12:02pm | Long Beach Playhouse executive director Lauren Morris announced she is leaving the Playhouse effective November 5.  The board of directors voted unanimously to appoint Liz Lydic to the interim executive director position.  Lydic has been a past volunteer at the Playhouse, and has extensive and varied theatre management experience. 

Morris will be the new Managing Director at Georgia Shakespeare in Atlanta, GA. 

“Lauren’s leadership of The Playhouse has been outstanding and we will miss her both professionally and personally. We wish Lauren all success,” stated board president David Haberbush.
 
“It was a very difficult decision for me to leave the Playhouse when so many wonderful things are happening.  The community has really supported our efforts to create a thriving arts center here, and I will be very sad to leave not only the Playhouse, but Long Beach as a whole.  It is extremely important to me that the momentum we’ve created continues to grow, and I have every faith that Liz and the board of directors will make that happen,” stated Morris.

Disclosure: Long Beach Post publisher Shaun Lumachi is a member of the Long Beach Playhouse board of directors.