Unanimously, Canterbury City Council has taken the final decision to relinquish control of the Marlowe Theatre, which will be run by an independent charitable trust. The transfer was proposed last year.
Charitable status makes more revenue streams available to the theatre whilst initially saving an expected £238,000 of taxpayers' money for the Council.
Jonathan Church CBE and a newly-formed shadow board will negotiate and administer the transfer of the theatre to The Marlowe Trust during the first half of this year.
Church will also chair the Trust. Currently he is the artistic director of Theatre Royal Bath’s summer season and runs Jonathan Church Productions. He is also on the board of the Almeida Theatre and the National Youth Music Theatre.
Previously, Church has been artistic director and joint chief executive of Chichester Festival Theatre and artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Salisbury Playhouse.
Amongst his notable achievements are the West End transfers from Chichester of Gypsy, ENRON and Sweeney Todd.