In 1947, Alley Theatre was founded by Nina Vance, and to this day, women in leadership positions are integral to Alley Theatre’s success. During this season, our stages will feature exciting, original stories told about both triumphant and notorious women.
In 2022, 55% of Alley employees identify as women and of those, 58% are in managerial positions. Alley Theatre has five women in its Senior Leadership Team including: Liz Frankel (Director of New Works), Deborah B. Lackey (Chief Development Officer), Sajal Javid (Chief Human Resources & Culture Officer) Mary Sutton (Chief Education & Community Engagement Officer) and Rodi Franco (Interim Chief Marketing Officer). Not only are these women leaders at the Alley, but they are seen as leaders in their fields, often speaking at conferences and leading industry initiatives.
The impact of these female lead managers is substantial. Three of our managers are directly responsible for revenue generation and personnel management of our organization. Franco, who worked at the Alley for almost a decade, has returned to lead the marketing and communications team as we conduct a national search. With her guidance, Clue was Alley’s highest grossing summer chills play. Lackey oversees a team of nine employees and her group generates almost 70% of Alley Theatre’s operating budget. And, Javid is responsible for promoting a positive culture where employees are engaged and empowered as well as promoting EDIA trainings and strategic planning.
Two of our managers play central roles in the artistic initiatives central to fulfilling our mission. Frankel is responsible for bringing new plays and new voices that are representative of Houston’s diverse voice. She manages Alley All New Festival, central to supporting playwrights year-round, commissioning new plays, and is a pipeline for many of the world premieres on the Alley stage. Sutton, in addition to leading a team who serves almost 300,000 students, commissions and directs theatre pieces to be performed beyond our walls, in schools and community centers. With her team, she is building connections with diverse groups within our community and building future theatre audiences.
Not only do women play a role in our management, but stories about the lives of women are featured in many of our productions this season. Kicking off our season is Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Soprano which reverses the genders of Ludwig’s hit comedy Lend Me a Tenor, placing women in the three key roles, which makes the play more powerful, heartwarming, and relevant. As an adult alternative to A Christmas Carol, one-woman comedy What-A-Christmas! centers on Margot, a Scrooge-like Tejana fast food worker who encounters ghosts while working her midnight shift on Christmas Eve. In January, Cambodian Rock Band focuses on the relationship between father and daughter as dark secrets of the father’s history are revealed. In the spring, world premiere musical Cowboy Bob follows the true story of Peggy Jo, FBI-wanted Texas bank robber in the 90s. Closing out the season in the Neuhaus, Torera follows Elena as she dreams of breaking gender boundaries to become a bullfighter in Mexico.
Whether on or off the stage, in the tradition of our founder, women remain essential to the Alley’s success.