Allen Cornell, who has been at the helm of Riverside Theatre for more than 40 years, will step down as CEO and producing artistic director after the 52nd season concludes, and become Artistic Director Emeritus, as Jon Moses, the theatre’s managing director since 2009, will step into the role of CEO and executive producer.
Cornell was hired as artistic director in 1983 when the theatre’s board decided it should become a professional producing theatre and signed contracts with Actors’ Equity, the professional performers’ union. Cornell was held his present titles since 2008.
“It has been one of the greatest pleasures to transform Riverside Theatre from a small local theatre into the nationally recognized organization where top performers, designers and directors wish to work,” Cornell said. “I look forward to Riverside’s continuing success in the years ahead and look forward to my participation on the artistic side.”
Moses began as production manager in 1999 and increased his responsibilities with overall operations as managing director beginning in 2009. He will continue the duties of a managing director in his new position, said Riverside Theatre Marketing Director Oscar Sales Jr.
The 2024-25 season is well underway, with the comedy “A Fox on the Fairway” enjoying a successful run in October and November, and patrons looking ahead to the opening of 1980s themed musical “Mystic Pizza” opening Jan. 7, followed by “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”
During the 2023-24, season Moses drew scrutiny when stage crew members told him they had serious safety concerns after two people fell and were injured. Several crew members shared their concerns with Vero Beach 32963 and said they did not feel that Moses took their concerns seriously.
Soon after, six of the theatre’s eight full-time stage technicians voted to organize under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 500 Union.
One stage crew member had fallen from a loading dock that did not have a railing. The second injury was more serious – John Putnam, a guitar player hired for the show “Jersey Boys,” fell from an 8-foot-high platform to the stage floor just prior to a rehearsal, breaking his jaw and suffering other injuries. Although a railing is required, the section of the platform where Putnam had fallen had no railing, according to court documents.
An inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) led to a $12,445 penalty. A railing was added to the platform and the theater has since corrected the other safety violations, an OSHA official confirmed.
Putnam is suing the theatre for negligence and damages. A jury trial is expected to be scheduled in January.
