Dennis D. Hennessy is co-owner of The New Theatre with his partner, Richard Carrothers.

Mr. Hennessy studied at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre School of Drama, Harvard University and the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He has worked in every aspect of the business since first opening Tiffany’s Attic and Waldo Astoria with Mr. Carrothers in the early 1970s. Both theatres gained national recognition when the Wall Street Journal called them “two of the most successful theatres, both artistically and financially in the country.”

Mr. Hennessy’s directing credits for the theatre include A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, LUV, THE WOMEN, THE RAINMAKER, THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN, YOUR OWN THING, BLACK COMEDY, LEND ME A TENOR, and many others.

In 1985, after producing GROUCHO, A LIFE IN REVUE in Kansas City, the partners moved the play to New York where it ran for nearly a year. The play went on to a successful run in London and then to Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Miami, and other cities throughout the country. The early 1980s marked the beginning of the partners’ diversification into film and television with their independent film company in Los Angeles. The company produced feature films, mini-series, and television movies for Universal Studios, MGM/United Artists, NBC and CBS with such noted talents as Steve Martin, Walter Matthau, Tyne Daly, Gilda Radner, Penny Marshall, Lee Remick, Marlee Matlin, Charles Grodin and Efrem Zimbalist,Jr.

Hennessy’s stage direction of The New Theatre’s SOUND OF MUSIC marked Kansas City’s tribute to 50 years of Rodgers and Hammerstein. NUNSENSE II, under his direction, set box office records earning over $1 million in its first eight weeks. He directed the critically acclaimed BILOXI BLUES and NOISES OFF for The New Theatre, WEEKEND COMEDY with Larry Linville and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF which set box office records and was the recipient of the Drama Desk Award for best musical as was GYPSY.

Mr. Hennessy’s credits also include GUYS AND DOLLS, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER, SOUTH PACIFIC, RUMORS, CASH ON DELIVERY,  MY 3 ANGELS, 1999’s ON GOLDEN POND with Don Knotts – the fastest sell-out in New Theatre history, and THE MUSIC MAN.