Alliance Theatre Names Lawrence Bennett The New Director Of Production

After conducting a thorough national search, the Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce that Lawrence Bennett has been chosen as the new Director of Production for the Alliance Theatre, beginning July 19, 2021. Bennett brings to his new role 15 years of production management and technical direction experience in a variety of company leadership positions.

Lawrence Bennett hails from Houston, TX. Before coming to the Alliance, he served as the Director of Production at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, where he worked with Hana Sharif, the first Black woman to be the Artistic Director of a LORT Theatre. Bennett is one of only four Black people to ever be a director of production at a LORT institution. Previous to working at The Rep, Bennett was the Associate Production Manager at Baltimore Center Stage. Prior to working in production management, he spent ten years working as a technical director at various colleges across the country, including the University of Texas, University of South Florida, and others. He has also worked all over the country at various summer stock theatres including Williamstown Theatre Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Bennett serves as Vice Commissioner of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) for the Management Commission for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), a national organization that promotes dialogue, research, and learning among practitioners of theatre design and technology and includes members at all levels of their careers. Bennett is also the co-chair of the EDI and membership committees for the Production Managers Forum, which is the network for Production Managers of non-profit theatre, dance, and opera companies and educational theatres in North America. Bennett has worked with titans of the theatrical community, including, but not limited to Kwame Kwei-Armah, Hana Sharif, Stephanie Ybarra, David Stewart, Rick Noble, Cary Gillett, Dennis Dorn, Amelia Acosta Powell, Robert Ramirez, and others. Bennett received his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his BFA from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University.

"We are thrilled to welcome Larry to the Alliance," said Mike Schleifer, Managing Director of the Alliance Theatre. "Larry's extensive experience and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the theater industry made him the ideal candidate for this role. We are confident that his leadership will further the Alliance's goals of representing Atlanta's diverse community with the stories we tell and audiences we serve."

"The Alliance is deeply fortunate to be joined by Larry as a new colleague," said Susan. V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director of the Alliance Theatre. "Our production staff is a cohort of mind-blowing excellence and will be greatly enriched by Larry's mind, heart, skills and experience."

"I am honored to be joining the leadership team of the Alliance Theatre," said Bennett. "I have great respect for the work of the Alliance and its role as a leader in both the national theater scene and the Atlanta arts community, and I deeply value and align with the Alliance's mission, vision, and values and look forward to playing a role in their exciting work."

Bennett will relocate to Atlanta later this year with his wife, Dominica, and new baby, Henry.

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