Playwright & VERA

Lauren Hance is a playwright, producer, director, and actress.  Lauren’s plays have been produced across the country including Chicago, Minnesota, Texas, New York, New Orleans, and California.  She has worked as a writer and director at Southern Rep Theatre in New Orleans in the 6x6 and 3x3 Playwriting Program.  Lauren has been published through Mushroom Cloud Press. As an actress, Lauren has worked with multiple theatres across Texas including, Unity Theatre, The Ensemble Theatre, Abilene Shakespeare Festival, and is a troupe member of CSz Houston- Home of ComedySportz.  She has directed and produced over 30 productions including PROOF, LITTLE WOMEN, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM,  and THE WIZARD OF OZ.  Lauren is the founder of Out of Mind Productions, a small production company with the mission to present stories that stir the heart, and served two years as the Director of Theatre & Theology at CITA. Lauren holds a BFA in Directing from Abilene Christian University, and a MAT in Arts and Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She resides in Houston with her husband and two daughters.

Director & Developer

Amelia Peterson is a writer and director based in Knoxville, TN. She is a founding member of River & Rail Theatre Company. Amelia earned her BFA in Theatre Studies from Southern Methodist University. She has spent much of her career working with budding playwrights on new works. Prior to moving home to TN, Amelia lived and worked in New York City where she co-directed the world premier of MORBID POETRY at the Incubator Arts Project and a folktale adaptation series LONG, LONG AGO with Firebone Theatre Company, and THE UNUSUAL TALE OF MARY AND JOSEPH'S BABY at the New York International Fringe Festival. She has also directed new works for the CalArts Arts in the One World conference (Valencia, CA), the Kennedy Center’s Page to Stage Festival (Washington, DC), and the Inkwell Theatre’s Showcase Reading Series (Washington, DC). She lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband and three children.