The Role of Impact Producers in Theatre

Impact Producer has been a role in the documentary filmmaking world for a long time. It is a role that combines community outreach, audience engagement, and marketing. This coordinated plan ensures the film reaches its intended audience, as well as encouraging real collective change in the community by partnering with specific organizations.

There are many artists and administrators in theatre who have been doing work very similar to impact producing throughout their careers. Over the last three years, this work has become more necessary, and has begun to take on the title from the documentary world.

What does the role of an impact producer look like in theatre? Why is this role necessary? And how does it affect the way we engage with our audiences, and give back to the communities we are trying to reach?

We are excited to be hosting Amelia Acosta Powell, the Impact Producer at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, as well as the Executive Artistic Director Robert Barry Fleming, to tackle these questions and many more. The event will be moderated by Chelsea Carlson, Managing Producer at Savage Society.

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Amelia Acosta Powell (she/her) is the Impact Producer at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Previously she has been honored to serve as Associate Artistic Director at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Line Producer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Artistic Associate & Casting Director at Arena Stage. Most recent directing work includes Every Brilliant Thing, The Gradient world premiere and The Thanksgiving Play (nominated for Outstanding Director of a Comedy, St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards). She is a steering committee member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, a member of the Casting Society of America, an inaugural grantee of TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color, and a proud alumna of the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship. Her teaching credits include serving as adjunct faculty at Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts. She is originally from Denver and holds her bachelor’s and her master’s degrees from Georgetown University.

Robert Barry Fleming has a varied portfolio and a wealth of administrative/artistic leadership experience, producing, directing, choreographing, performing, and teaching/coaching. Currently the Executive Artistic Director of Actors Theatre of Louisville, Robert was formerly the Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage, and served as the Associate Artistic Director at Cleveland Play House. Actors Theatre of Louisville world premieres include WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA, ARE YOU THERE?, KEEP GOING SONG, and ALI SUMMIT. Arena Stage world premieres commissioned, scouted, shepherded and nurtured under his watch include the 2017 Best Musical Tony-winner, DEAR EVAN HANSEN and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner, SWEAT. He directed/choreographed the acclaimed world premiere musical GRACE for Ford’s Theatre in D.C. and in the commercial theatre, Robert was an Associate Producer for the Off-Broadway premiere of THE TWO CHARACTER PLAY by Tennessee Williams, starring Amanda Plummer and Brad Dourif. He was an Associate Professor and Chair of the University of San Diego Theatre Arts and Performance Studies Department. Some of his professional acting credits include stints on Broadway (RAGTIME directed by Frank Galati, STAND-UP TRAGEDY), Off-Broadway (lead role in INSURRECTION at The Public), national tour (CATS original Bus and Truck and German companies), playing in major regional theatres (i.e., The Taper in the world premiere of JELLY’S LAST JAM, The Old Globe, and The Guthrie), on television (The Emmy winning ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, FAMILY MATTERS, THE GEORGE CARLIN SHOW) and film (The Oscar winning L.A. CONFIDENTIAL and TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS).

Chelsea McPeake Carlson is the Managing Producer of Savage Society and has worked for over twenty years in arts management and theatre production. She worked for 11 years at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, where she produced and managed the development, premiere and tours of Kevin Loring’s Where the Blood Mixes. She has been working as Managing Director of Savage Society since 2010 and is a 2019 recipient of the John Hobday Awards in Arts Management. Chelsea sits on the Board of Directors of Royal City Track & Field Club, 2 Rivers Remix Festival and sat for two terms on the Arts Commission of the City of New Westminster. Chelsea has English / Irish and Interior Salish ancestry.