Strand Theater Company Welcomes Alma Davenport as New Artistic Director

Strand Theater Company has announced the appointment of Alma Davenport as its new Artistic Director.

Davenport, a highly accomplished figure in the world of theater, was selected after a thorough search conducted by the Strand Board of Directors, which began in Spring 2024. She will officially begin her role on September 1, 2024.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Alma to the Strand Theater family,” said Elena Kostakis, Executive Director of the Strand. “Her impressive background in leading women-centric theater and her commitment to amplifying diverse voices resonate deeply with our mission. We eagerly anticipate the fresh vision and dynamic creative direction she will bring to our company.”

A reception to celebrate Davenport’s appointment and the launch of Season 17 will be held at the Strand Theater in October 2024.

About Alma Davenport:

Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Alma Davenport is an award-winning playwright, poet, storyteller, director, producer, teaching artist, art scholar, and arts administrator with roots in Washington, D.C., and New York She is the founding Artistic/Producing Director of Brown Soul Productions, a Seattle-based organization operating from 2016 to 2023. It was committed to nurturing and amplifying the voices of women of color through developing and producing creative new work. 

Alma graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. and currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the Director/Board Liaison at the Baltimore School for the Arts. She has a BFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and an MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University. She won the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award (2nd Place), The Goldberg Award for Dramatic Writing, The Horowitz Playwriting Award, and the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award. 

About the Strand Theater Company

The Strand Theater Company is dedicated to presenting thought-provoking and innovative theater that celebrates the diverse voices and perspectives of women, while also engaging the creative talents of artists of all genders. Located in North-East Baltimore, the Strand offers a platform for some of the region’s most compelling contemporary and reimagined stage works.

Since its inception in 2007, the Strand has staged over 70 full-length plays, including 19 world premieres, and has provided 75% of its artistic roles—spanning playwrights, directors, designers, stage managers, and actors—to women. The company also offers affordable theater space to numerous organizations and independent artists, and actively contributes to the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street community.

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