Playhouse Square Promotes Laura Smith to President
CEO Craig Hassall will retain strategic and fundraising duties at the Cleveland theater district.
Playhouse Square has promoted Chief Operating Officer Laura Smith to President of the globally recognized arts district. The title reflects Smith's significant impact since joining Playhouse Square and formalizes an expanded leadership structure designed to support the organization's growth and complexity.
Under this shared leadership model, Chief Executive Officer Hassall will continue to lead Playhouse Square's long-term vision, strategic direction, and fundraising efforts. In her role as President, Smith will oversee business operations, governance, legal, finance and human resources, ensuring alignment between strategy and execution across the enterprise.
“Laura has been a tremendous asset to Playhouse Square since joining the team in 2024,” said Board Chair Brent Ballard. “The Board is energized by this model, which brings together Craig's visionary leadership and Laura's mastery of operational matters in a complementary way, strengthening our ability to deliver on both long-term strategy and day-to-day execution.
“This approach, which takes a page from corporate America, reflects the scale and complexity of Playhouse Square,” Ballard added. “As one of the nation's most significant theater districts, with bold ambitions for the future, we are intentionally aligning leadership in a way that amplifies expertise and best positions us for continued success.”
With more than 400 employees, Playhouse Square currently operates 12 venues that host 1,100 events annually, welcoming more than a million ticketed guests and generating an economic impact of nearly $360 million each year.
“I am deeply grateful to be part of the Playhouse Square team and to call Cleveland home,” said President Laura Smith.
Since coming to Cleveland, Smith has joined the Boards of Global Cleveland and University Circle. Most recently, she participated in Leadership Cleveland's 2026 class.
About Laura Smith
Prior to joining Playhouse Square, Laura Smith worked for the Foundation For The Carolinas in Charlotte, NC, from 2011 to 2023, where she served as the agency's Interim CEO and President during her final year. FFTC is the fifth largest community foundation in the country and holds assets in excess of $4 billion.
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