News

Raleigh Little Theatre is thrilled to introduce the creative voices shaping our spring 2026 productions. With their unique perspectives and passion for storytelling, these directors will bring RLT’s stages to life with imagination, heart, and purpose.

For our spring shows in the 2025-2026 season, the directors are:

• Betsy Henderson for Moonlight and Magnolias: Betsy Henderson is excited to return to Raleigh Little Theatre, having last been seen on RLT’s stage as the adult woman in Spring Awakening. She has an MFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and serves as Department Chair of Fine Arts and Humanities at Vance-Granville Community College, where she has also served as Director of Drama for the past 25 years. She has acted with many local companies, most recently seen as Rachel in NRACT’s production of APPROPRIATE. She last directed The Play that Goes Wrong at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, where she has also directed Rumors and To Kill a Mockingbird.
  
  Moonlight and Magnolias runs February 6-22, 2026, in the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre.
  
  “Community theatre is where creativity meets connection – a place where artists of all experience levels come together to learn, grow, and create something magical,” says Henderson. “Through accessible hands-on theatre education opportunities, welcoming spaces, and a big heart for inclusion, RLT celebrates the power of storytelling and the joy of belonging. Everyone has a place on the stage. It’s an honor to collaborate with such a vibrant and welcoming community that values both artistic excellence and accessibility. I’m excited to bring this story to life on a stage with so much history and heart.”

• Patrick Torres for 1776: Patrick Torres is the former Artistic Director of Raleigh Little Theatre, where he directed numerous productions during his eight-year tenure. He has worked as a director, producer, and educator at theatres across the country, creating powerful community-centered artistic experiences. His career has focused on telling diverse stories and building connections through theatre, helping audiences see themselves reflected on stage. Torres is passionate about the role of theatre as a catalyst for dialogue and community building.
  
  1776 runs March 27 – April 19, 2026, in the Cantey V. Sutton Theatre.
  
  “Directing 1776 feels especially vital right now. The show is a powerful reminder that our nation’s founding was both inspiring and imperfect, and at a time of deep division it challenges us to reflect on who we are, the promises we’ve made, and the work still to be done,” stated Torres. “Community Theatre has the unique power to pull us closer together as neighbors, to challenge us, and to remind us that we are most alive when we listen to one another. I am thrilled to bring this production to the Raleigh Little Theatre community.”

• Flora Bare for The Hobbit: Flora Bare is a director, choreographer, performer, and educator whose work centers on devised physical theatre and the joy of collaborative storytelling. An MFA graduate of the London International School of Performing Arts, she has performed internationally, including at The Royal Opera House and the London Olympic Festival. Her teaching spans institutions such as DePaul University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, and the National Centre for Circus Arts. Recent directing and choreography credits include Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really (Director, Justice Theatre Project), Once (Choreographer, Burning Coal), and The Wheels on the Bus (Director, Raleigh Little Theatre), each fostering collective artistic experiences through story and community.
  
  The Hobbit runs May 2-10, 2026, in the Louise “Scottie” Stephenson Amphitheatre.
  
  “Theatre builds community by inviting us to laugh, cry, and dream side by side,” began Bare, “and through the magic born of putting our hearts and souls into every story we tell.”

• Susannah Hough for School of Rock: Susannah Hough returns to Raleigh Little Theatre after directing Something Rotten! in 2024. She is a veteran of film, TV, commercials, audio dramas, and numerous stage companies, such as IVRT (Los Angeles), Theatre in the Park, NCSU TheatreFest, North Carolina Theatre, Justice Theatre Project and others. She is Co-Artistic Director of Honest Pint Theatre Co. here in Raleigh where she has directed the acclaimed productions of A Chorus Line, Grand Horizons, The Night Alive, The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, The Legend of Georgia McBride, A Steady Rain, and others. Training: BFA in Drama from the University of California, The American Conservatory Theater.
  
  School of Rock runs June 5-28, 2026, in the Cantey V. Sutton Theatre.
  
  “Getting to work at RLT again is important to me because it is the crown jewel of community theatre here in the Triangle,” Hough stated. “Theatre should be accessible to everyone, from the youngest children to people in their senior years. RLT offers our community opportunities, no matter what their background or level of experience is, for lifelong learning about the art of storytelling, creative self-expression without judgement or fear, and is a place where people can explore creative aspects of their minds, gaining knowledge and awareness about the world and how art can make significant social change.”

“As we move into our 89th year, I’m proud to work with the directors bringing vision and thoughtful guidance to RLT’s spring productions,” said Michele Weathers, RLT’s Producing Artistic Director. “Each director is carefully chosen for a project that aligns with their artistic voice and strengths, and I am deeply grateful for the care and respect they bring to these productions. They become a true extension of RLT – connecting to the work, to our audiences, and to the community that makes this theatre thrive.”

Single tickets for all remaining performances in Raleigh Little Theatre’s 2025-2026 season are on sale now. “Choose-Your-Own” season subscriptions are also available at RaleighLittleTheatre.org.

About Raleigh Little Theatre

Founded in 1936, Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is one of the oldest, continuously operating, community theatres in the United States. RLT offers entertainment, education, and community programs year-round, reaching 40,000 people. As a community theatre, RLT engages hundreds of volunteers, under the guidance of professional staff, to achieve its mission and to bring quality live theatre to the Triangle area. Visit www.RaleighLittleTheatre.org for more information. 

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For media inquiries, contact Megan Farrell, Marketing Manager, at Megan@nullRaleighLittleTheatre.org or by phone at 919-821-4579 x 234.