Meet Laurel Farley Crowe: Education Director & Theatre for Young Audiences Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laurel Farley Crowe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laurel, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I was raised in the theatre industry. My father (Robert Farley) was an artistic director for 50 years and my mother has been running Georgia Ensemble Theatre for the past 30 years. Being surrounded by theatre makers sculpted me. By the time I was preparing for high school, I knew that I wanted to do this for life. I attended Pebblebrook High School for Excellence in the Performing Arts where I was pushed and challenged, then I went to the University of West Georgia where I was given a very comprehensive education. I feel that my parents and the mentors that surrounded me inspired me to pave my own path. Now I get to be that for others. I suppose that the short answer is that the people inspired me to pursue it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I love directing. I especially love directing for and with children. Kids don’t come to the theatre with any pretense. They are a most discerning audience. I feel that I have a deep responsibility to young audiences and young performers. So many aspects of my working with kids and producing FOR them is tied together. When I am directing a young actor, while I am teaching them, they are also teaching me. The same discoveries and moments that we strive for in professional adult theatre– the same craft, should be expected and applied in all work with children. I have a high expectation for honesty on stage, regardless of whether I am working with an adult, apprentice or child. Is any journey easy? I will say that my journey was (and is) challenging, full of surprises, and I landed in an unexpected place. My original artistic goal was to pursue acting. If you had told me that I was going to end up working for my parents in the field of theatre education, I probably would have laughed at you (so would they)! I wouldn’t change a minute of it. Even the hard stuff.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As I mentioned before, it all starts with my parents. My dad, Bob Farley, was a director, toured with HAIR in the 60’s, started a company in Alaska, moved to Atlanta to lead at The Alliance Theatre, and started another company with my mother, Anita Allen Farley (Georgia Ensemble Theatre & Conservatory). Their resumes speak for themselves. Both of my parents have mentored me, and it happened organically. My mother has shown me what strength in leadership looks like. Her job is hard. Seriously. I find her to be one of the most compassionate, firm, and savvy women that I know. I am not even sure if she knows how much I learn from her every day. When my father died on November 30, 2017, she pivoted and took over as Producing Artistic Director of our company. The past three years have been hard, but she continues to show up for all of us. She has taught me tenacity and perseverance, which is pretty important in this field. My dad guided me as a director so gracefully that I didn’t even know it was happening. God, I really miss him so much. His mentoring me wasn’t actually unique. Ask any actor, designer, director, or staff member who worked with him, and they will tell you stories about how my father gave them their first gig, or collaborated over the years, or gave them an opportunity they wouldn’t have otherwise known was available to them. He was a gentle giant who knew exactly what he wanted on stage, and he was a master of communicating that. His leaving continues to leave a great big hole. There are so many beautiful souls who I have counted as mentors over the years: Tess Malis Kincaid, who taught me so much on stage and off as I was growing up. She was one of my first acting coaches, a friend, and eventual colleague. Former GET Education Directors, Enda Breadon and Dori Garziano Leeman, taught me teaching artistry, administration and how to create longevity in this work. Rosemary Newcott has encouraged me since the 8th grade. I am forever inspired by her work in T.Y.A. Rosemary ignites your soul with passion for sharing our gifts with children, and you can see it in every project she works on. Needless to say, I have been blessed with a unique experience growing up, and I am doubly blessed to still be here on this journey.

Website: get.org
Instagram: @gaensemble @LaurelFarleyCrowe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaEnsembleTheatre/ , https://www.facebook.com/getartsineducation/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeorgiaEnsemble

Image Credits
Martina Schmidt, Mary Saville, Casey Gardner