Edward Hall will step down as artistic director and joint chief executive of London's Hampstead Theatre in the spring of 2019 after what will be almost ten years at the helm. The Board will begin the search for a new artistic director shortly, with a replacement to be announced at a later date.

"Running Hampstead has been my dream job; of course it has been tough at times but it has been personally fulfilling, rewarding and uplifting to have seen it grow so rapidly into such a stimulating and industrious place," said Hall. "In the past decade I have worked with some exceptional theatremakers, some of them legendary figures, and have been lucky enough to support the creation of some extraordinary work."

Writers whose work has been nurtured and developed at Hampstead in the last ten years include Beth Steel, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Colette Kane, Fiona Doyle, Phil Davies, and Ella Road. Hall was also responsible for the creation of Hampstead Downstairs, the theatre’s studio program which opened in 2010 and has presented over 50 world premieres—many by first-time playwrights.

During Hall’s tenure, Hampstead also launched the Under-30s £10 ticket scheme and Freestreaming. He also continued to direct while at the theatre, including productions of Sunny Afternoon, Chariots of Fire, and Wonderland. He will direct Lauren Gunderson's I and You on the mainstage this fall.

"I want to thank our tirelessly committed Board led by the inspirational David Tyler, our many loyal supporters who have helped make that work possible, the public who have made this the most successful period in the theatre’s history, and the staff, who give so much to this wonderful place," continued Hall. "My partnership with Greg Ripley-Duggan will remain a highlight of my working life, and without him the last ten years would not have been possible. I will miss Hampstead and everybody associated with it enormously, but look forward with huge anticipation to whatever the next chapter will bring."

Up next at the Hampstead will be the Tony-winning Broadway transfer of Stephen Karam's The Humans, directed by Joe Mantello. Performances will begin August 30 and continue through October 13. Visit HampsteadTheatre.com for more information.