VENUWORKS APPOINTED NEW VENUE MANAGER FOR HISTORIC SUNRISE THEATRE IN FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA

FORT PIERCE – JULY 20, 2026

Numa Christopher Saisselin is a nationally respected performing arts and historic theatre executive with decades of experience in venue management, programming, financial leadership, fundraising, historic preservation, and community engagement. He will serve as Executive Director of the
historic Sunrise Theatre in Fort Pierce, Florida, bringing a proven record of leading treasured cultural venues through periods of growth, reinvestment, and expanded community impact.

Most recently, Saisselin served as President of Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida, where he led the nonprofit organization that manages and programs the 1,865-seat 1927 historic Florida Theatre in a public-private partnership with the City of Jacksonville.
Under his leadership, the Florida Theatre presented more than 200 music, dance, theatre, film, and education events annually, welcomed approximately 205,000 attendees each year, and grew to a $14 million annual budget. His tenure included $19.5 million in capital improvements, expanded
programming, increased attendance, and recognition for the theatre as one of Pollstar’s Top 5 most attended theatres under 2,000 seats in the nation.

Prior to his work in Jacksonville, Saisselin served as Chief Executive Officer of Count Basie Theatre, Inc. in Red Bank, New Jersey, where he led a 1,500-seat 1926 historic theatre and guided the organization through significant growth in programming, attendance, revenue, capital improvements, and preservation projects. During his tenure, the Count Basie Theatre became one of Pollstar’s Top 100 Most Attended Theatre Venues and was recognized as a Major Presenting Organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Saisselin’s career also includes leadership roles at the College of Staten Island Center for the Arts and the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, New York. His core strengths include venue management, financial management, community relations, programming, and historic preservation. He holds an MBA from Adelphi University, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Springfield College, and a Bachelor of Music in Education from the Fredonia School of Music.

At the Sunrise Theatre, Saisselin will focus on honoring the venue’s historic legacy while expanding programming, strengthening community partnerships, enhancing guest experiences, and supporting the theatre’s role as a cultural and economic anchor in downtown Fort Pierce.