About New Herring
Mission.
New Herring Theater is dedicated to creating theatrical works that are profound, provocative, and professional. We strive to bring works to the stage that engage and entertain audiences in the hope of making the world a more empathetic place in which to live.
History.
Originally launched in 1993 as Red Herring Theatre Company the Red Herring Theatre Ensemble spent 15 years building a reputation for bringing thoughtful, crafted theatrical experiences to audiences in Columbus and Central Ohio.
Relaunched in 2013 after a five-year hiatus, Red Herring Theater Company (RHTC) represents a wholly new company and a new generation of Red Herring Theatre dedicated to the same ideals. Re-envisioned after nearly a decade of discussions between former Red Herring Theatre Company Artistic and Managing Directors Michael Herring and John Dranschak, RHTC produces and performs theatrical work that stirs our passions and stimulates our desire to push creative boundaries. We believe in offering plays and shows that challenge audiences, in showcasing art that Ohioans may not otherwise have a chance to see. Together with Central Ohio’s underappreciated arts scene, it’s our goal to subvert expectations and provide fresh perspectives on theater, the arts, and the world.
Bios
Michael Garrett Herring
Artistic Director
Red Herring Theater Company is led by its Founder and Artistic Director, Michael Garrett Herring. Mr. Herring earned a BFA in Performance from Pomona College in Claremont, CA, where he studied acting and learned scene and lighting design. After graduating, he returned to Columbus in 1992 and founded the first iteration of Red Herring Theatre. For the next eight years, Herring produced 37 shows that garnered accolades from audiences and critics alike. Herring resigned from the organization in 2001 to pursue professional opportunities that led him to Chicago.
While in Chicago, he expanded his nonprofit skills by earning a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Columbia College, also growing his fundraising experience while at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2012, Herring and longtime friend John Dranschak founded the second iteration of Red Herring Theater. The pair produced two shows in 2013 before Herring returned to Columbus in 2014. Since returning from Chicago, Mr. Herring has produced 38 shows, established the Franklinton Playhouse (2015 – 2019), built a pop-up theater in Great Southern Shopping Center (2020 – present), and survived the pandemic. The confluence of those collective experiences has given Herring the expertise to manage all aspects of Red Herring Theater Company.
Barb Shoulders
Managing Director
Prior to joining Red Herring Theater Company as Managing Director, Barb Shoulders was involved in over 30 productions as stage manager, props wrangler, or sound or lighting operator with seven different production companies in the Central Ohio area. From 2016 to 2019, she served as Board Chair for King Avenue Players. Her three-plus decades of experience working in central Ohio financial institutions as a Business Analyst saw her working across on compliance, vendor management, and project management activities.
Kurt Mueller
Marketing Director
Kurt Mueller has been a lighting designer in the Columbus theatre community since 2014. His work was first featured in Theatre Columbus State productions when he was a student at the university. Since then, he has worked with several theatre companies in town, including Gallery Players, MadLab, State of the Arts Productions, Imagine Productions, and Curtain Players. He has received two Theatre Roundtable Awards for Excellence in Lighting. Also, he is a 2018 Theatre graduate of The Ohio State University.
Prior to working in theatre, he worked in the entertainment industry doing marketing and performing. Additionally, he worked in radio as a disc jockey and music director. Kurt has worked in print publication sales. He has created and participated in many successful promotional campaigns and enjoys being involved and engaged with the Ohio arts community.