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Lauren Kennedy Brady, a Raleigh native and Broadway performer, shares how early community theater and mentors led her to a BFA at the University of Cincinnati and a Broadway debut in Sunset Boulevard through an agent connection, while describing the instability and rejection of acting careers. She explains her unexpected transition back to Raleigh after her father helped establish the Kennedy Theatre and a small summer season evolved into Theatre Raleigh, which she grew for 16–17 years into the area’s only professional theater, distinguished by paying artists under an Actors’ Equity agreement. Lauren discusses challenges that contributed to North Carolina Theatre’s closure, Theatre Raleigh’s intimate, affordable, immersive approach, its industrial-park location, and recent expansion including the Green Room coffee shop and a merger with Raleigh ACT serving 450 students. She previews upcoming productions including Dear Evan Hansen, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, and a holiday play plus a New Year’s Eve event.
00:00 Meet Lauren Kennedy Brady
02:44 Raleigh Roots in Theater
04:14 Breaking Into Broadway
05:50 Rejection and Staying Ready
07:35 From Actor to Producer
09:53 Returning Home to Raleigh
13:12 Broadway Backstage Reality
14:19 Raleigh Theater Scene Today
16:49 Theater Raleigh Location Vibe
18:21 Education Program and Raleigh Act
20:03 What Makes a Pro Theater
21:11 Equity Contract Explained
23:16 Why NC Theatre Closed
24:48 Tours vs Regional Theatre
25:48 Small Space Sustainability
27:01 Picking Shows for Raleigh
28:28 Cozy Immersive Experience
29:44 A Day in the Office
31:24 Coffee Shop and Education Hub
32:04 Staying Creative as a Producer
33:32 Dream Shows and Big Goals
34:54 Upcoming Season Highlights
36:33 Tickets and Final Thanks
Creators and Guests
What is What’s Up, Wake?
What’s Up, Wake covers the people, places, restaurants, and events of Wake County, North Carolina. Through conversations with local personalities from business owners to town staff and influencers to volunteers, we’ll take a closer look at what makes Wake County an outstanding place to live. Presented by Cherokee Media Group, the publishers of local lifestyle magazines Cary Magazine, Wake Living, and Main & Broad, What’s Up, Wake covers news and happenings in Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest.
59 - What Up Wake - Theater Raleigh
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[00:00:00] From the Bright Lights of Broadway to the vibrant art scene right here in Raleigh, today's guest has taken center stage at every step of her career. . Lauren Kennedy Brady is not only a celebrated performer with an impressive Broadway resume, but the leading force behind theater Raleigh, where she's helping the local art scene steal the spotlight.
Speaker 3: In this episode, we'll set the stage for her journey from Broadway [00:01:00] back to her hometown of Raleigh. See what inspired her to invest in Raleigh's creative community and pull back the curtain on what audiences can look forward to this season. We'll also dive into what it really takes to run a theater company, because as it turns out, there's a lot happening behind the scenes.
Melissa: Thank you Lauren, so much for being here. Um, okay. So I wanna go back just a little bit. Mm-hmm. In your background, you are a Raleigh native.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: That's right.
Melissa: Broughton High School graduate. Mm-hmm. You went to University of Cincinnati College, conservatory of Music. Sure did. And then you went on to Broadway. So how did theater. Become, become a part of your life to begin with? Did you grow up in the theater world?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah, I did actually. My parents were huge theater fans and, um, I think in a different day and time my mom would've, you know, probably pursued.
Um, but you know, in her day that was not really like an option. And she, um, just. [00:02:00] Started getting involved in some community theater and stuff around town and um, we got involved with the North Carolina Theater, which is now no longer in existence, but it was around for about 40 years. I am
Melissa: gonna mention that at, I had that somewhere in my notes
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah.
To talk about
Melissa: later.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So I grew up doing shows with the North Carolina Theater and my mentor, Deanne Jones. Um, you know, I'm still very close to her to this day and I just, you know, got in with the. The right people who kind of pointed me in the right direction and helped me sort of on my way as I asked a lot of questions about how you do this and can you actually have a career and you know, in the arts, like these are the things you don't know when you're a kid.
