Skip to Content

Gladden, Dean

By

Dean R. Gladden is in his 15th season with the Alley Theatre where he is responsible for the administrative, financial, marketing, facilities, and development aspects of the Theatre. His career in the performing arts spans over 40 years. Prior to joining the Alley, he was Managing Director at the Cleveland Play House for 19 years and was the Director of Arts Management Graduate Program at the University of Akron. He has also lectured at Case Western Reserve University, University of Houston, and Bowling Green State University. During his career, he has overseen the production of over 300 plays, including and produced internationally with theatres from Russia, Mexico, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. Mr. Gladden holds a BA in Music from Miami University and a MA in Urban Arts Administration from Drexel University. He also graduated from the Harvard Business School Executive Education Program in Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. He is currently a board member and immediate past Chairman of the Board for the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Treasurer of the Board of the Theater District Houston, serves on the Houston First Operations Committee, and is an American Leadership Forum Fellow. He was past president of The Rotary Club of Cleveland. He has served on the Executive Committee of the League of Resident Theatres, Greater Houston Partnership, and was Vice President of the National Corporate Theatre Fund. Gladden has served on panels for the National Endowment for the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, Wisconsin Arts Council, Kentucky Arts Council, Texas Commission on the Arts and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. He has lectured nationally for Theatre Communications Group, American Council for the Arts, Association of Performing Arts Professionals, National Association of State Legislators and American Dance Festival. He has presented at the Santiago a Mil Festival in Chile, and also conducted Arts Management workshops in Budapest, Hungary, under the sponsorship of the United States Information Agency.