Jonathan Silverstein has been the Artistic Director of Off Broadway’s award winning Keen Company for the past 12 seasons, producing over 25 acclaimed productions, spearheading new work development, and bringing the company greater visibility and plaudits, while also fostering a community where joy is paramount and all are welcome. 

Under Jonathan’s tenure, Keen Company has brought to the stage intimate musicals, such as Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon (First NY Revival), Tick, Tick...BOOM! By Jonathan Larson (First NY Revival), John & Jen by Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald (First NY Revival), and Marry Me a Little by Stephen Sondheim (First NY Revival). Jonathan has championed new work with the world premieres of plays by  Kia Corthron, Peter Gil-Sheridan, Chisa Hutchinson, Courtney Baron, and Anna Ziegler (whose play Boy was the winner of the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for New American Play). Jonathan has also produced acclaimed productions with the first New York revivals of classic plays from a diverse roster of playwrights including Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn Nottage, a site-specific production of The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, Middle of the Night by Paddy Chayefsky, and The Old Boy by A.R. Gurney.  

With a focus on mentorship and audience connection, Jonathan has led Keen to expand opportunities for students and artists at every stage of their development. launched the Keen Playwrights Lab fostering mid-career playwrights, and a new partnership with the Drama League showcasing the work of early career directors. He also strengthened Keen's unique outreach program, Keen Teens, which pairs working professionals alongside New York City teens to create new work for the high school stage. Finally, Silverstein spearheaded accessible programming, community engagement, ethos commitments, anti-racist practices, and much more. 

In addition to his work at Keen, Jonathan has worked with Arts Action Research to coach other arts leaders.  He has also served on several grant panels, and participated in seminars and classes on community engagement, strategic planning, board development, fundraising, and more.