.jpg)
Phil Whiteway,
Senior Advisor
Phil Whiteway is a cornerstone of Virginia's nonprofit performing arts community. He, along with Bruce Miller, co-founded Theatre IV in 1975 as Virginia's first professional theatre for young audiences. In 2001, he assumed the role of Managing Director of Barksdale Theatre via a memorandum of understanding under which Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre remained separate producing entities but shared an artistic and administrative staff. In 2012, Phil and Bruce led the formal merger of these two companies to become Virginia Repertory Theatre, Central Virginia's flagship professional theatre.
More about Phil
Under Phil's management, Virginia Rep received the first Excellence in Instruction Award from the Virginia Board of Education, the Dominion Shining Star Award from Virginians for the Arts, and the 50 for 50 Arts Inspiration Award from the Virginia Commission for the arts, among many others.
Phil was a founding member of the boards of the Richmond Arts Consortium and the Broad Street Association. He led the way for the purchase and renovation of the historic November Theatre (formerly the Empire Theatre) on Broad Street in downtown Richmond, receiving the Community Builders Award from the Central Richmond Association for its contribution to downtown revitalization.
From 2021-23, Phil led efforts for a successful $5.2 million capital campaign to acquire and begin initial improvements to the Virginia Rep Center for Arts and Education, formerly the Scottish Rite Temple, on Hermitage Road.
Phil is a graduate of the University of Richmond and a graduate and past board member of Leadership Metro Richmond. He has served on the Governance Board of Partners in the Arts and as treasurer of Virginians for the Arts. Phil has received the Voice of the University Award from his alma mater, the Theresa Pollak "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Richmond Magazine, and the Governor's Award for the Arts from former Gov. Tim Kaine. He was included by Style Weekly among the "100 Most Influential Richmonders of the 20th Century."
In addition to his work in the theatre industry, Phil's joys are his wife, Donna, their four adult kids, two grandkids, and Bernedoodle, Opie. Phil and Donna reside in rural Ashland.
