Arts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane Peterman

Arts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane PetermanArts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane PetermanArts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane Peterman

Arts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane Peterman

Arts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane PetermanArts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane PetermanArts Executive & Entrepreneur Shane Peterman
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  • About Shane
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    • Home
    • Consulting
    • Coaching and Mentorship
    • Producing
    • Leadership Retreats
    • About Shane
  • Home
  • Consulting
  • Coaching and Mentorship
  • Producing
  • Leadership Retreats
  • About Shane

Experience . Intuition . Leadership

Experience . Intuition . Leadership Experience . Intuition . Leadership Experience . Intuition . Leadership

Strategic consulting and coaching for theatres, business and arts leaders, and emerging

artists navigating change.

Experience . Intuition . Leadership

Experience . Intuition . Leadership Experience . Intuition . Leadership Experience . Intuition . Leadership

Strategic consulting and coaching for theatres, business and arts leaders, and emerging

artists navigating change.

Life update!

Statement from the WaterTower Theatre Board of Directors

Dear Friends and Patrons of WaterTower Theatre,

We’re writing to share news of a leadership transition at WaterTower Theatre. After seven dedicated years of service, Producing Artistic Director Shane Peterman is leaving to take on a new leadership role in the arts and entertainment industry. The organization is expected to make their formal announcement on June 1.


Over the past seven years, Mr. Peterman has been a steady and creative force at the heart of WaterTower Theatre. Under his leadership, the company produced ambitious work, grew its community relationships, and navigated one of the most challenging periods in the history of regional theatre – not just in Texas but throughout the country. We are proud of what has been accomplished together, and we are grateful for his commitment, vision, and artistry. We wish him every success in this next chapter!


Effective June 1, 2026, JC Schuster will serve as Interim Producing Artistic Director. A Dallas native with over 20 years of Broadway and other entertainment experience, Mr. Schuster has served as WaterTower Theatre’s Associate Producing Artistic Director for over a year. He has been an integral part of the leadership of this organization, and the board has full confidence in his ability to guide the company through this transition.


Thank you for your ongoing support. Our patrons, sponsors, staff, artists, and the Town of Addison make our mission possible. 


We look forward to sharing more about the path ahead and seeing you at the theatre.

Please join us at the final performance of the fantastic Always…Patsy Cline on Sunday, May 31, and stay after the curtain closes to raise a glass in appreciation of Shane!


With gratitude,

The Board of Directors, WaterTower Theatre

Personal note from Shane

After seven unforgettable years leading WaterTower Theatre, I tendered my resignation in early May as I prepare to step into an exciting new CEO role within the arts and entertainment industry, while continuing my producing and consulting work.


What a remarkable journey this has been. This theatre has been part of my heart, and I poured myself fully into the work, the people, and the mission we shared together.


I’m deeply grateful to the staff, board members, patrons, donors, artists, friends, and the Town of Addison for believing in my leadership and in the power of professional theatre through some truly extraordinary years. I also stand ready to support the new Interim Producing Artistic Director, JC Schuster, as he helps lead the institution into its next chapter.


Together, we helped bring WaterTower back from the brink and guide the organization through one of the most transformational periods in its history, persevering through the pandemic, rebuilding audiences, and continuing to produce meaningful professional theatre for North Texas. I believe WTT’s best days are ahead!


There will be more exciting news to share very soon, but today I’m simply feeling thankful, humbled, and energized for my new chapter.


With gratitude, my friends and loved ones…onward.

Shane

High-level counsel for artists and leaders navigating responsibility, transitions, and visibility.

I believe people and institutions thrive when strategy, values, and lived reality align. My work is grounded in long-term thinking, discretion, and sustainable decision-making—especially during times of change. My specialization is financial stabilization, season planning, leadership dynamics, and career clarity.


For nearly 30 years, I’ve worked in entertainment as an artist, entrepreneur, and executive. As an artist, leader, and father, my work is shaped by lived experience, creativity, and resilience—building collaborative pathways that create shared value while striving to live with abundance, humility, and gratitude.


My guiding principle is simple: lead through love. This philosophy shapes how I lead companies, support artists, and coach individuals and organizations with an artistic spirit. I help turn vision into action through thoughtful strategy, mindful awareness, and practical tools for growth and fulfillment. The results speak for themselves.


Nothing happens by accident. When we learn to partner with what we’re given, meaningful work—and meaningful lives—take shape. 


I believe a problem is not simply something to solve, but a message to understand—often pointing directly to the opportunity for sustainable solutions.

A man in a black blazer smiles while seated in a purple theater seat.

Clarity for your organization and for yourself.

My approach is shaped by careful listening and practical, on-the-ground experience. It is conversational, rigorous, and rooted in decades of learned wisdom-not theory. While each engagement is tailored, the way I support people and organizations follows a consistent philosophy: thoughtful assessment, honest dialogue, and practical forward motion.


-Discreet


-Time-bound and purpose-driven


-Designed to support clarity, solutions and independence.

Artistic and Managing Directors

I work as a confidential strategic partner to artistic and managing directors balancing vision, finances, and governance. This often includes pressure-testing season plans, supporting financial decision-making, navigating board dynamics, and serving as a trusted sounding board during moments of transition or fatigue—always with the aim of helping leaders think clearly and lead sustainably.

Board Members

I help board members gain a clear, shared understanding of artistic, financial, and organizational realities. My work supports productive governance, leadership evaluation or transition, and constructive dialogue during moments of change, with a focus on alignment between ambition, capacity, and stewardship.

Producers

I work with producers developing new work or navigating scale across nonprofit and commercial contexts. This includes strategic positioning of projects, assessing readiness and risk, supporting partnerships, and advising on U.S.–U.K. development pathways—grounded in practical experience and forward momentum.

Artists and Cultural Leaders

For artists and cultural leaders stepping into greater visibility or responsibility, I offer senior executive-level guidance focused on clarity, leadership presence, and decision-making. This work supports career direction, institutional navigation, and thoughtful action during moments of growth or uncertainty.

Individuals seeking guidance

I also work one-on-one coaching  individuals—including students seeking clarity around college and career decisions—who want a discreet, experienced sounding board during professional or personal transitions. These conversations  are practical and reflective, grounded in lived leadership experience, and designed to bring clarity—not prescriptions—at moments when perspective matters most.

Much of my work, particularly with individuals, is confidential. I am often engaged quietly, during moments when clarity and discretion matter most.  

I believe leadership in the arts is both public and deeply personally. Whether guiding an institution or supporting an individual, my role is to help people think clearly, act decisively, and move forward with integrity. 


*All consulting, coaching, and commercial producing work is performed solely through Peterman Entertainment and Peterman Productions and is independent of any other professional affiliations.

Contact me

Consulting and Coaching with Shane Peterman

GeorgeShanePete@mac.com

Appointments

Appointments arranged individually based on availability. Our work together can be done in person or by zoom.

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Consulting and Coaching with Shane Peterman

Copyright © 2004 Peterman Entertainment Inc. - All Rights Reserved.


Photo credit(s): Shane Peterman, Shanna Lockwood, Tiffany Campbell, David Singer, Deborah Lopez

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