversaw the logistical, budgetary, and administrative infrastructure supporting the company’s artistic, music, and production arms. His work there included managing large department budgets, administering contracts for seven labor unions, and aligning civic and operational partnerships. Previously, as Marketing & Audience Services Director for BroadwaySF, he engineered regional audience development strategies, directing everything from ticketing operations to regional marketing campaigns for major national tours.
A longtime champion of youth arts, Lawson has served as a Youth Musical Theater Adjudicator for the National Musical Theater Awards (The Jimmy Awards) since 2021, evaluating high school productions across the Bay Area using professional theater standards. His roots in the Bay Area theater community run deep, including early work as an Assistant Stage Manager with Berkeley Playhouse and other regional companies.
“Berkeley Playhouse has built something truly extraordinary over the past twenty years. This is a company that holds both artistic excellence and community at its center,” said Lawson. “I am honored to join this talented team, and I am deeply committed to ensuring the Julia Morgan Theater remains a vibrant, thriving home for local artists and the entire East Bay community for generations to come.”
“Mike’s background across both operations and the art form makes him an exceptional fit for Berkeley Playhouse,” said Tim Choate, Board President. “We are confident that Mike’s leadership will help us build on everything this organization has already achieved.”
