Indiana Repertory Theatre Welcomes New Associate Artistic Director

The Indiana Repertory Theatre welcomes new Associate Artistic Director Ismael Lara, Jr. during its monumental 51^st Season. Lara joins Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director Benjamin Hanna in his first year at the helm of the organization, helping to support Hanna’s artistic vision and serving as an artistic ambassador for the Theatre.

“I am honored to welcome Ismael to the leadership team. His enthusiasm and passion for our mission is already building new coalitions and inspiring our community.  Audiences will get to know him right away in the spring where he will direct a modern new comedy The Folks at Home by R. Eric Thomas.

Ismael is a Mexican director, artistic leader, educator, and community organizer hailing from the Gulf Coast of Texas. In recent years, his work has focused on bridging the gap between institutions and the Latiné community. Ismael has directed and developed plays in collaboration with Goodman Theatre, Cleveland Play House, the Story Theatre, Paramount Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, National Museum of Mexican Art, Cleveland Public Theatre, Rec Room Arts, Creede Repertory Theater, the Lark, and National Queer Theatre.

“I am delighted to succeed Benjamin Hanna in the role of Associate Artistic Director and bring my passions for civic engagement, community investment, and new play development to the thriving community of Indianapolis,” expressed Ismael Lara, Jr. “I am thrilled to join the IRT during this incredible moment of transition and look forward to working alongside this wonderful and dedicated staff. It is an honor to be of service to the city of Indy and I’m excited to call it home!”

Lara is a recipient of Northwestern University’s Aurand Harris Award, a Drama League Directing Fellowship, Northlight Theatre’s Artistic Fellowship, Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Emerging Directing Fellowship, an SDC Observership, and was a participant in the Center for International Theatre Development’s Linkages: Hungary program. He has served as a Co-Artistic Director of the Hangar Lab Company, as a producer with the National Museum of Mexican Art in collaboration with Nancy García Loza, the Joyce Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts; he also worked within the education department at Cleveland Play House to bring basic needs and arts programming to the Latiné community. Ismael has been an adjunct faculty member at Lake Forest College and Northwestern University. He earned his B.A in Theatre and Education at Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi and his M.F.A. in Directing at Northwestern.

“During my tenure at the IRT my time and energy will be aimed toward nourishing current bonds, cultivating new relationships, and broadening the IRT’s totality,” said Lara. “I am dedicated to bringing my specific point of view as a Mexican/Chicano/Tejano artist to the leadership team at the largest nonprofit theatre in the state of Indiana during what is a trying yet invigorating period in the American Theatre.”