INTERVIEW: Diane Eber of The Egg
*This article originally appeared in our January 2026 print issue*
Photos by Kiki Vassilakis
“The Egg was conceived not merely as a functional performance space, but as a sculptural work of art designed to bring people together in an intimate, unconventional way.”
In the fall of 2024, I met Diane Eber in her office at the Empire State Plaza concourse. She was one of those “you must meet” characters when embarking on the launch of Metroland. It only took a few minutes to understand why. Eber radiated an abundance of energy and eccentricity — qualities that feel less like personality traits and more like a preview of the programming she envisioned for the stages of The Egg Performing Arts Center. Though she had already been in the role for a year, it was clear she was just getting started, poised to show the Capital Region what she was truly capable of.
With a venue as unique as The Egg, it’s impossible not to lean into allegory. Eber as Mother Goose. The Egg on the brink of renovation — its own “hatching,” if you will. (Buckle up, because I’m riding this metaphor until the wheels fall off.)
Earlier this year, the venue embarked on its first major interior renovation in nearly 50 years – a roughly $19.5 million project — to modernize seating, lighting, accessibility, and other facilities while preserving its iconic design. These renovations are scheduled to be completed with a reopening in early 2026.
Eber spoke with genuine reverence about her predecessor, Peter Lesser, and the remarkable legacy he left during his 23-year tenure as Executive Director. Today, she honors that foundation while unmistakably imprinting her own sensibility: a push toward more immersive experiences, more diverse programming, and events few would even consider possible for the venue. Eber thinks beyond the stage — and beyond the walls of the theater itself. The audience, whether they realize it yet or not, has always been part of that journey.
It’s hard not to notice Eber’s personal style — particularly her hair — when she repeatedly references the phrase “no straight lines.” If you hadn’t met her before her appointment, you might assume she was simply committing wholeheartedly to the assignment. But the phrase runs deeper. The Egg was conceived not merely as a functional performance space, but as a sculptural work of art designed to bring people together in an intimate, unconventional way.
“Our building has no straight lines. There are no right angles. It's all curved. So, when you think about that from an artistic grounding place, I can speak to artists about playing in this room where literally everything is curved,” Eber explains. “We don't even have square angles in our elevator. Leaning into that, when we're thinking about which artists to be working with, which audiences to be reaching out to…let's get weird.”
The construction of The Egg began in 1966, but its complex curves and structural challenges extended the process to nearly 12 years. When it finally opened to the public in 1978, the result was unmistakable: a bold, egg-shaped form that appears to float above the plaza, supported by a stem-like structure extending six stories below ground.
Inside are two performance spaces — the Swyer Theatre, seating approximately 450, and the larger Hart Theatre, with about 982 seats — which, since opening, have offered year-round performances spanning everything from music, dance, comedy, theater, family programming and educational events.
Rumblings about a renovation predated Eber’s arrival, but there’s little doubt her energy amplified those whispers into something louder — and more intentional. She not only helped push the project forward, but helped ensure the renovations were the right ones.
The bulk of the funding was allocated to aspects that would never be visible or known to the public. Eber insisted that it would be unacceptable to close such a beloved, high-profile venue for renovations only to reopen it looking the same as before. She ultimately prevailed in this effort, securing a full renovation of both lobbies and the replacement of all carpeting. Eber had to advocate strongly for these visible improvements, and she found the Office of General Services to be extremely supportive. Once she voiced her concerns, everyone in the room quickly agreed and committed to finding a solution.
“There are things that look amazing and then there's still some forgotten dusky corners. My involvement was really in making sure that the rollout of this made sense from the public's perspective; I felt very strongly that you needed to be able to walk in and tangibly feel the transformation.”
Between the way The Egg charmingly disrupts the Albany skyline, and how Eber disrupts the status quo, it’s hard to imagine this monolith becoming even more iconic. And yet, the plans for this cultural hub will shock and delight — all the while honoring the foundation it was built on, literally and figuratively.
Two of the upcoming shows are set to pay homage to programming presented in the first year of The Egg in 1978. Ballet Hispánico will be there on March 20th. The Egg will also present FIREBIRD, an immersive audio/visual art experience that adapts Stravinsky's Firebird Suite as performed by a monolithic orchestra of tail lights. Both performances will take place mid March, and both Ballet Hispánico and Stravinsky's work were a part of the grand opening programming nearly 50 years ago.
“It's a kind of beautiful, curatorial connection,” Eber says.
FIREBIRD — Eber’s first foray into pushing boundaries — is a reimagining of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite with Amsterdam artist Touki Delphine. The event runs March 21–26, starting outside The Egg at Gene Davis’s Skywagon artwork. Participants will walk together in metallic capes, down the concourse, through secret stairwells that no one’s ever been allowed to traverse inside The Egg before. From there, they’ll watch a 45-minute immersive art experience of a giant light installation made from recycled taillights.
When Eber saw this piece, she described the experience as being almost uncomfortable for a moment, with a very accessible resolve. “It [isn’t] some weird, high art that [leaves you] being like, ‘I don't understand what just happened. I'm not smart enough.’”
Other upcoming acts to look forward to in 2026 include, but are not limited to, Trisha Yearwood, Iron & Wine, Tig Notaro, and The Ravi Shankar Ensemble. The latter is a multi-generational group of world-class musicians dedicated to preserving and performing the late legendary sitar maestro's compositions, curated by his wife Sukanya Shankar and daughter Anoushka Shankar. This will be the first stop on their tour, and they intend to both rehearse and then perform at the venue on March 16.
As the incubation draws to a long anticipated close, those who fear change can rest assured that the classic programming that made you fall in love with The Egg in the first place will remain. For those with a sense of adventure, there will be plenty of that to choose from as well. In 1978, the tagline was “New York: Your Egg Is Ready.” The team at The Egg is drawing from archival marketing materials for design and programming inspiration. Think of it as Easter — the egg still tastes the same after you dye it. Now it’s just more fun to find.