Inside the Porch

We are thrilled to announce big changes at The Porch as we enter a new chapter of our history and begin our 2025-26 Season of productions, readings, and events!  

Effective July 1, co-founder and current Co-Producing Artistic Director Maurice Emmanuel Parent steps into the role of Producing Artistic Director, leading the company into its next stage of growth and artistic exploration. The transition coincides with the departure of Dawn M. Simmons, a Front Porch Arts Collective co-founder who recently was appointed Artistic Director at SpeakEasy Stage Company. 

In addition to Parent’s new role, The Porch’s Director of Education Pascale Florestal will assume the expanded role of Associate Artistic Director, continuing her impactful work within the company’s education programs, and taking a larger role in new play development and community engagement initiatives. Kandyce Whittingham will be joining as Front Porch's first Marketing Manager, and we are thrilled to welcome Shari Caplan as our new Development Associate. 

“It’s an incredible honor to carry the torch as The Porch enters this exciting next phase,” says Parent. “Dawn and I built this company from the ground up, and I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I’m thrilled to lead an extraordinary team—Pascale and the entire staff and board—as we deepen our commitment to telling powerful Black stories on Boston stages and beyond.”

Rounding out The Porch staff includes Casting and Operations Apprentice Kayla Sessoms, and Development Consultant Maggie Moore Abdow. 

pictured: (L-R) Pascale Florestal, Kayla Sessoms, and Maurice Parent. Photo by Nile Scott Studios
pictured : Maurice Parent. Photo by Nile Scott Studios

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