Lamb's Players Theatre Reveals Season 56 Leadership Transition

Lamb's Players Theatre has announced the lineup for their 56th Season at their resident stage in Coronado. Season 56 marks the inaugural season for LPT's incoming Artistic Leadership team, who begin their tenure in January of 2027: Artistic Director Colleen Kollar Smith, Chief Business Officer Mike Bradford, and Chief Philanthropy Officer Jennifer Bradford. They build on the vision of LPT's longtime Artistic Leadership team, who continue to lead the company through the end of 2026. Season 56 renewals are currently open. New subscriptions go on sale November 5th, 2026.

Kollar Smith first performed at Lamb's in 2002 and has spent more than two decades with the company as a performer, choreographer, and director, co-creating the long-running Mixtape. She was a member of the resident ensemble, where she also worked in administration in both education and development prior to moving to leadership roles at other organizations in the region. Her work as a choreographer and performer has been recognized by the San Diego Critics Circle. She will continue in her role as inaugural Executive Artistic Director of UC San Diego's Campus Performances and Events Office while serving as Artistic Director of Lamb's.

The incoming team has worked together previously at Moonlight Stage Productions, during a period of significant growth in audiences, education programs, and philanthropic support. All three are working alongside the current leadership team through the end of the year.

Mike Bradford takes on the Chief Business Officer role. His background includes serving as Executive Director of Programming and Operations at Moonlight Stage Productions. Prior to his role at Moonlight, he served as a senior data analyst for a Fortune 500 company.  Jennifer Bradford becomes Chief Philanthropy Officer, bringing more than a decade of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience, including her tenure as Executive Director of the Moonlight Cultural Foundation, where she led annual giving, planned giving, and a successful capital campaign.

The mission of Lamb's, To Tell Good Stories Well, will remain. The team steps in honoring the legacy of the company while prioritizing new work development, arts education and partnerships across the region. 

Regarding the transition, Incoming Artistic Director, Colleen Kollar Smith shared 

"Lamb's has been an artistic home to me for over twenty years. Early on, the leadership here trusted me to follow bold ideas, create new work, and put artistry first, which set the course for my career. I have stayed connected artistically over the years, and I'm honored to serve in this role at a theatre shaped by fifty-five seasons of storytelling and to offer that same opportunity to the next generation of artists and audiences."

Kollar Smith continues, "As more of daily life happens in virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, we are leaning into what theatre has always been. It's the original shared reality. A few hundred people together, laughing at the same moment, gasping at the same twist, holding the same silence, and seeing something live that will never happen the same way again.