Jonathan McCrory is a two time Obie Award-winning, Harlem-based artist who has served as Artistic Director at National Black Theatre since 2012 under the leadership of CEO, Sade Lythcott.

As Executive Artistic Director (Creative Duala), he is the creative heart of the institution helping to select, develop and manage acclaimed programs and productions, such as Fat Ham, Dreaming Zenzile, The Peculiar Patriot and Kill Move Paradise. His creative force also helped the theatre expand its reach with the creation of the National Black Theatre of Sweden. As a director, he has helmed numerous productions including A Drop Of Midnight, The Gathering: A Sonic  Ringshout, Dead and Breathing, HandsUp, and Blacken The Bubble and Hope Speaks. He has worked at ETW at TISCH NYU with Emergence: A Communion and evoking him: Baldwin and at Suny Purchase directing Exit Strategy, & A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes. Also directed concerts such as How the Light Gets In (NYMF), Klook and Iron John (NAMT).

As an artist-in-residence at AllArts created a short film called The Roll Call : The Roots To Strange Fruit. He has been acknowledged as a finalist for the The Hermitage Major Theater Award; as an exceptional leader through Craine’s New York Business 2020 Notable LGBTQ Leaders and Executives.and Executives and in 2016 he was awarded 40 under 40 Rising Star award from the New York Nonprofit Media. He has been awarded the Emerging Producer Award by the National Black Theatre Festival of Winston Salem, North Carolina and the Torch Bearer Award by theatrical legend Woodie King Jr. He is a founding member of the producing organizations Harlem9, the Movement Theatre Company and national services organizations such as Black Theater Commons and Next Generation National Network. McCrory sits on the National Advisory Committee for Howlround.com and was a member of the original cohort for ArtEquity.

He is also on the steering committee of the JUBILEE, working to help artists from marginalized communities. In 2019, McCrory was appointed to the nomination committee of the Tony Awards and he has also been a member of the nominating committee for the Lucille Lortel Awards. A Washington, DC native, McCrory attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts and earned his BFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

To learn more, please visit www.jonathanmccrory.com.