Birmingham's Red Mountain Theatre Announces Significant Staffing Additions

Red Mountain Theatre, Birmingham's premier performing arts and theatre education company, has announced the addition of two new members to its talented team of theatre professionals.

Associate Artistic Director Roy Lightner and Music Supervisor Anthony Smith join the Red Mountain Theatre team after building extensive resumes in the theatre community.

Lightner, an award-winning theatre creator, director, choreographer and educator, served as the Associate Artistic Director for the Transcendence Theatre Company in Sonoma, Calif., and was previously a member of the musical theatre faculty at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y.

Lightner is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theatre at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Lightner graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University with a bachelor's degree in musical theatre and received his Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration in Performance Creation from Goddard College.

"I'm thrilled to join the Red Mountain Theatre team," Lightner said. "To have the chance to support Red Mountain Theatre's artistic mission is an incredible opportunity. I'm looking forward to collaborating with the incredible artists we have here."

Anthony Smith joins Red Mountain Theatre following his role as the Music Supervisor and Music Director in Residence of Virginia Repertory Theatre in Richmond, Va.

An active proponent of new music, Smith has been involved in the world premieres of several new musicals and operas, most recently Atlantis by Matthew Lee Robinson, Ken Cerniglia and Scott Anderson Morris as well as Kept by Kristin Kuster and Megan Levad.

Smith has extensive experience in higher education, providing musical direction and teaching courses in Musicianship and Musical Theatre Voice at Virginia Commonwealth University, the College of William and Mary, and the University of Richmond. In addition to his work as an educator, Anthony is an in-demand performer, having recently performed with the Richmond and Virginia Symphony Orchestras, the Virginia Chorale, and the Virginia Arts Festival.

"The opportunity to work at Red Mountain Theatre is a true honor and a career-defining moment," Smith said. "The production quality at Red Mountain Theatre is unmatched, and I'm looking forward to continuing their tradition of excellence."

Executive Director Keith Cromwell said Lightner and Smith represent valuable additions to Red Mountain Theatre's staff.

"Both Roy and Anthony bring immeasurable talent to the table," Cromwell said. "They have impressive theatre backgrounds, and we're excited to see the contributions they'll provide our team and community."

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