About this episode

Lauren Kennedy Brady discusses her journey from Broadway performer to establishing Theatre Raleigh in her hometown.

Lauren Kennedy Brady, a Raleigh native and Broadway performer, shares how early community theater and mentors led her to a BFA at the University of Cincinnati and a Broadway debut in Sunset Boulevard through an agent connection, while describing the instability and rejection of acting careers. She explains her unexpected transition back to Raleigh after her father helped establish the Kennedy Theatre and a small summer season evolved into Theatre Raleigh, which she grew for 16–17 years into the area’s only professional theater, distinguished by paying artists under an Actors’ Equity agreement. Lauren discusses challenges that contributed to North Carolina Theatre’s closure, Theatre Raleigh’s intimate, affordable, immersive approach, its industrial-park location, and recent expansion including the Green Room coffee shop and a merger with Raleigh ACT serving 450 students. She previews upcoming productions including Dear Evan Hansen, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, and a holiday play plus a New Year’s Eve event. 00:00 Meet Lauren Kennedy Brady 02:44 Raleigh Roots in Theater 04:14 Breaking Into Broadway 05:50 Rejection and Staying Ready 07:35 From Actor to…

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