Raphael Parry Email & Phone Number

Dallas, Tx, Us

Dallas, Texas

Big Heart Theater is a new initiative to serve adults with cognitive disabilities by creating original musical theater productions. It is led by Lisa Lee Schmidt as Executive Director.

Dallas, Texas

Selected credits include Shakespeare Dallas, Dallas Theater Center, Kitchen Dog Theater, Undermain Theatre, Echo Theatre.

Incubated and developed 40+ new interdisciplinary works.Produced Diamond Dick: The Tulsa Race Riots of 1921 in Dallas and remounted it La Mama ETC Theatre in NYC.Produced and directed Maid, a short film by Erik Ehn, based on the final days of Joan of Arc.

Served as artistic leader and chief executive of 50-year-old nonprofit theater.Expanded company offerings from two Shakespeare in the Park summer productions to year-round season of indoor and outdoor performances and educational outreach for both children and adults. Helmed five-year staged reading series that included every play, sonnet, and epic poem written by Shakespeare.Commissioned Quixote, new bilingual Spanish-English work from Octavio Solis, which has since been produced at major regional theaters under the title Quixote Nuevo!Recruited, hired, and managed a full-time staff of 6 and a seasonal staff of up to 100.Grew the organization budget by 41% in eight years while balancing income and expenses.

Oversaw Shakespeare in the Park performances, educational programs, and numerous outreach programs. Increased program offerings and revamped education programming to include elementary through high school.With executive director, paid off $600K of debt incurred by previous administration.

Creative director for literary series focused on Texas-related actors reading short fiction by Texas writers.Selected readings from short fiction, cast, and directed actors that included Tommy Lee Jones, Kathy Bates, Larry Hagman, Barry Corbin, Marcia Gay Harden, John Benjamin Hickey, and Julie White.

Marfa, Texas

Oversaw artistic programming, including development of performance-based arts educational touring programs.Recruited, hired, and managed roster of 150+ artists and oversaw 200+ visual and performing arts programs. Supervised full-time staff of 5; managed $1M budget with 15% increase in program delivery over 5 years.

Founded, developed and led nationally-recognized 12-member ensemble focusing on regional and national premieres by internationally-recognized playwrights such as Erik Ehn, Mac Wellman, Jeffrey Jones, Len Jenkin, David Rabe, John O’Keefe, Caryl Churchill, Octavio Solis and Suzan-Lori Parks.Oversaw administrative functions including budgeting, fundraising, board development, staffing, donor stewardship, strategic planning, audience development and more while producing three plays per year.Guided season selection and provided artistic leadership for the ensemble. Directed and acted in 40+ productions. Commissioned six world premieres and shepherded the publication of two new plays.