This week, Jayzen is excited to share one of our top fan favorite episodes from the library featuring his guest, Snehal Desai. Snehal was recently named artistic director of the famed Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, making him the first person of color to lead the organization.

“I'm the child of immigrants, I grew up in a very small town in Pennsylvania, I'm queer, I'm South Asian, and I came of age post 9/11. So there were a lot of things that had me be the outsider in the room. Early in life, I realized that I can be the outsider and be not seen and ignored, or you can utilize that outsider status to actually lead…to take charge to be the one at the head of the group versus the one in the back.” And now, as the leader of the nation’s top Asian-American theater company, Snehal Desai is using his successful career as a storyteller and artist to further his community and the world around us. Forging new paths, Snehal has build an incredible career as a director and producer, expanding the reach of the East West Players to critical acclaim, always staying true to his values and personal brand.

He is also on the faculty of USC's graduate program in Arts Leadership where he teaches Executive Arts Leadership. Snehal is a graduate of Emory University and the Yale School of Drama.

Guest Bio

Snehal Desai

Incoming Artistic Director

Center Theater Group

Snehal Desai was recently named artistic director of the famed Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, making him the first person of color to lead the organization.  

Before this time, Snehal was a freelance director working across the United States and the UK. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC) and serves on the boards of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) and Theater Communications Group (TCG) and National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT). Snehal found a home at East West Players because he found it to uniquely stand at the intersection of artistry and social justice. As an artistic leader, he has sought to raise awareness on social issues that affect Angelenos by personalizing them through storytelling.

A Soros Fellow and the recipient of a Tanne Award, Desai was in the Inaugural Class of Theatre Communications Group’s (TCG) “Spark” Leadership Program. He was also the Inaugural Recipient of the Drama League’s Classical Directing Fellowship. Snehal is on the faculty of USC's graduate program in Arts Leadership where he teaches Executive Arts Leadership. Snehal is a graduate of Emory University and the Yale School of Drama.

Links 

To learn more about Lead With Your Brand system, please visit: LeadWithyYourBrand.com

To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit: JayzenPatria.com

Check out East West Players at : EastWestPlayers.org