A three-time Tony Award winner, Harold Wolpert is a leader and creative strategist with over 25 years of experience in all aspects of arts administration at major not-for-profit theatre companies who excels at moving companies forward.
He has produced or managed over 250 Broadway, Off-Broadway and LORT productions created and brought to life by preeminent theatre artists, including three Pulitzer Prize and five Tony Award winning productions and national and international coproductions and tours. As a strategic consultant, Wolpert catalyzes not-for-profit organizations to be creative in their strategic thinking and planning and is currently focused on reimagining a more equitable, just and sustainable field by collaborating with artists and the theatre community with fresh, creative approaches.
Upon his departure from Signature Theatre, its Board Chair, Edward Norton, stated, “Harold’s passion for Signature’s mission, the American theatre, and the role of arts in social justice has been a priceless asset and has always lifted my spirits. The artistic community survives tough times like these because of champions like him.” And, in the words of Anna Deavere Smith, “Quite simply, he’s a classy cat with a warm and palpable respect for artists”.
Wolpert has made significant contributions to Signature Theatre (Executive Director), Roundabout Theatre Company (Managing Director), and to Manhattan Theatre Club (General Manager) and the Alley Theatre (General Manager). Wolpert has proven adept at leading organizations through critical transitions in business models and creation of new strategies and approaches. His areas of expertise include not-for-profit leadership, strategic planning, organizational and business development, relationship-building, financial management and board relations.
In the industry, Wolpert is acknowledged as a national leader through years of service to the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), including as LORT Vice President, Executive Committee member, chair of several LORT negotiating committees, key member of LORT’s Diversity Initiative Steering Committee, as well as a member of Theatre Communications Group’s (TCG) Board of Directors. He was honored with the Edith Oliver Service to Off-Broadway Award by the Lucille Lortel Awards.
In the community, Wolpert has always been actively engaged locally, including serving as a teacher, consultant, grants panelist and volunteer. He was an adjunct lecturer for the Brooklyn College MFA Program in Performing Arts Management for 9 years and recently was a guest lecturer for Shanghai Theatre Academy. As Board Chairman of AIDS Foundation Houston, he led the organization’s fundraising efforts. Among his notable achievements, while in high school
CONTACT: (917) 843-9632 · harold@mypurplecrayonconsulting.com · www.linkedin.com/in/haroldewolpert/
Wolpert and his peers successfully sued their school district to exercise their First Amendment right of free speech to hold a rally in support of a nuclear freeze, which led to him testifying before Congress on the matter. Currently, he volunteers for The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people.
A Philadelphia native, Wolpert earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Pennsylvania. He served as Company Manager for Circle Repertory Company and Manhattan Theatre Club at the outset of his career.