KC Rep Promotes Kyle Hatley to Associate Artistic Director

Eric Rosen, artistic director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre, has announced the promotion of Kyle Hatley to associate artistic director, effective immediately.

"Having worked with Kyle in Chicago, I knew as soon as I accepted my position here that he would be an exceptional resource for the Rep, for the University of Missouri-Kansas City and for the city's dynamic theatre community," said Rosen. "Kyle has a passion for creating smart, compelling theatre and he brings an intense level of creative energy to every project he takes on, whether it's inspiring drama, psychological thriller or deft comedy."

Hatley has served as the Rep's assistant artistic director since June 2008. This season, he will direct the theatre's 30th anniversary production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL and the multi-OBIE Award-winner CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION. He has also directed the Rep's critically acclaimed production of Nathan Louis Jackson's BROKE-OLOGY (2010) and Jim Grimsley's THE BORDERLAND (2009) and served as assistant director for A CHRISTMAS STORY, The MUSICAL!, directed by Rosen, and INTO THE WOODS, directed by Moisés Kaufman. Hatley assisted New York's Tectonic Theatre Project on workshops for THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER, AN EPILOGUE and directed its Kansas City staged reading (2009). That same year, he was named Kansas City's Best Director by The Pitch.

Outside of the Rep, Hatley's local credits include writing and directing for the Kansas City Fringe Festival. His new play HEAD will premiere there this July and WATERING THE GRAVE, SIX and THE DEATH OF CUPID were featured at previous festivals. He has also directed HAMLET for Two-Thirds Theatre and an Equity Showcase one-act HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW by
Ron Simonian. Hatley is the artistic director of Chatterbox Audio Theater for which he has written and directed a number of audio plays and is the recipient of the Silver Ogle Award for his original series "The Dead Girl." He is currently in post production for his adult adaptation of Pinocchio, which will be released in August at www.chatterboxtheater.org.

While in Chicago, Hatley was an assistant director and script supervisor for Rosen at About Face Theatre and many other award-winning theatre professionals, including Kaufman, Emily Mann and Gary Griffin (director of the Rep's upcoming production of SAVED and the 2009 production of A FLEA IN HER EAR) at various Chicago theatres, including Steppenwolf Theatre and Chicago Children's Theatre. He holds a degree in theatre from Rhodes College in Memphis.

ABOUT KANSAS CITY REPERTORY THEATRE
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, now in its 46th year, is one of the nation's leading professional theatres and a member of the League of Resident Theatres. The Rep produces a full season of plays and events at Spencer Theatre on the UMKC campus, where the Rep is the professional theatre in residence, and at Copaken Stage downtown. Its diverse repertoire includes new works, musicals and classics of stage and literature. The theatre serves approximately 100,000 patrons annually and employs more than 250 professional artists, technicians and administrators.