After 18 years as president of the Dramatist Guild of America, librettist Peter Stone has decided to step down. At a March 24 meeting of the Guild, librettist John Weidman was elected to succeed him.

Also retiring from office are longtime vice-president Terrence McNally and treasurer Richard Lewine. They will be replaced by Marsha Norman and Christopher Durang, respectively.

Weidman has authored the books to the musicals Assassins and Pacific Overtures, both composed by Stephen Sondheim. Stone is currently represented on Broadway by Annie Get Your Gun, the book of which he updated and reworked. His musical Titanic will end its run March 28.

"Eighteen years is such a long time to do what is really a very demanding job," Stone remarked. "I have enjoyed my work at the Guild, but we felt it was time for a new crew to take over, and certainly I don't plan to disappear."

Norman has penned such plays as 'Night Mother and Getting Out. Durang's new work, Betty's Summer Vacation, recently opened at Playwrights Horizons. --By Robert Simonson