Robert Américo Esnard and Lara Pranger Join Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Board of Directors

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), which is celebrating 20 years of L.A.'s Free Shakespeare in the Park announces that Robert Américo Esnard and Lara Pranger have been enthusiastically elected to its board of directors.

Artistic Director and co-founder Melissa Chalsma comments, "We are thrilled to have two such remarkable individuals on our board bringing their experience and expertise. Robert and Lara are joining a board that displays a deep commitment to the arts and the city of Los Angeles, a board that supports our organizational belief that shared theatrical experiences are transformative, and have power to create healthier, more connected communities."

Robert Américo Esnard is an Economist at Capital Group. He holds a bachelor's degree in Linguistics & Cognitive Science from Dartmouth College, cum laude. In his spare time he is an avid reader and writer of poetry. His work has been published by or is forthcoming in Bat City Review, Cutbank, Michigan Quarterly Review, New York Quarterly, The Offing, and many other journals and anthologies. He is a long-time fan of ISC, and has been a supporter since he moved to Los Angeles from the Bronx nearly 10 years ago.

Robert said, ""I am honored to join the board, and deeply passionate about the work ISC is doing to make the arts equitable and accessible."

Lara Pranger serves as Director, IT Applications at Fifth Season, a media and entertainment company focused on delivering quality content that reflects a diverse and inclusive audience. A self-described natural project manager, her 25+ years of experience includes partnering with business leadership on business case development, technical application ecosystem strategy, global project management and systems implementations.

Lara said, "I am honored to join the ISC Board to continue to advocate for arts and theater in our community and hope that my contributions can help ISC to connect, move and inspire many more of our neighbors in the coming years."

ABOUT INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO.

Celebrating 20 years of producing L.A.'s Free Shakespeare in the Park! The Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival has grown to become a tradition for tens of thousands of Angelenos, bringing together our diverse, vibrant community through accessible, imaginative performances of classical plays. ISC is the 2018 recipient of the Paul Robeson Award by Actors' Equity Foundation and Actors' Equity Association (the first organization on the West Coast to receive this honor). Prior to the pandemic, the Festival welcomed over 40,000 people each summer to the Old Zoo. We have now performed to nearly 500,000 people. Our audience is unique: we attract a community that is young (71% age 35 and under), diverse (48% identify as non-Caucasian), and, unlike national trends, 75% are middle and lower income. In 2018, we opened the ISC Studio, an upgrade from our previous indoor space into a larger performance venue and lounge at the Atwater Arts + Innovation Complex. The ISC Studio is active and unpredictable, serving as a multi-purpose and multi-disciplinary laboratory. www.iscla.org

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