The board of trustees for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has named eight new members. Kristin Caskey, Julie DeVore, Jonathan Groff, Jason Laks, Johnny Milani, Erik Piecuch, T. Oliver Reid and Brooke Shields were appointed by vote on an Oct. 10 of the nonprofit that provides access to medications, counseling, housing and other services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses.
“These eight luminaries are essential voices across our industry,” said Robert E. Wankel, president of the Broadway Cares board and chair and CEO of the Shubert Organization, in a statement. “Their expertise and unique perspectives will play a critical role in ensuring the continued success and future growth of Broadway Cares’ fundraising and grant-making. The Broadway Cares board is excited and proud to continually bring new, fresh voices to the table.”
Caskey is executive vice president, content and creative at Ambassador Theatre Group. She also currently serves as chair of the Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry.
Laks is the interim president of the aforementioned Broadway League. He previously served as the League’s general counsel and executive vice president of labor relations.
Both DeVore and Milani’s Main Stem résumés comprise a decade of work as production stage manager. DeVore’s credits include “A Beautiful Noise,” “Bad Cinderella,” “American Utopia,” “School of Rock,” “On the Town” and “Wicked,” while Milani has worked on “New York, New York,” “Sweeny Todd,” POTUS,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ and the current revival of “Sunset Boulevard.”
Groff won a Tony Award for his leading turn in the 2023 revival of “Merrily We Roll Along.” He is slated to headline the upcoming Main Stem bow of “Just in Time,” a Bobby Darin bio-musical. As Groff noted in his 2024 Tony Award acceptance speech, at at the start of his career he was a volunteer for BC/EFA.
Reid is the co-founder of Black Theatre Coalition and has appeared on the Main Stem in “Hadestown,” “Once on This Island,” “After Midnight” and “Sister Act,” among others.
Shields, a Broadway veteran of “The Addams Family” as well as revivals of “Grease,” “Cabaret,” “Wonderful Town” and “Chicago,” is the newly elected president of Actors’ Equity Association, the union representing actors and stage managers.
Piecuch is senior vice president, entertainment banking, at City National Bank, whose clients span all areas of the entertainment industry.
They replace outgoing board members Chris Boneau, Linda Duncombe, Adam Krauthamer, Stephen Lewin, Kate Shindle and Charlotte St. Martin, as well Chita Rivera and Gavin Creel, both of whom passed away in 2024.
Broadway Cares operates under the leadership of executive director Tom Viola, who, as previously announced, will retire in December. Danny Whitman will take over on Jan. 1, 2025.