I was just doing it for fun and then I, one day I had a reckoning like, oh my god, people do this as their life. So, yeah, as long as I know, as long as I can remember, I've been doing theater
Melissa: and speaking of Broadway Dreams, many people have dreams of making it on Broadway, but in reality, reality, very few [00:03:00] actually do.
It's a, it's a tough world out there, it sounds like. Tell us how you made the leap and what was, what was life like for you once you landed on Broadway?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Well, the leap part of it is, it was kind of a crazy story in the sense of, you know, a lot of show businesses being in the right place at the right time.
You know, a little bit of luck, a lot of. Preparation. So, because I grew up in the theater, because I grew up doing professional theater, I got to know a lot of people, um, who already lived in New York, were working as professionals on Broadway and, and regional theaters around the country. And, um, you know, the fact that I went to the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music for, for to get a, um, bachelor of Fine Arts in theater.
Um, that was a big step in the leap to Broadway. Um, and I ended up meeting an agent there who came to give a masterclass. Some of us got to sing for him. He sent me on an audition, and one of 'em [00:04:00] was Sunset Boulevard, which ended up being my Broadway debut.
Melissa: Wow.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. So ultimately from school, you know, I met somebody who.
Got me right into an audition. Mm-hmm. And boom, I booked it. I got really lucky, but I was, you know, prepared.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And I was, it was right place, right time, right type, all that sort of like alchemy came together for me. Um, it doesn't always come together that soon. And, you know, in your trajectory towards Broadway, I like, knock on wood, that I've been very lucky.
But also, um, you know, there were certain things about it that also weren't great, you know, because you asked about like, once you're on Broadway, like, what's your life like? Well, you know, I thought, oh, this is it. Like, oh, I'm gonna just get, make it one Broadway show after the other. Yeah. You know, and that's not the reality.
There's so many people who are, you know, vying for the jobs and highly competitive. And so, you know, I, I did a couple of Broadway shows, but then I went through a period where I didn't work for like three years. So, you know, it, it's very unstable in that way. So you have to have other side hustles and you have to have a good support system and [00:05:00] you gotta keep, you know, training and getting yourself, you know.
You know, your top form at all times. Yes. Staying ready. Yes. Staying ready. Mm-hmm. Yeah, exactly.
Melissa: So is it kind of like that for, for local and regional theaters as well? I mean, you're, you're talking about, um, a lot of patients, a lot of reduction, which is not easy to handle. Um, is it really the same for those that are, are in local theater?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: It kind of is. Yeah. I mean, because New York has its ecosystem, you know? And though there may be a lot more numbers and there may be a lot more money on the line and the prestige of the word Broadway, but ultimately it's the same thing. Like even in Raleigh, North Carolina, this ecosystem of the theater arts that we have here, there's only so many theaters.
There's only so many jobs, and there's only so many, you know, roles within those jobs that you're right for, you know? Yeah. You can't play everything, so you know. You. It's not like every [00:06:00] show. There's gonna be a role that I'm absolutely perfect for and you're not gonna book it every time, you know? So yes, patience is a virtue when it comes to being in the theater and wanting to pursue that.
I love that. Raleigh has a lot of opportunities for, for actors, both in the community level and in professional level. Like my theater is professional and then in the education. Sphere as well. So, you know, the thing that I learned the most when I flipped to the other side of the table and went from being a performer to being a director and a producer is that, you know, it, it really has nothing to do with the person.
You know, you're trying to. You know, put a puzzle together if you're directing a show. And you know, we thought, you know, I always thought when I was an actress, I was like, oh, I didn't do good enough, or I didn't sing my best, or whatever. And so much of it is just not really about that. So much of it is about like.
Do you look exactly like I want this role to look and can you string a sentence
Melissa: together? It's [00:07:00] hard to, it's hard to feel that way though when you're, it's really hard in the middle of getting the rejection.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: It's so hard.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So that
Melissa: is the, and you want something so badly. Yeah. It's right there in front of you.
Yeah. And then you don't get it.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: It's really hard. I remember like when I was really pursuing acting that I, I started like really honing that skill of this is my time in the room. Like this is the five minutes I get to play this role. And whether I actually book the part or not is. Not even my goal. Yeah.
It's just to feel good about what I do in that room. I'm making connections, I'm meeting people, I'm getting to share my talent, I'm getting to sing and do, you know, the scenes And that has to be enough for now. And one day my number will come up and in the meantime, you know, you're doing other things. You know, I continue to do creative projects, you know, I was working other, other, you know, um, other things.
