The Orange County Performing Arts Center named Terrence W. Dwyer as president and chief operating officer on Tuesday.
Dwyer is set to begin April 20. Jerry Mandel was the center’s past president, serving from 1997 to 2005. Judith O’Dea Morr, executive vice president, has been the center’s interim president.
“The center is poised to enter a bold new era of artistic achievement and community engagement, and I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to lead this great institution,” Dwyer said.
The OC Performing Arts Center is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary this September with the opening of its new 2,000-seat Ren & #233;e and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 500-seat Samueli Theater, and education center and outdoor plaza as part of a $200 million expansion of its campus.
“Terry has the ideal combination of commitment to high artistic standards and proven leadership experience in arts management, strategic planning and fund raising that we need at this exciting time of growth for the center,” said Chairman Michael S. Gordon.
Most recently, Dwyer was managing director of the Alley Theatre in Houston, where he worked with artistic director, Gregory Boyd.
Dwyer’s responsibilities included overseeing capital and annual fund raising, financial management, long-range planning and general administration of the company.
The Alley has an annual operating budget of $10.7 million and 72 full-time staff members. Prior to his stint at the Alley, Dwyer was managing director of the La Jolla Playhouse for 12 years.
He is credited with expanding the La Jolla Playhouse’s education programs, the launch of its popular Flash Performance series and the planning and successful completion of the Playhouse’s $44 million capital campaign for a new theater complex, larger endowment and new education and artistic programs.
Dwyer holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Drama’s theater administration program.
