Lyric Theatre Welcomes New Artistic Director Michael Baron

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma welcomed the newest member to its staff in June. The new Artistic Director, Michael Baron, came to Oklahoma from Signature Theatre in Washington, DC- winner of the 2009 Regional Theatre TONY Award- where he recently served as the Associate Director.

Michael has directed over 60 productions at theaters across the country including the new production of A Christmas Carol at "America's Most Famous Theatre" Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. Michael's other directing credits include Signature Theatre's Washington, D.C. premiere of The Little Dog Laughed, Signature Sings, December Divas, The Lost Songs of Broadway: Vol. I and II and Songs for a New World starring Alice Ripley, Brian D'Arcy James, Titus Burgess, Laura Griffith and music direction by Jason Robert Brown. Other regional theatre credits include Goodspeed Musicals' Meet John Doe, Washington Savoyards' The Music Man; Adventure Theatre's Stuart Little and You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Trinity Repertory's The School for Scandal and A Christmas Carol and the NEA's Poetry Out Loud 2010 National Competition Finals with host, John Leguizamo.
Michael's New York City off-Broadway and National Tour credits include the comedy revue Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad, Miss Richfield's High Hair, High Hopes, Hygiene, La Mama E.T.C.'s The Whore of Sheridan Square- a comedy celebrating the life and works of Ridiculous Theatre founder, Charles Ludlam which he also wrote and is published in anthology Plays and Playwrights 2006 and Modern Living.

Michael has also taught at colleges and universities around the United States such as American University, Brown University, Holy Cross College and Rhode Island College. Michael received a 2003-2005 NEA/TCG Directing grant where he worked at Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, City Center Encores and at the Magic Theatre of San Francisco. He has also been a theatre grant panelist for the Mead Theatre Lab 2006-09, National Endowment for the Arts 2005, and the Massachusetts Council on the Arts 2003. Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and his Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing at Trinity Repertory Conservatory in Providence, Rhode Island.

As Oklahoma's leading professional theatre, Lyric Theatre produces outstanding musicals and plays in two venues- the 279-seat Plaza Theatre and the 2,430 seat Civic Center Music Hall, nurtures artistic talent, promotes collaboration among the arts, and enriches the quality of life for Oklahomans. Michael states, "I am committed to producing the best in award-winning musicals and plays; fostering the development of new works by today's new generation of composers, lyricists, and playwrights; providing the highest-quality theatrical training for students at the ThElma Gaylord Academy and bringing the classics of the American musical to a new generation of theatre patrons. Under my leadership, and with the support of Lyric's wonderful staff and Board of Directors, it is my goal to continue to bring the best of American Theatre and beyond to Oklahoma City."

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