About

Artistic and Executive Director
(Click name for full bio)

Ira David Wood III is the Founder & Executive Director of Theatre In The Park. A graduate of The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he was raised in Enfield, NC and became his hometown’s first Eagle Scout. Summers during his college years were spent as a leading actor in The Lost Colony, the oldest outdoor drama in the country. For the past four summer seasons, David has served as Director of The Lost Colony. Upon graduation, he became the first Theatre Arts Consultant for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. A year later, he founded Theatre In The Park, and established its home in the Pullen Park Armory building. In only a few years, Theatre In The Park became North Carolina’s largest community theatre with an international reputation.

Executive Assistant

Ashley graduated in 1994 from Salem College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She first joined Theatre In The Park as the Office Manager after several years of working in advertising and now works as the Executive Assistant, coordinating all of the Executive Director’s public appearances and scheduling. Ashley also maintains the extensive A Christmas Carol archives for the theatre.

Financial Director and Box Office Manager

Erin West was appointed as Financial Director in 2011 after 5 years as TIP's Office Manager. Erin enjoys attending and supporting the arts, especially local theatre and live music. She is a native of Connecticut, but grew up in the Raleigh area where she attended Wake County Public Schools and is a graduate of Wake Tech. Cody, her rescued Sheltie furkid, lives with Erin in Raleigh.

Managing Director

Brent Simpson came to Theatre In The Park after 15 years in the telecommunications industry, working for companies such as MCI, Global Crossing, and Verizon. He is a 2007 graduate of Campbell University and holds a degree in Social Science. Brent not only enjoys working behind the scenes at Theatre In The Park, but has also been seen on stage in Ira David Wood III’s A Christmas Carol as the Baker and Mr. Fezziwig. Other Theatre In The Park credits include Romeo and Juliet and Angels in America. While away from Theatre In The Park, Brent enjoys attending local theatre productions, reading, movies, and traveling.

Assistant Artistic Director

Ira has made numerous appearances in television as well as feature films with such stars as Edward Norton, Julie Taymor, Keith Caradine, Kelly McGillis, and James Woods. He has also been featured in many local theatrical productions including Henry V, The Lion In Winter, The Pillowman, and two productions of Romeo and Juliet- once as Romeo and then as Director while also tackling the role of Mercutio in a sold out TIP production. He was also proud to play the part of Old Tom in the 2010 Tony Award-winning outdoor drama, The Lost Colony. Ira performed the role of Scrooge in the locally beloved A Christmas Carol while his father was recovering from open heart surgery. Ira now performs and splits the role of Scrooge with his father in the locally beloved A Christmas Carol. Locally, he was most recently seen as John in A Life In The Theatre, Frank Finger in It's Only a Play, Jason/Tyrone in Hand to God and Lee Harvey Oswald in Assassins, as well as roles in Theatre In The Park’s production of Dracula, HAIR, The Elephant Man, True West, Playing With Fire and the world premiere of Adrienne Earle Pender's N.

Technical Director

Nathaniel (Nat) started as a student carpenter for NC State University Theatre. He has since worked as a scenic artist for Lexington Children’s Theatre and as Scenic Designer and Technical Director of Camp Merrie-Woode’s theatre program.  After he graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Nat realized his true passion was technical theatre and has been working in the field ever since. In his spare time he also acts and writes. He loves the challenges and creativity associated with theatre and looks forward to continuing along this path for many years to come.

Graphic Designer & Marketing Associate

Marilyn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Meredith College. She then went on to study and perform as an Acting Apprentice and Marketing Intern at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. She has acted with and stage managed for REP, Deep DIsh, NRACT, Burning Coal, Sonorous Road, Town of Cary, Women’s Theatre Festival and Raleigh Little Theatre. Marilyn has also been stage manager for “The Santaland Diaries” with Jesse Gephart at Theatre In The Park since 2011.

Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator

Assistant Technical Director

Abigail (Abby) Kuchar comes to Raleigh from Dayton, Ohio! In 2015 she graduated from Bowling Green State University with a BAC in Technical and Design Theatre. Abby began her career at Lexington Children’s Theatre as a technical theatre artist, and then worked as Assistant Technical Director and Scenic Designer for Camp Merrie-Woode's Theatre program. For the past two years she worked as a freelance theatrical carpenter, puppet builder, seamstress, and puppeteer at The Zoot Theatre Company and Scenic Solutions. The variety of skills and processes needed for technical and design theatre keeps Abby on her toes, and she always looks forward to learning new techniques! Abby loves the collaboration of theatre and thoroughly enjoys the creative process of bringing a new production to life!