You know, most people have to have a second job. That's just the way it is.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So, um. It's, it's hard, but I do look back into my twenties and think like, oh, that was the best time.
Melissa: Yeah, yeah. You know, maybe not when you're in it, you're No, [00:08:00] you're, but look back, you're feeling the stress. Oh, that struggle.
Yes.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: You wanted it so bad. You were so passionate. Like, and
Melissa: look at you. You did it. You know? Well, you went for it.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. It's exactly
Melissa: not everybody goes
Lauren Kennedy Brady: for, not everybody goes for it. And it really, I do feel proud that I did, and I was lucky. I had a, you know, a number of Broadway shows. So if that's like the goal, then I feel like I can check that box.
Mm-hmm. There was. Certainly goals that I had that I did not achieve, but I feel pretty good about where I was and it led me directly to where I am now. So you can't really question it.
Melissa: Let's, let's talk about that. Let's talk about the transition from New York back to your hometown of Raleigh.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Mm-hmm.
Uhhuh.
Melissa: Why did you make that decision to do that, and how did you go about doing it? Did you, did you know all along that? When you quote retired Uhhuh from Broadway Sure. That you would want to come back and lead your own theater?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: No, never in a million years.
Melissa: Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I was like Broadway or bus. I mean, I just, when I was younger, I just, even through my thirties, I was like, New York Square, I'm gonna [00:09:00] live the rest of my life.
I had already had a child. I was living there, I was doing my thing. I just didn't see it coming at all. And, um, but. Kind of just to get right to the point. To make a long story short, my, my dad was, like I said, my parents both loved the theater and my dad was very involved in sort of fundraising for the arts programs in the area, and he helped build that performing arts center downtown.
And um,
Melissa: yes, because your family's name is on the building.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Right? Right. So on a small theater in the, around the back of the building
Melissa: Yeah, the, the Kennedy.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yep. The Kennedy Theater. Kennedy Theater, yes. Yeah. And so that's named after my parents, which. Back then I was a little bit like, oh my God, that's mortifying.
But now I like am so proud of what they did. Of course. Yes. And I'm so proud of like what he did. But they, um, so my dad and my brother decided to create a, a small season of shows in the summer because nobody was renting the theater because it's really hard to also produce theater hard to make money.
It's hard [00:10:00] to make it work when there's not a lot of seats you can sell. And, and my dad being a business titan that he was, he was like, I can do it. Um, but then he kind of found out it was really hard, so he only did it for three years. Because he was losing money and he was just like yeah, no. And um, but by that time I had already started directing a show or two for him here and there.
And then, um, when they decided to stop doing it, I very naively was like, well, I'll do it and I'll just do some shows down there. And I had promised somebody that I would do a, a, a new, one of their new shows and I didn't wanna like. Skirt on my promise. So I was like, I'll do it. And my dad was like, no, you won't.
I was like, well, I'll start from scratch then. And ultimately I did. I started from scratch, but I used that theater. And that was super helpful. And I started doing just like four shows in the summer and I was running it from New York. Oh. So for four years I would just come down in the summer Wow. With my daughter in toe and [00:11:00] like just produce these shows and go back and forth.
And I was still pursuing being an actor, but after a while, you know, I started weighing the two, like, where am I the happiest? Where do I feel the most, you know? Um. Joy and you know, am I getting back what I'm putting in? And it ultimately was producing these little shows in this tiny theater in North Carolina.
So I made the leap. The second leap of my career and moved down to back down to my hometown, which I never saw coming and would've never in a million years when I left in 1991, thought I'd be back. But I love it here and I've loved this community and I love the theater that we're producing. And in the past.
I dunno, it's been like 16, 17 years I've been doing it. We've just grown exponentially and it's just been really rewarding.
Melissa: Yeah. Very fulfilling, I would think. Um, okay. Before we totally leave the Broadway subject. Sure. I would love to know some behind the scenes. What is something that people would be really surprised to learn [00:12:00] about Broadway?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Oh gosh. Um. Ooh,
people had do backstage shenanigans and they're, you know, it's, I think what people you mainly are surprised to hear is that it's just very regular, you know, it's just like doing a show anywhere. It just, you just. I used to always say the coolest part about working on Broadway is walking through the stage door, you know, like getting off the subway, walking down the street.
