Chris Simpson, Class of 2009
Christopher J Simpson ’09 received the Martin Dale Fellowship to return to his hometown of South Kingstown, RI and turn his part-time summer theater project into a full-time arts institution. Five years later, he now serves as Artistic Director of the non-profit Contemporary Theater Company.
This was no easy task, working in a small, middle-class town of 30k residents inthe midst of the Recession. But with four other Princetonians (Stephen Strenio ’09, Shawn Fennell ’10, Sarah Pease-Kerr ’11, and Maggie Cady ’11) each donating a year (give or take) to assist, the company has a firm foothold and has become a cultural touchstone for the region.
Within these five short years the company has grown to have 3 full-time staff, 3 part-time staff, and hundreds of volunteer supporters. We offer 185 nights of entertainment per year, opportunities for all members of our community, and enormous potential to become a state-wide arts institution in the decade to come.
