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Duluth Playhouse has named Brandon Raghu its executive director, filling a leadership position left open after the departure of longtime administrator Wes Drummond.
Raghu most recently served as managing director of Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo, where he oversaw financial operations, fundraising and organizational strategy. His appointment follows a search involving representatives of the Playhouse board, staff and community.
“Brandon brings a rare combination of strategic vision, financial and operational expertise, and a deep passion for the arts,” board president Sue Ross said. “Following a comprehensive search process that included representatives from our Board, staff, and community, Brandon emerged as the clear choice to lead the Playhouse. Throughout the process, he distinguished himself through his collaborative leadership style, thoughtful approach to organizational growth, commitment to community impact, and genuine belief in the power of theatre to enrich lives. I am confident that Brandon's experience, perspective, and leadership will strengthen the Playhouse and position us for continued growth, innovation, and success.”
Raghu takes over an organization navigating its first major leadership transition since Drummond stepped down earlier this year after five years with the Playhouse.
Drummond arrived in 2021 as executive director while arts organizations nationwide were confronting the financial and operational consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. He later became executive producing artistic director, combining organizational leadership with oversight of its artistic operations.
During his tenure, the Playhouse consolidated more of its programming in downtown Duluth. Its Family Theatre and School of Performing Arts moved from the Depot to the NorShor Theatre for the 2022-23 season, while its Underground programming shifted to Zeitgeist’s Teatro performance space.
Drummond subsequently accepted a position as artistic director of Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. His departure prompted the Playhouse board to begin a national search for executive and artistic leadership.
The transition follows a longer period of institutional change dating to Christine Gradl Seitz, who spent more than two decades leading the Playhouse and helped guide its expansion and the redevelopment of the historic NorShor Theatre.
The NorShor reopened in 2018 after an extensive restoration and became the home of the Playhouse’s mainstage productions. The 605-seat theater anchors an operation that includes professional-quality plays and musicals, youth programming, performing arts instruction and productions designed to reach a broader range of audiences.
Founded in 1914, Duluth Playhouse is among the nation’s oldest nonprofit theaters and has remained a central part of the region’s performing arts community for more than a century.
Raghu’s responsibilities will include financial management, fundraising, strategic planning and community engagement, along with supporting the organization’s artistic and educational programs.
At Yellow Tree Theatre, he led fundraising and financial initiatives that contributed to some of the organization’s highest-grossing years. His experience also extends beyond administration to producing, directing or assisting with more than 40 professional productions.
His recent work includes projects with the Guthrie Theater, Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival and Phipps Center for the Arts. In 2024, American Theatre recognized him as one of six “Theatre Workers You Should Know.”
“I am honored to join Duluth Playhouse as Executive Director and grateful to the Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me,” Raghu said. “I am excited to lead the Playhouse into its next chapter, working alongside our talented staff, artists, and community to build on its remarkable legacy. Together, we will ensure exceptional theatre continues to thrive across the Northland.”
Raghu arrives as the Playhouse prepares to open its 2026-27 season with “A Chorus Line,” scheduled for Sept. 11-27 at the NorShor Theatre. Other upcoming productions include “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical,” “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom” and “A Christmas Story: The Musical.”