Oh yeah. And then walking into like the Schubert theater stage door. Then once you're on the inside, it's just the same, it's the same as any other show you've ever done anywhere else. And the people are the same and, you know, the, you know, shenanigans people do and the, you know, um, practical jokes that people do backstage.
The community of that is, was really, really fun. And I think people would be. Maybe surprised to see how kind of kooky it gets back there.
Melissa: Yeah, I'm sure. I can only imagine. Yeah. How, um, since you've been in, in the local theater [00:13:00] scene your whole life, how would you say that the Raleigh theater scene has changed?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. Over
Melissa: the years,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: it's definitely had, its like ebbs and flows. Um, I think there's a ton of. New small burgeoning, you know, theater companies that are, you know, arising in the last, you know, sort of 10 to five year, five to 10 years, sorry. Um, and back when I was growing up, there really was nothing except the theater in the park or Raleigh little theater when I was like learning how to.
To be an actor and like trying to, you know, just like have my fun as a kid. And then North Carolina Theater came along and that was the only professional theater. So I think it's, it's kind of similar Now, TIP is still there. Raleigh little theater is still there. And though North Carolina theater is no longer in existence, but theater Raleigh, my company is the only professional theater in this area.
So we've sort of just kind of swapped in that way. So it is, it's, it kind of tells you what [00:14:00] this area can support and what this area can, um. You know, like what the interest level is. There's a lot of interest, there's a lot of, um, enthusiasm within the artist community. I, I think we're still growing in terms of wanting to make sure we get, um, the word out to the Raleigh citizens that going to see theater on a, you know, is, is a viable, affordable, great thing to do as an alternative to sports or, you know, going to.
To a bar and to a dinner or something. Mm-hmm. But it's a really, really great entertainment alternative, and it's very affordable. At least my theater is, and I think the other ones are as well. And it's, um, it, it can be more accessible than you think. You know, sometimes people think about. The performing arts and they're like, oh, I dunno.
You know, the theater is, is very accessible and, um, we are always looking for ways to make it more innovative and immersive and have it be experiential. So, you know, your, your experience starts the [00:15:00] minute you walk into the theater, you know, and we set the stage immediately so it's not just. Kind of like cold lobby and then you go and see a show and then you walk out, you know, we have entertainment in the lobby.
We have bur, you know, like up and coming, you know, community performers. We have like specialty drinks and we have a whole bar system. And you know, we're building a campus over there that is, you know, hopefully gonna be sustaining itself over time.
Melissa: Yeah. And your location. Itself is, is different than I think one would expect.
When you think theater Raleigh, you might envision, um, you know, downtown Raleigh or something like that. Right. But you guys are Wake Forest Road. Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Road Wake Forest Road. Forest Road Road, yeah. Yeah. So we're off Atlantic between, on Old Wake Forest Road, between Atlantic and, um, capital.
Melissa: So right in the heart of Raleigh.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. I mean, honestly, it's. Been great for us location-wise.
Melissa: I think it's a great location. Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I mean it's it like
Melissa: it is. It's a little random.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: It's random. Yeah. It's because it's, we're in an industrial park, you know, [00:16:00] but that's kind of gives it its aesthetic and its vibe. Yeah. Because it's more like, like I said, it's cool, it's cool, it's accessible, it's, you know, free parking.
You don't have to go downtown and be like,
Melissa: very good. Point.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Oh my God, you
Melissa: don't have to fight for parking
Lauren Kennedy Brady: there. Yes. Fight for parking. Or pay for parking. And you know, it's not like 10 to on your
Melissa: billboard. I know,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I know. It's so true. But it, you know, you're like, why am I here in this random warehouse industrial district?
But, um, it kind of makes sense once you come in. It does, yeah. And it feels right. Um, we've done a lot of, um, work to the exterior. You know, we did a whole campaign in 2025. We painted it, we did a new sign. We're, um, you know, again, we've opened a coffee shop, wine bar across the street in one of our other spaces.
We've added an education program where we have, we serve like 450 students. So it's all kind of coming together in this way that feels really. Cohesive now. And um, it's really fun. I did read that theater Raleigh merged [00:17:00] with a local
Melissa: mm-hmm.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Children's theater.
