Emily Ernst. (Photo by Jordan Fraker)
DALLAS: Dallas Children’s Theater has named Emily Ernst to be its next artistic director, succeeding Nancy Schaeffer. Her tenure began on March 3.
Ernst, who co-founded Dallas’s Fair Assembly ensemble, will lead artistic programming, development of new work, educational offerings, production, and staffing. In addition to Fair Assembly, Ernst’s work in the Dallas artistic community includes Junior Players, where she was a core part of its youth-focused Shakespeare program for incarcerated girls, as well as roles with Cara Mía Theatre Company, Teatro Dallas, and Cry Havoc Theater Company. She also supported fundraising efforts for the arts at TACA (The Arts Community Alliance). Outside of Texas, Ernst was an associate to the artistic and managing director at Theatre for a New Audience in New York, led educational programming for Lincoln Community Playhouse in Nebraska, and most recently served as associate artistic director for River & Rail Theatre Company in Tennessee.
“I’m honored to join DCT, which has long been a cornerstone of creativity and storytelling in our community,” said Ernst in a statement. “The impact this theatre has on young audiences to spark imagination, build confidence, and foster a lifelong love for the arts is immeasurable. I look forward to collaborating with the incredible team to honor DCT’s legacy and to bring new, inspiring productions to our stage and into our community.”
Co-founded by Robyn Flatt in 1984, Dallas Children’s Theater serves more than 95,000 young people and their families annually with professional productions and a robust arts-in-education program. As the only professional theatre in North Texas focused exclusively on children and families, DCT fosters understanding across generations and cultures, nurturing an early love for literature, art, and the performing arts. As of 2023, they had a budget of approximately $4 million.
