OMG News

Just hit my inbox: A press release announcing that ACT's Heather Kitchen is stepping down at the end of August:
"Heather M. Kitchen, now in her 14th season as executive director at American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), will step down from her position at the end of August 2009. Ms. Kitchen will remain available to the company through the end of this year as a consultant and adviser during the transition process. The A.C.T. Board of Trustees is forming a search committee to conduct a comprehensive search for Ms. Kitchen’s successor."
No word of why she's stepping down.

This follows on the heels of news earlier this week that Marsha Mason has dropped out of Cal Shakes' Happy Days for personal reasons a couple of weeks before previews. Cal Shakes hasn't yet announced a replacement.