Melissa: Yep. Last year. Is that what you're talking
Lauren Kennedy Brady: about?
Yeah. With Raleigh Act and now the company, well, it's under the umbrella of theater Raleigh, but that program is called Theater Raleigh Act. And, um, RO Raleigh Act is was founded. By Blair Thompson and you know, she's running it still and we're partnering and we're all a part of, part of the same company now, and she's created a really great program and has built.
You know, it has grown so much. I think she started Raleigh Act the same time I started theater Raleigh. And you know, she went from like, you know, five students in the basement of a church to four 50 unique students. Wow. So it's really exciting. And so us working together is really thrilling because. We are able to offer higher production values and, you know, the space and all these professional sort of components, which they weren't, they didn't have before.
And it's really up to the level [00:18:00] of the productions that the kids get to do and get to be a part of. And they get to pipeline into a professional theater, um, sort of programming on our main stage. For instance, we're, we're, um, doing Dear Evan Hansen in June. And they, we have about eight of the, the Rally Act students in the show with us.
So they're getting to work with professional actors from New York and from around the country. And so it's really, it's a really great tool and it's something that's near and dear to my heart as I was sort of, you know I learned how to be an actor in that same kind of environment when I was young.
Melissa: So, okay. One question that's coming to mind as you're talking. You've mentioned that. Theater. Raleigh is the only professional. Mm-hmm. Theater uhhuh in the area.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah.
Melissa: What makes that different than say, theater in the park?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Well, what makes a difference is that everybody gets paid.
Melissa: Ah,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: okay. So a community theater is a really, really [00:19:00] valuable part of the ecosystem of the arts, but the difference is it's a volunteer base.
So if you're an actor on stage, you're volunteering your time because you love it. Yeah. And so there's a lot of joy and there's a lot of, you know, great things about that. But. You, you know, they, they rehearse over many, many weeks and they rehearse two or three hours a night. And you know, it, it's just a different, as not, aesthetic is not the right word, it's just a different, sort of like there's different protocols in place.
Mm-hmm. Whereas, um, in professional theater, we have an agreement with the actress association, um, actress Equity Association. So it's the union that all professional theaters and professional actors, um, are, are members of, for instance, if you wanna be on Broadway, you have to be. Um, an equity member.
Melissa: Oh, okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So, um, we have, we have a, we have a, um, a contract with Actors Equity Association. We pay every person who works in our theater, backstage, [00:20:00] musicians, scenic designers, crew and actors. So that's gotcha's really the difference.
Melissa: I, I really did not know that. Yeah. So I'm glad you explained that. [00:21:00] Now getting back to North Carolina Theater.
Mm-hmm. I was very concerned when I read that they were closing, they were in Raleigh for 40 plus years. Uhhuh, what, what do you think the challenges are for running a theater nowadays and, and did you learn? Things from, from them closing that perhaps you're taking to theater Raleigh and doing differently.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. I feel like you, I saw it kind of along the way as well. Um, North Carolina theater was a big mammoth. Mm-hmm. You know, organization that was in [00:22:00] a massive auditorium, huge space.
Melissa: Yes.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And um, you know, there was a certain time up until about 2009. I think before that, the recession in 2008, it was booming.
It was doing great. The, the city of Raleigh and the patrons of the arts could really support, you know, filling a 2200 seat theater for a week. But then things happened along the way, like Deepak came and, you know, moved into Durham and was starting to bring all these like top tier. National Tours direct from Broadway and that was very, that hurt the North Carolina Theater, I think first foremost.
I see
Melissa: that.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. Because North Carolina Theater was doing titles like The King and I and you know, other shows like that. And Deepak was bringing in
Melissa: Lion King,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: lion King, spam Aott Hamilton. Yeah. You know, like, so when people don't know the difference, they're like, well, I'm gonna go see those shows.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. And um, and, and so a lot of it is brand confusion, kind of, very much what you were just saying is that you didn't know the difference between community theater and [00:23:00] professional theater. Mm-hmm. People also didn't really know the difference between like a national touring presenting house and the North Carolina Theater that.
Created their shows from scratch. They cast everybody. They brought people down from New York, they housed them. They, um, hired local actors and then they put on these shows. And then after those three weeks, it was gone, gone forever. That show never existed again. And so that's, that was hard to compete with.
