SULLIVAN - Tralen Doler is the new artistic director for the Little Theatre-On The Square.

The 31-year-old from New York City has directed five shows for the theater during the past three years, including "Singin' In The Rain" and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" during the 2009 summer season.

Seth Reines had served as the theater's artistic director for 21 years but is stepping down because he is unable to devote enough time to the theater, said managing director John Stephens.

"It was a mutual agreement that he didn't have the time that he needed to give us here," Stephens said. "And he suggested that we start looking and that he be a part of the process."

Reins began working with Little Theatre when he lived in Chicago and was free during his summers, Stephens said. Since then, he has become the Artistic Producer for Prather Entertainment Group in Mesa, Ariz., preventing him from spending as much time with the Sullivan theater.

"Just having that person here to be a constant will be a huge addition to our summer season," Stephens said.

Doler will be in town to help put together the theater's Christmas show, "Nuncrackers," and then he'll be back at the end of January to start auditions for the summer season cast.

"He was just a great fit for his knowledge of how our theater works and his plethora of experience," Stephens said.

Doler also serves as the resident director for the Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, N.Y.

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