Mary Schmidt Campbell Joins the Board of Directors of The Classical Theatre of Harlem

January 2026 The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is honoured to announce the appointment of Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors. One of the nation’s most respected arts administrators, educators, and cultural leaders, Dr. Campbell brings decades of experience advancing arts institutions, academic excellence, and civic cultural engagement.

“We are deeply honored to welcome Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell to our board,” said Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director of The Classical Theatre of Harlem. “Her visionary leadership across museums, higher education, and public cultural policy represents the kind of strategic insight and deep commitment to cultural equity that aligns with CTH’s mission. Her guidance will be invaluable as we expand our programming, deepen our community impact, and strengthen the institution’s legacy for years to come.”

Dr. Campbell has had a distinguished career as a museum director, university leader, and national arts policymaker. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Swarthmore College and later completed her Master’s and Doctorate in humanities at Syracuse University, where her doctoral research examined the life and work of Afro-American artist Romare Bearden. She began her professional career in New York as executive director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, transforming the institution into one of the nation’s premier Black fine arts museums, and later served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, championing cultural access across the five boroughs. Dr. Campbell went on to serve for more than two decades as Dean of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, expanding academic programs and advancing diversity in arts education, and in 2009 was appointed by President Barack Obama as Vice Chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. From 2015 through 2022, she served as the 10th President of Spelman College, strengthening academic excellence and elevating the institution’s national profile. Her leadership continues through service as Chair of the Board of the Doris Duke Foundation, and as a board member of Juilliard, The Public Theater, Unity Technologies, and the J. Paul Getty Trust. She is also a member of the UBS Americas Advisory Council and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

“I am honored to join the Board of Directors of The Classical Theatre of Harlem,” said Dr. Campbell. “CTH’s commitment to artistic excellence, community engagement, and reimagining classical works through inclusive perspectives resonates with my belief in the power of the arts to transform lives and communities. I look forward to working with this remarkable team to support CTH’s continued growth and impact.”

Dr. Campbell joins a dynamic board already bolstered by the presence of esteemed members including Billy Crudup, award winning actor,  Ethan Hawke, a four-time Academy Award nominee, Tony Award nominee, and Golden Globe-nominated actor, writer, and director; Kara Young, a Tony Award-winning actress and two-time Tony nominee; and arts consultant Duncan Webb, widely celebrated for her powerful performances on Broadway and her work elevating underrepresented voices in theater.

About The Classical Theatre Of Harlem

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is an American theatre company that tells stories through the lens of the African diaspora. CTH combines original adaptations, music, and dance to present great classics of world literature and contemporary works that will stand the test of time. Since its founding in 1999, CTH has presented works ranging from traditional classical playwrights (Sophocles, Euripides and William Shakespeare) to established 20th-century playwrights (August Wilson, Langston Hughes and Jean Genet) to new plays by emerging playwrights. CTH also proudly provides theater-based training and live theater experiences to Harlem youth and their families through its arts education program, Project Classics. The organization incorporates other theater-related programming including Future Classics, Playwrights’ Playground, and Revisited Classics to engage new audiences, invest in artistic development and give exposure to emerging creators.

The company serves over 35,000 live audience members per year. Its online offerings have drawn over 500,000 viewers. To learn more, visit https://www.cthnyc.org/.