When National Tours, they're doing a year on the road and they, everybody's just coming in for that one week. They, they're getting paid by the people in New York. Yeah. They're just sitting here for a week and then they're going on their mery way. They
Melissa: offload the buses
Lauren Kennedy Brady: set up. Yes. And then they, and then go
Melissa: leave.
Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So the cool thing about doing what we are doing, what North Carolina Theater did is that we are all that money that we are making and spending and paying people is going back into the community. Okay. And that's a really cool aspect of doing regional theater.
Melissa: Very,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: yes. Yeah.
Melissa: Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And so. You know, North Carolina Theater had a hard time, um, figuring its way.
Away [00:24:00] from what they had started, which was these big box Broadway musicals in this big theater. So they were having to sort of condense and make things smaller. And the patrons were like, you know, the ones that stuck with them were like, well, that's not what we wanted. We want these big, the, you know, we want this big theater, the chandelier, the red seats, you know, these big shows.
And so it just ultimately, you know. They were just losing patronage. Mm-hmm. Whereas theater, Raleigh, we were super, super lucky in the fact that like my aesthetic is just like small. I love intimate theater and wanted to have a small theater and wanted to have every patron to be able to have like the bestie in the house.
So we only see it,
Default_2026-03-26_5: it
Melissa: sounds more sustainable.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. It's so much more sustainable. Mm-hmm. And we're growing, whereas the North Carolina Theater was having to shrink
Melissa: shrink
Lauren Kennedy Brady: in a
Melissa: giant space.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yes, exactly. Yeah. So we, we are just sort of like taking one step at a time and instead of getting a bigger theater, we'll just add a week to our run.
So we have that luxury of just [00:25:00] continuing to grow and add in a more sustainable pace, like you said.
Melissa: So. One thing that I'm curious about your job in particular is how do you choose what shows that you are gonna bring to theater, Raleigh? Because it just feels like you'd be a kid in a candy store. I know.
And want to bring so many here. Yeah. But how do you choose what would be right for this market?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Well, I have the luxury of having, you know, a 16 year relationship with the people. Some really loyal patrons that have. Keep coming back to see my shows. Mm-hmm. And they, at this point, they're like, I may not know some of these titles, but we trust you and we know it's gonna be good.
So that's really a cool thing. Or do people
Melissa: also say, Hey, we want Dura and Hansen?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: They do. Okay. They do.
Melissa: Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: For sure.
Melissa: I'm, I'm sure people
Lauren Kennedy Brady: are
Melissa: vocal about that.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And we ask them too. We do a survey every year where, okay. When we start thinking about what shows we're gonna do and we say, Hey, what do you wanna see?
Like, check the boxes, you know? Mm-hmm. And, um. You know, a lot of times people say whatever you do great shows no matter what. And some people are very much like, why [00:26:00] haven't you done come from away yet? You know? So we hear both. And ultimately myself and my team, we really pick based on like what we love because you're never gonna please everybody.
Yeah. There's no world where everybody's gonna be like, oh yeah, we were all wanting to see Dear Evan Hansen. Um, but if we love it and we know we're gonna give a really great product and we're gonna put our heart and soul into it. Even if that person wasn't like, oh, it was on my bucket list to see, they're still gonna come and they're gonna have a great experience.
Mm-hmm. Because they can feel that from the stage.
Melissa: Yeah. And it really does feel very different being in this smaller environment, to your point, because it, I mean, the stage is right there. Yeah. The actors are right there. You really feel like you are a part of this. Um. Like cozy.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah.
Melissa: Cozy night that you're just, you're kind of like a, a, a fly on the wall.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Exactly. Mm-hmm. I love that. Yeah. I mean, my whole like vibe was sort of like we wanted family theater, living room theater. Like you [00:27:00] were a part of it.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: We've even gone so far as to do really immersive productions where they are a part of it, but even when we're doing something like. Dear Evan Hansen, Jersey Boy, some of these shows that have had very successful Broadway runs, doing it in a smaller theater, you do get to experience it in a different way.
When you've spent $400 on a ticket on Broadway and you're sitting in the third balcony mm-hmm. You know, you're not really seeing the faces of the actors.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: You're really just hearing it and getting the overall visual picture. Whereas in our theater, you can really see the blood, sweat, and tears.
