Brandy Curry & Eric Muhlheim Join Independent Shakespeare Co. Board Of Directors

Independent Shakespeare Co. has announced the addition of Brandy Curry and the return of Eric Muhlheim to its board of directors.

Indie Shakes Artistic Director and co-Founder Melissa Chalsma comments, "We're proud to welcome Brandy Curry to our Board of Directors and to welcome back Eric Muhlheim. Brandy's dedication to the arts and service-driven leadership reflect the heart of our work, and Eric's return strengthens our vision as we continue to serve our community."

Brandy Curry is a multi-hyphenate artist and creative professional whose career spans dance, choreography, writing, and directing, with work across television, film, and live events. She has appeared in over 100 commercials, television and film projects, music videos, and industrial productions, and has held roles in Casting at NBCUniversal and Development at Paramount. Her leadership background includes serving as Performing Arts Department Chair at two Los Angeles independent schools, Artist/Faculty-in-Residence at Cal State Northridge, and Assistant Director/Assistant Choreographer for the televised Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi. In 2022, she joined the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences as its inaugural Chief of Staff, where she leads engagement and succession strategies and implements DEIA programming for Academy governance and members. She is a featured speaker on leadership and equity in the arts and media and the 2024 recipient of the Paul Revere Williams and Hollywood Together Social Impact Award, recognized for her stewardship and excellence. Brandy is driven by a service-first philosophy and a commitment to creating positive, equitable impact within the television industry.

Brandy comments, "My nonprofit experience is rooted in extensive volunteer work and leadership roles across a variety of organizations, including service with interfaith kitchens, community missions, school-based initiatives, and advisory boards including Black Heritage Families and Make an Impact. Volunteering and community service drive me, and I believe in prioritizing service above self. I joined the Indie Shakes board because of the energy, the pure joy from audiences and artists, and the celebration of refined artistry and craft. I'm a theatre kid from Los Angeles raising a theatre kid in Los Angeles! It's really about forming community among artists and patrons and sustaining a legacy. I am especially excited to support outreach, development, and education efforts and to help connect more kids, teens, and families to our programming."

Eric Muhlheim is returning to the Indie Shakes board, having previously served as Chair. He is Mozilla's Chief Financial Officer, responsible for leading financial operations for the company as they scale their mission impact with new and existing products, technology, and business models to better serve users and advance our agenda for a healthier, more joyful internet.

He has served as consultant to a variety of early stage and privately-funded startups, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at BuzzFeed and started his career at the Walt Disney Company, where he held various leadership roles over more than 15 years. Following his tenure at Disney, Eric embarked on his CFO career at Helix Education, a provider of technologies and services to power data-driven higher education growth, and at the programmatic advertising exchange OpenX Technologies. Over the past decade, Eric has been active on mission-based non-profit boards. He currently serves on the board of the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), and previously served as the Treasurer of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills. Eric graduated from Princeton University cum laude in Mathematics and holds an MBA from The Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is an enthusiast of travel, craft beer, and live music. He has three children and lives with his wife Lauren in Los Angeles, California.

Eric comments. "I became a fan of the Independent Shakespeare Co. because I loved the magical gift they gave: live theater under the stars in Griffith Park. I originally joined the Board because I share their vision of building community in Los Angeles, by showcasing performers that reflect Los Angeles in all its great diversity, and making theater available for all, for free. I'm excited to see Indie Shake's long term dream of a permanent stage in Griffith Park come to fruition and eagerly anticipate the new opportunities it will afford for creative expression."

Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)

9.2% of votes

2. HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)

5.1% of votes

3. HEATHERS (Backyard Playhouse: Treetop Production)

5% of votes

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