The Des Moines Community Playhouse, now in its 100th season, announced that new artistic director Katy Merriman will join on June 1, working with artistic director emeritus John Viars until his retirement on Dec. 31. Viars joined the Playhouse in 1982 as executive director and artistic director. In 2017, David R. Kilpatrick joined the Playhouse as executive director and Viars focused solely as artistic director, concentrating on selecting, producing and directing plays. Merriman has been associated with the theater for years as a director, teacher and actor, the Playhouse said in a statement. The community theater’s 100th anniversary will culminate with a gala on Nov. 9.