In Conversation With: Benjamin Hanna

Welcome to the Green Room Meditations Podcast, presented by the Indiana Repertory Theatre and hosted by Devon Ginn. Tune in to hear from IRT's incoming Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director, Benjamin Hanna, as we talk about his hopes for the IRT under his leadership and discuss the 51st Season. 

For our season finale, we are in conversation with: Benjamin Hanna (he/him) who begins his tenure as Indiana Repertory Theatre's newest Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director. A director, curator, and avid arts educator, Ben's passion for multigenerational theatre and dedication to equity and access fuels his investment in Indianapolis' community to generate art for–and with–all. As IRT's Associate Artistic Director for the past five years, his recognizable impact on the organization is unmistakable. Hanna inaugurated IRT's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access initiatives for the Board, staff, and community collaborators, directed many acclaimed productions, including Fahrenheit 451, The Book Club Play, and the farcical thriller Clue, evolved season selection and casting processes, and ensured IRT's quick pivot to virtual programming during the pandemic, allowing patrons to remain connected and engaged.

 

Before the IRT, Hanna's career spanned the country with tenures at the Tony-Award winning theatres Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis (the nation's largest theatre for young audiences) and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.  In his native Minnesota, Hanna served on the staff at the Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's leading African American theatre, where he expanded education and community engagement programming. Hanna is the recipient of many distinguished awards for both arts and leadership, including a Theatre Communications Group Leadership University Award funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Richard O Morris Award for Exemplary Staff Service at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, and the Trailblazer Award from University High School in Carmel, Indiana. Hanna is also currently a member of the Class of XLVI in the Stanley K. Lacy (SKL) Executive Leadership Series for Leadership Indianapolis.

About the Indiana Repertory Theatre:

Founded in 1971, the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) is the largest professional not-for-profit theatre in the state and one of the leading regional theatres in the country. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA): The IRT strives to celebrate and serve the diverse people and cultures that make up our whole community. The IRT is committed to providing access for all; to creating and maintaining an antiracist theatre that is inclusive, safe, and respectful.

https://www.irtlive.com/