Theater doesn’t renew director’s contract.

The Public Theater of San Antonio has cut ties with CEO and Artistic Director George Green.

The board of the theater announced Friday night that it would not renew its contract with Green when it expires today.

His four-year run ended after a string of social media posts alleging abusive conduct toward staff, actors and guest artists.

Green, 49, has been on a paid leave of absence since Oct. 10 while the board investigated online complaints posted to social media describing an oppressive work environment at the theater that was not conducive to creativity and collaboration.

In addition, a petition was posted to change.org demanding that Green resign or be removed by the board. It has nearly 800 signatures.

As part of its investigation, the board posted an online form requesting input from the community about the theater. It received about 100 responses.

Board Chairman Vernon Haney said he could not get into details about the decision to break with Green because it is a personnel matter.

“We can say we listened to over 100 members of the community and decided it was time to make a change,” Haney said.

Norbert Gonzales Jr., a former board president, will run the theater until an interim artistic director is named. Gonzales also served in that role in 2011, when Di Ann Sneed stepped down as the theater’s executive director after an 11year stint.

A national search will be conducted to find a replacement for Green. Community input will be considered in the search, according to a board statement.

In March, when the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the Public had to shut down. It has since revamped its 2020-21 season, presenting nothing but solo shows. The second, “Squeamish,” will be livestreamed starting Thursday.

The Public is the resident company of the city-owned San Pedro Playhouse, a historic building in San Pedro Springs Park. It has two performance spaces and an annual budget of $855,078. The Russell Hill Rogers stage upstairs typically presents about six large-scale musicals a year, while the more intimate Cellar Theater presents smaller works, also six a year.

During Green’s tenure, the theater began a relationship with Actor’s Equity Association, the professional union for actors and stagehands, offering union contracts. That relationship will continue, according to the board’s statement.