We recently connected with Jeremy Goldman and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jeremy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Having participated in theatrical productions for more than three decades, I have been involved in a number of meaningful projects. Some are meaningful because of the artistic value of the production, some are meaningful for the message the show conveys, and some are meaningful because of the people involved. I recently was involved in a production that checked all three boxes. In March 2025, I directed the musical production Kinky Boots, with music and lyrics by Cindi Lauper. The production took more than a year of planning, four months of rehearsals, and canvasing our community for the right designers and performers. The final production was artistically more successful than I ever could have imagined; the lighting design, set design, and performances by the cast were all deeply impactful to our sold-out audiences. The message of the show also carried significant meaning, as that primary message is one of inclusion and accepting people for who they are. The show centers around two characters, a shoe salesman named Charlie and a drag queen named Lola. The show follows the journey of these two friends as they navigate this moving story of acceptance and friendship. We also partnered with our local school system’s Office of LGBTQ Initiatives to bring in students, families, and allies by offering our theater as a safe space to gather and celebrate the community. Finally, the people – from the choreographer, to the designers, to the cast and crew, this was an incredible team of more than 30 people. Going through this project together has linked us together for a long time.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey was not typical… I started performing at age 8 in a local children’s theater in Ellicott City, Maryland. After performing at a local dinner theater and all through high school, I earned a theater scholarship to the University of Maryland where I graduated with a degree in Theater Performance. After graduating and performing in a few professional productions, including a national tour with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, I found myself between shows and unemployed. To fill the gap, I began working at a law firm in Washington, D.C. doing administrative work. After a while, that work turned into more substantive paralegal work and a difficult decision to apply to law school. I graduated four years later from the University of Baltimore School of Law, with concentrations in Intellectual Property and Business Law. At that time, I began working for Northrop Grumman Corporation in Baltimore, MD where I have been working for the last 18 years in supply chain management and compliance.

In 2014, after having no theater in my life for more than a decade, I received a call from my high school drama teacher. He had been running a non-profit community theater since 2003 called Silhouette Stages, and they were desperately searching for male performers for an upcoming musical. I took a risk deciding to audition and I was cast in the show. I learned a lot about community theater during that production – I learned that community theater is nearly all volunteers (the performers, the set builders, the designers, and the board of directors) – it was an inspirational experience. After performing in a few more shows with Silhouette Stages and other area community theaters, my drama teacher (and the only Board President Silhouette Stages had ever known) decided to retire and asked if I was interested in taking the baton from him. I agreed and became the second President of Silhouette Stages.

One of my favorite roles with Silhouette Stages was the role of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Mel Brooks’ musical Young Frankenstein; that role was so much fun and so satisfying for me that I decided to take a break from performing and figured I would try directing! In March 2023 I directed my first musical, The Wedding Singer, and it was a rousing success with many personal lessons learned. In March 2025, I directed my second musical, Kinky Boots, which has become Silhouette Stages’ best-selling and most successful show of all time.

Performing and directing are incredibly enjoyable and give me a creative outlet. However, in my leadership role with Silhouette Stages I do much more. Recently, I was fortunate to be named the first Executive Director of Silhouette Stages. In that role, I primarily focus on promoting the theater, working with the community, applying for grants, and ensuring the success of our mission and philosophy. I am so proud of the work that Silhouette Stages does as an all-volunteer organization – the passion and creativity of the people involved is inspiring to me and hope that others see what is possible when the right people come together with shared purpose and motivation.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

This is a challenging question because ultimately creating art requires funding, and funding for the performing arts is under constant attack. However, as Executive Director of a community theater I am frequently looking for additional sources of funding and ways to increase funding coming from existing sources. This includes county and state grants, foundation and corporate grants, and individual donations. Obtaining funding is a significant amount of work but it is important to the success of the business and in achieving our mission.

The best thing society can do to support artists and the organizations that rely on them is to continue to attend live performing arts events – theater, music concerts, dance performances, etc. If you cannot attend, you can donate – even small donations go a long way for small arts organizations. In addition, focusing supporting the arts in our schools to ensure that the next generation has an appreciation and passion for the arts. One of my favorite quotes is that you can judge the strength of a community by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens and how it supports the performing arts.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, and this might be somewhat of a surprise coming from someone leading a community theater. Part of our mission is to create a welcoming, affirming, diverse, inclusive, and creative environment. While obviously producing high quality theatrical productions is the primary goal of our organization and is what we share with the community, it is maintaining and growing our theater as a welcoming place for everyone that is what drives our creative journey. We welcome every person in the community and we strive to include a diverse representation of people on our stage to reflect the diversity in our community – that includes different body types, races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientation, ethnicities… the more representation we have on our stage the more welcome our audiences and volunteers will be. I have found that by focusing on that part of the mission, the artistic work has been elevated as a by-product of our hyper focus on our people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.silhouettestages.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/silhouettestages
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silhouettestages
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyalexandergoldman/
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3C3qdvBoaTsm6ITpoE2_tw