Melissa: Yes.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And a lot of our performers are. People who are working currently on Broadway. Mm-hmm. Um, so, you know, you really getting a very unique experience and I think that sort of intimate, sort of cozy vibe that you were talking about Yeah. Is the identifier for theater Raleigh.
Melissa: What does a normal day look like for you?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Oh gosh. There is no such thing as normal days.
Melissa: Yeah. I, I can imagine it's very different if you have an active show running. You [00:28:00] know, let, let's say you do though. Let's say, um, you're, you're, you've got a show starting tonight. What are you doing at 10:00 AM.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Okay. I get up and I check my emails. First thing, you know.
Yeah. I check my, um, performance reports from the night before, see if there's any issues, see any problems we need to solve, see how it, how it went, you know? Um, and then I usually work out with my husband and then, you know, get myself to my office, spend, um, you know, the majority of the day. Planning the next thing.
Mm-hmm. You know, that's all, that's the most interesting part about doing what we do. If you have a season of shows, you might be performing one, but you're like planning next season.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And, and literally right now, because
Melissa: you have to plan way ahead of time to be able to tell people how and, and, and have the actors coming in
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Totally.
And
Melissa: everything. Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So we'll, we'll be announcing our 2027 season in August. Wow. So it's like here before you know it. Yeah. So I'm budgeting. I spend a lot of time on, you know, in QuickBooks and doing [00:29:00] Excel documents and spreadsheets and budgeting.
Melissa: And the actor side of you? Yes. Probably never saw that coming.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Never. I was like, I'm terrible at math. Who put me in charge? Yeah, who put me in charge?
Melissa: I didn't think I was gonna ever need to know Spreadsheets. Math.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I know, but I actually really like it. It's so, you so weird. Yes. I can't believe I'm actually saying that out loud, but yeah. I love a spreadsheet. Um, I'm a Virgo, so I am organized.
Melissa: Okay. Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And a little bit controlling. So I, I do really like the spreadsheets. Um, so I'm, I'm budgeting, I'm doing a lot of facility stuff. Like I said, we opened, um, a coffee shop called The Green Room, which is a very famous backstage term mm-hmm. For where all the actors hang out.
Melissa: And you said that's across the street?
Yeah. From the theater. Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah. So like it in, in the warehouse district where we are, there's four buildings and the rally takes up two of them. And the green room is across the street. It's right next to where we have our theater Rally act education program. Okay. And it's a great place for parents to hang out when they're waiting for their kids to have their voice lesson or mm-hmm.
Have a rehearsal or whatever. Yes. So it's, it's worked out really, really nice. It's [00:30:00] also open to the greater Raleigh community. It's just a public coffee shop too.
Melissa: Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And everything you buy in there supports local arts.
Melissa: How do you balance your creative side with the spreadsheets and the business side?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Well, you know, I, what
Melissa: do you do that's, you know, that's, that's flourishing your, and, and, and feeding your entertainment. My creativity. Your creative
Lauren Kennedy Brady: side.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Um, you know, it's not as much anymore. I used to really need that part of myself. Mm-hmm. And I would still perform every now and then. Or do like a concert with my brother where he'd play the guitar and we'd sing and stuff.
And I don't really have as much time to do that. But believe it or not, you know, in my position at the theater, it is always creative. I'm always talking to creative people. I'm always on meetings where, you know, I'm talking to designers where they're designing the costume or the set, and I have input and I have, you know, you know, approval over what ends up happening.
And. Honestly, the thing that scratches that creative itch is knowing that I'm hiring people who are really good at it. Yeah. And, and in some ways better than I [00:31:00] am. And, and
Melissa: then you get to sit back and watch it and,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: and enjoy it. Be that we're offering it to the patrons. Yeah. And I get to offer somebody that job to do something really awesome and they're better at it than I would be.
So I love that part too. Mm-hmm.
Melissa: Makes me look good. Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: But yeah, I just. I really love what we're able to offer the patrons. It's really, really cool. And, you know, I am gonna get back on stage, you know, probably in 2027. I'll just like slip that out there. I won't say any more than that, but mm-hmm. Um, yeah, there's a project that's on our horizon that would be very meaningful to me to do so I'm, I'm, I'm considering doing it.
