History Theatre announces an abrupt leadership change

That was quick.

After just two years at the helm, Richard D. Thompson is stepping down as artistic director at the History Theatre. The abrupt change was announced Thursday, a day after Thompson turned 68.

“The best thing about these past two years has been giving artists a platform and the space to work,” Thompson said. “It has been the honor of my life to lead this remarkable institution and work with such a talented team.”

Thompson, a Minneapolis native who came to the St. Paul playhouse after decades as a freelance director, left office two weeks ago.

The board praised Thompson’s “visionary leadership,” noting his “deep commitment to telling powerful, inclusive stories.”

“Richard’s impact on History Theatre has been nothing short of transformative,” board president John Sebastian said in a statement. “We are grateful for the vision he shared with us and proud of all that was accomplished during his tenure.”

Thompson, who joined the playhouse in January 2023, has been a mainstay of Twin Cities theater for decades, including directing shows at the Children’s Theatre Company and Penumbra Theatre.

“I’m an artist and at this stage of my life, I want to be doing my art,” Thompson said.

He added that it’s scary to leave now in an environment where artists feel besieged, but that “it’s the right thing to do.”

History Theatre has a record of telling Minnesota-connected stories such as “Glensheen,” about two murders at Minnesota’s most famous mansion, and “Blended 和 (Harmony): The Kim Loo Sisters,” about the pioneering Asian American entertainers who performed on Broadway.

Thompson displayed a knack for finding revelatory stories, commissioning “Secret Warriors,” R.A. Shiomi’s play about heroic Japanese Americans who attended Minnesota language camps during World War II, and “Behind the Sun,” Stanley Kipper’s and Laura Drake’s story about a Black family’s survival after integrating a Minneapolis neighborhood.

He also commissioned and directed “A Unique Assignment,” about Minnesota’s Henry Gallagher, an Army officer who helped protect James Meredith, the first Black student at the University of Mississippi.