The professional storytelling choral group Verdigris Ensemble has announced its first-ever executive director: Kyle Igneczi.

Known both onstage as a performer and puppeteer and offstage for his nonprofit arts administration work, Igneczi assumed the position — made possible in part by a gift in memory of Emily Javadi — August 7.

“Kyle was an obvious choice from our standpoint,” says Verdigris Ensemble founding artistic director Sam Brukhman. “His experience in performance, background in fundraising, and clear love and desire to grow nonprofits is exactly what we’re looking for. He is a clear fit for the organization.”

“In my career, I have been blessed with incredible, transformative experiences through the arts," says Igneczi. "Stepping into this role allows me to build upon these life-affirming moments and engage this community in a way that provides further opportunity for artists and audiences here in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Most recently the managing director of Imprint Theatreworks and development manager at the Plano Symphony Orchestra, Igneczi has also worked in the marketing and development departments at Addison's WaterTower Theatre.

Audiences may recognize Igneczi from his work with Dallas Theater Center, Uptown Players, WaterTower Theatre, Dallas Children’s Theater, Imprint Theatreworks, and any number of stages throughout DFW.

A native of Ohio, his performance career has spanned the globe through transcontinental touring and teaching opportunities with some of the most prominent names in family entertainment.

"Joining Verdigris seems like the culmination of all the work I’ve done through the years," Igneczi says. "Combining my roots in opera and choral performance with my career in musical theater, and adding the fulfillment of the work I’ve done in arts support, I am thrilled to join the already incredible team at Verdigris to define a future full of new possibilities in the cultural landscape here and beyond.”

Founded in 2017, the Dallas-based professional ensemble’s vision is to transform the world through the alchemy of stories and the power of the human voice. Verdigris Ensemble has previously worked with Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Dallas Museum of Art, Soluna Festival, and others, and has been a participant of the AT& Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project.