Image Courtesy of Actors Theatre of Louisville. Photo by Jonathan Roberts.
Bio
Robert Barry Fleming,
Executive Artistic Director
Actors Theatre of Louisville
Robert has a varied portfolio and a wealth of experience as an artistic leader/administrator, producer, director, choreographer, performing artist, teacher and coach . His most recent directing/choreography credits include 2020 Humana Festival of New American Play world premieres GRACE, a new musical by Nolan Williams, Jr., and the Professional Training Company’s production of Vivian Barnes, Jonathan Norton and Gab Reisman’s ARE YOU THERE? (Actors Theatre of Louisville), ONCE ON THIS ISLAND (Actors/Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park co-production), NATIVE GARDENS (Cleveland Play House), NEXT TO NORMAL (Tantrum Theater), THE ROYALE (CPH), DESTINY OF DESIRE (OSF), CAROLINE OR CHANGE (Tantrum Theater), and BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY (CPH) just to name a few. Upcoming 2021 Humana Festival of New American Plays world premiere: Idris Goodwin’s ALI SUMMIT. Formerly the Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage and the former Associate Artistic Director at Cleveland Play House, Robert currently serves as the Executive Artistic Director of Actors Theatre of Louisville (began as AD as of June 1, 2019, EAD as of December 2019). Arena Stage world-premieres commissioned, developed and/or championed under his watch include the 2017 Best Musical Tony-winner, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, Mary Kathryn Nagle’s SOVEREIGNTY, John Strand’s THE ORIGINALIST, Katori Hall’s BLOOD QUILT, Karen Zacarías’ DESTINY OF DESIRE and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner, SWEAT by Lynn Nottage. Robert was an Associate Producer for the Off-Broadway premiere of THE TWO CHARACTER PLAY by Tennessee Williams, starring Amanda Plummer and Brad Dourif. He was also an Associate Professor (tenured) and Chair of the University of San Diego Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department. Some of his professional acting credits include stints on Broadway (RAGTIME directed by Frank Galati, STAND-UP TRAGEDY directed by the late Ron Link), Off-Broadway (the leading role in INSURRECTION: HOLDING HISTORY by Robert O'Hara at The Public), joining AEA with the national tour of CATS (Original Bus and Truck and German companies back in 1986), playing major regional theaters (The Old Globe, The Guthrie, A Contemporary Theater, The Mark Taper Forum with the world premiere of George C. Wolfe's JELLY’S LAST JAM as Young Jelly), on television (The Emmy-winning Disney Channel series ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, FAMILY MATTERS, THE GEORGE CARLIN SHOW) and film (The Oscar-winning L.A. CONFIDENTIAL and TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS).
Portfolio photo credits: Jason Ardizonne-West (Once on This Island, Caroline or Change, The Royale, Native Gardens, Next to Normal), Kevin Berne (She Loves Me, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ella, Blues in the Night), Alan C. Edwards (The Royale), Michael Lincoln (Next to Normal, Caroline or Change), Roger Mastroianni (The Royale, Between Riverside and Crazy), Crissy Pascual (Stickfly), Robin Roberts (Marat/Sade), Mikki Schaffner (Once on this Island) Akiko Nishijima Rotch (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), Daren Scott (Milvotchkee, Visconsin) and Dan R. Winters(Caroline or Change, Next to Normal).