(RED BANK, NJ) -- The award-winning Two River Theater has announced a comprehensive five-year strategic plan through 2031, positioning the organization for continued growth and national leadership at a pivotal moment for the regional theater field.
The plan is built around five integrated strategic levers designed to strengthen both the organization and its impact. Together, they form a cohesive system: strengthening internal infrastructure and culture to support programming innovation; expanding programming to broaden audiences and elevate diverse voices; increasing visibility to grow audience and donor engagement; diversifying revenue to reduce risk and increase community engagement; and leveraging facilities and assets to ensure long-term sustainability.
“As we look toward the next five years, we are honored to guide the implementation of the Strategic Plan,” said Nora DeVeau-Rosen, Two River’s Managing Director. “It is ambitious. It is bold. It is imaginative. It responds to this moment and to the future we are determined to build. This path forward reflects our enduring values while challenging us to deepen our artistic excellence, broaden our reach, and strengthen our institutional resilience.”
“Serving as Chair of this strategic planning process has been an incredibly meaningful experience. This plan positions Two River to build on its artistic legacy while expanding its impact, deepening its connection to the community, and investing in a vibrant, sustainable future. I’m excited to see this vision come to life in the years ahead,” said Delisha Grant, Strategic Planning Committee Chair at Two River.
“We are profoundly grateful to those who helped shape this path forward. First and foremost, we thank Joan and Bob Rechnitz for showing us what a theater can be and for entrusting us with its next phase," said Justin Waldman, Two River’s Artistic Director. “Thank you to our Board of Directors and Strategic Planning Committee. Thank you to our extraordinary staff. The work you do day in and day out is nothing short of extraordinary. And finally, thank you to Arts Consulting Group for guiding us through this process.”
As previously announced, a 16-member, cross-stakeholder Strategic Planning Committee was formed to provide strategic guidance and oversight throughout the planning process.
The Committee members include: Delisha Grant, Board Member and Strategic Planning Chair; Marilyn Broege, Board Member and Board Vice President; Elizabeth Columbo, Board Member and Governance Chair; Adriana Medina Gomez, Board Member; Samuel G. Hubert, Community Member; Cathy Pugliese-Sivo, Board Member; Adam Rechnitz, Board Member; Nora DeVeau-Rosen, Managing Director; Justin Waldman, Artistic Director; Kate Cordaro, Director of Education; Lauren Kurinskas, Producing Director; Jess Sherman, Former Director of Marketing; Brandon J. Dirden, Community Member and Artist; John Klein, Community Member and Developer; Gwendolyn Love, Community Member and Executive Director of Lunch Break; and Dr. David Stout, Community Member and President of Brookdale Community College.
Two River Theater’s 2025/26 Season Sponsor is Hackensack Meridian Riverview Medical Center.
Two River is funded in part by public support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and a grant from the New Jersey Department of State, the State of New Jersey, and the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners. Private support includes American Theatre Wing, Courtyard by Marriott, Edgerton Foundation, Grunin Foundation, Merrill G. & Emita E. Hastings Foundation, Investors Foundation, Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, Manasquan Bank Charitable Foundation, Mary Owen Borden Foundation, Molly Pitcher Inn and The Oyster Point Hotel, Monmouth University, OceanFirst Foundation, Open Heart Yoga, The Shubert Foundation, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, and Visiting Nurse Association of NJ Health Group, and other generous funders.
Two River Theater, located in Red Bank, New Jersey, is where bold stories inspire imagination and connection. Each season, the theater produces a mix of new plays, reimagined classics, and musicals, along with new work development, education programs for young people, and community engagement events that bring people of all ages together.
Across its 80,000-square-foot campus, more than 20,000 students, families, and theater lovers experience Two River’s acclaimed productions each year on its two stages: the 343-seat Joan and Robert Rechnitz Theater and the flexible 110-seat Marion Huber Theater. The theater also houses state-of-the-art scenic, costume, and property shops. Two River has launched productions that have reached international audiences, including Be More Chill by Tony Award®nominees Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz—the theater’s first Broadway production—which went on to play in London’s West End and Japan. Recognized by USA TODAY as one of the “10 Great Places to See a Play,” Two River Theater is led by Artistic Director Justin Waldman and Managing Director Nora DeVeau-Rosen.
