Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) has named Victoria Townsend as its new producing director.
From her early years with CSC as an Artistic/Management Intern (2011–2012) and Artistic Associate/Management Assistant (2013–2015), to joining the organization full-time as Artistic Programs Coordinator (2016–2018) and later serving as Artistic Programs Manager (2018–present), Townshend has built a remarkable career as an empathetic and decisive arts administrator, educational leader, and artistic collaborator. Along the way, she has contributed to CSC in numerous capacities, including Assistant Front of House Manager, Company Manager, Assistant Director, Director for several artistic productions, and Associate Director of Education and Training. Through each role, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to CSC’s mission, helping to shape programs, productions, and educational experiences that have reached thousands across Greater Boston.
“It is an incredible honor to step into the role of Producing Director at Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, an organization that has been my professional home for more than 15 years,” said Townsend in a press release. “From my earliest days as an intern here, to working alongside artists, students, staff, and community members across Greater Boston, I have been so inspired by the power of CSC’s work to bring people together in new and exciting ways. I am deeply grateful for the mentors and colleagues who have shaped my journey, and I look forward to building on our organization’s remarkable legacy while helping to create new opportunities for the next generation of theatre makers and audiences.”
Founding Artistic Director Steven Maler said: “Victoria’s appointment as Producing Director is the culmination of more than fifteen years of extraordinary dedication to Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. She has grown with this organization, taking on nearly every challenge and opportunity with unwavering commitment and unlimited resolve. Victoria possesses a rare combination of artistic insight, operational excellence, and genuine empathy for the people around her. As CSC enters its next chapter, I can think of no one better suited to join the leadership team and help move the organization forward, while honoring the values that have guided us for the past 30 years.”
Townsend is a Boston-based director, teaching-artist and occasional performer. Her Directing Credits at CSC included A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stage2 2024 and AppCo 2023), Richard II (2024), As You Like It (2022) and several Boston Theater Marathon plays. Other Boston area credits include Emerging Playwright’s Festival (Wheelock Family Theater), Cosi Fan Tutte (New England Conservatory’s UGOS Program), The Memorandum (Flat Earth Theater). Associate/Assistant Directing Credits include As You Like It (SOTC 2025), Fear and Misery in the Third Reich, Kiss Me, Kate!, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare and Leadership (CSC), and L’Egisto (NEC/UGOS).
She has also served as a teaching-artist for Watertown Children’s Theater and Live Arts Education.
A Massachusetts native, Townshend currently resides in Woburn with her husband and children. She is a graduate of Saint Michael’s College in Vermont with degrees in Theatre and English Literature and holds a certificate in Social Impact Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice & Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University.
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC), best known for its annual free performances on Boston Common, is a non-profit theater organization founded in 1996, dedicated to artistic excellence, accessibility, and education. CSC’s Free Shakespeare on the Common has served over one million audience members over its 30-year history and has become a beloved summer tradition enjoyed by more than 50,000 people annually. In 2024, CSC introduced a production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” delighting audiences of all ages.
In addition to its live theatre productions, CSC provides robust Education and Training programs, including the renowned CSC Apprentice Program, the CSC2 company for early-career actors, and Stage2 programming for middle and high school students and educators.
For more information on CSC’s programming, visit commshakes.org.