Melissa: Do you have a dream show that you, you always think to yourself, gosh, I would love to bring this to Raleigh. Hmm. And maybe even one that you would really love to do, but not think it's the best fit.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Um, you know, honestly. As a performer, I always wanted to do a show called Kiss Me Kate, which was based [00:32:00] on, um, Shakespeare, um, taming of the Shrew.
But I don't know if I'll ever actually get to do that, but I also think that would be a really great show for Theore Raleigh. Um, I, I know it doesn't have a lot of mass appeal, but I, it's just a very good, fun vaudeville kind of show. Mm-hmm. Um, so, well, I just said that out loud and we'll see. Um, but the other thing I was gonna say is I, and I did it in 20.
24, which is, I was part of the very original, you know, incubation of Bull Durham, the musical that is based on the movie. And I always thought it would be amazing to do it in Raleigh Durham because of, obviously that's, I don't even have to say it.
Melissa: Yeah.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And ultimately I was able to have that opportunity and I became the lead producer and we did do it.
So I have had one of those sort of dreams come to fruition. So sometimes when you say things out loud, you know they come true. But, um. I don't really have anything other than that, but if I think of something, I'll let you know.
Melissa: Please do. You'll be the
Lauren Kennedy Brady: first.
Melissa: Please do. Okay. So, but [00:33:00] speaking of this season,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: yes.
Melissa: June, July, the rest of 2026, what do you have coming up?
Lauren Kennedy Brady: So we'll, well, you know, dear, dear Evan Hansen, um, like I said. Finishing up in June and we are then going to produce the hunchback of Notre Dame and we are actually gonna go, oh, that'll be a fun one. I know. It's the Disney. Um, and we're gonna go off site and we're producing it at the Vintage theater downtown next door to Marbles.
So we're gonna be doing it in will be fun site specific. Okay. Environment, which will be really cool. That's in August.
Melissa: Yeah. That'll be very fitting for. I think so. Yeah. The hu back. I think people
Lauren Kennedy Brady: are gonna really like it.
Melissa: Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: And then we are gonna do a show. Called Dracula, a comedy of terrors. Okay. And it's a big poofy, ridiculous, funny adaptation of Dracula.
Um, but it's more like Spam Alot or Mati Python or you know, like Mel Brooks kind of humor. Mm-hmm. It's really silly. So that's gonna be really fun. We're excited about that. And then at Christmas we doing. It's a [00:34:00] play and it's a spinoff of Pride and Prejudice. It's called Ms. Bennett, a Christmas at Berley.
It's a really funny play written by Lauren Gunderson, who's a very famous playwright. And, um, that's gonna take us all the way up to Christmas. So that's gonna be exciting. And then on New Year's Eve, we do a annual immersive New Year's Eve extravaganza with dinner, drinks, cocktails, the whole thing. Um, and a performance of a show We've done.
The Gatsby story and then last year we did an old Hollywood story, so I don't know what we'll do this year, but we'll do something.
Melissa: It'll be here before we know it. I
Lauren Kennedy Brady: can't
Melissa: believe it's already June.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I know.
Melissa: And half the year's gone.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Exactly.
Melissa: Yeah. Tell us where we can find out more about theater Raleigh and where we can buy tickets.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah, well you can go to theater raleigh.com. You can buy the tickets for our rest of our season, any of our education program, you know, our camps and classes as well as their performances too, which I should have said our teenager, our performance company is gonna be doing once upon it One more time, which is a [00:35:00] Bri, the Britney Spears musical, which is like female empowerment.
It's all the princesses, like the princesses that we know and love. Um, they get to tell their own story. Set to the backdrop of Britney Spears music.
Melissa: Oh,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I love
Melissa: that.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: It's so cute.
Melissa: Yeah,
Lauren Kennedy Brady: I would love that. And our, and I'm telling you, our elite kids are like seeing professional actors. They are amazing. And it's gonna be on our main stage as well.
While we're downtown doing, um, hunchback of Notre Dame, they're gonna be in our space doing this show. So that's exciting. That's really fun. Oh, that is perfect. So you should definitely get tickets for that. And you can go to theater raleigh.com for all of that information.
Melissa: Okay.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Yeah.
Melissa: Thank you so much for coming.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Oh, it was my pleasure. Thanks for
Melissa: having me. I always love seeing you and hearing what you have going on, so thank you.
Lauren Kennedy Brady: Appreciate you talking to me.
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