OUR VISION: ACCESSIBLE ART

BEHIND THE SCENES AT THEATER IN THE OPEN

From our origins as a children’s theater to the dynamic, multi-faceted organization you see today, Theater in the Open continually evolves to meet the community’s needs. Which means there's a lot of work that goes on at the Gatekeeper's House year round. Theater in the Open is delivering on all aspects of its mission — as a professional theater company, as a center for youth arts education and as a community partner with the vision to create art that is accessible to all. 

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EDWARD F. SPECK
Artistic Director

Edward, known to most as Teddy, has a long history with Theater in the Open, having been a company member for 12 years, before taking on the role of Artistic Director. He is an artist who contributes original work to the Theater in the Open catalogue annually. A graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and The New School University, Teddy recently completed his M.A. in English at the Harvard Extension School. An Amesbury native, Teddy now lives in Newburyport. He is artist in residence at the Maudslay Gatekeeper’s House, which allows Teddy and his wife to raise their young daughters on the edge of these magical woods. 

Board of Directors

DON PITMAN, BOARD MEMBER & CHAIR OF GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
As the proud father of several kids who have grown up in Theater in the Open (and as a frequent audience participant in several Pantos), Don joined the board of Theater in the Open in 2022. As the principal of The Pitman Law Offices LLC, Don has represented numerous families in the Merrimack Valley since 2009, has been a member of the Massachusetts bar since 1995, and serves as the President of the Greater Newburyport Bar Association. Don is a graduate of Rockport High School, holds a Bachelor of Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a law degree from Suffolk Law School. He, his fabulous wife (who had nothing to do with the writing of this bio) and their kids live in Amesbury along with their dog, Totoro, and their cat, Sana, both of whom are looking forward to whatever participation they can have in an upcoming TITO production.

LAURIE HYLTON, BOARD MEMBER, TREASURER & CHAIR OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
Laurie spent the majority of her corporate career at Eaton Vance Corp., where she served as Chief Financial Officer from 2012 until the firm was acquired by Morgan Stanley in April of 2021. She holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College in English and an M.B.A. from the University of New Hampshire’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. After almost 30 years of commuting to Boston, Laurie is now happily retired and thrilled to be focusing her time supporting arts organizations like Theater in the Open that are closer to the Newburyport home she shares with her husband, two daughters, and her “COVID puppy.”

ELIZABETH DE VEER, BOARD MEMBER & SECRETARY
Elizabeth de Veer is the author of The Ocean Winter, published in July 2021, and is the parish administrator at St. John's Episcopal Church in Gloucester. She has a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and has been admitted to writing residencies at the Jentel Artist Residency, the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts and Sciences, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is a member of the Finance Committee, and lives in Georgetown, Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and ridiculous labradoodle.

DEEDEE KEARNEY, BOARD MEMBER
DeeDee's love for Theater in the Open was sparked from her first encounter with their magic when she enrolled her two children in their workshops. While spending most of her career in the music industry, where she worked alongside some of the biggest names like Katy Perry, Coldplay, and Elton John during her 20-year stint at Capitol Records, DeeDee found a new passion for theater through her experiences with Theater in the Open. She now serves as the CEO of The Moxi Group, a music and lifestyle digital marketing and advertising agency based in Amesbury, Massachusetts, where she resides with her two teenage daughters, their dog River, their fluffy cat Captain, and two guinea pigs.