Wayne Theatre Artistic Director Named Regional Ambassador for Virginia’s Small Town and Rural Arts Network
WAYNESBORO, Va. — The Virginia Commission for the Arts has announced that Lesley Larsen, Artistic Director of the historic Wayne Theatre, will serve as the Region 5 Ambassador for the Small Town and Rural Arts (SARA) Network, an initiative designed to strengthen connections and expand opportunities for artists and arts organizations throughout Virginia.
Larsen will help bring together artists and arts organizations across a diverse region that includes Waynesboro, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Buena Vista, Lexington, and Lynchburg, as well as the counties of Augusta, Rockingham, Albemarle, Nelson, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa, Amherst, Campbell, Bedford, Rockbridge, Highland, and Bath.
“Our region is rich with the arts, and I get a front-row seat to it. Working in a small-town theatre, I see what happens when people gather in a room to share a story. It’s powerful,” Larsen said. “I’m honored to be chosen as an ambassador for the VCA’s SARA program, but what really gets me excited is the chance to bring people together: the artists, the organizations, the folks who show up to support them. When we do this side by side, we make this a better place to live and create.”
In this role, Larsen will serve as a champion for the arts, fostering peer-to-peer relationships, encouraging the exchange of ideas and resources, and helping local arts leaders build stronger connections with one another and the broader SARA Network.
“I want us to build community together, and not just inside the walls of one theatre. The Wayne is one piece of a much bigger ecosystem of artists, makers, musicians, and creatives here in the Valley. None of us thrives alone. When we’re connected, we share ideas and encouragement, and everybody gets stronger. That makes the whole region stronger, too,” Larsen said. “The best ideas I’ve ever stolen came from other people’s stages, and I’m looking forward to stealing a lot more. I can’t wait to see what happens when we all start swapping stories, resources, and audiences.”
Larsen holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Brigham Young University, as well as a Master of Letters and a Master of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance from Mary Baldwin University and the American Shakespeare Center.
She has more than 20 years of professional experience as a director, actor, educator, and advocate. Some of her notable directing credits at the Wayne Theatre include “Something Rotten,” “Deep Into the Darkness: An Adaptation of Poe’s Works,” “The Importance of Being Earnest: Boy Band Edition,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” “Elf the Musical,” and “Pride and Prejudice.”
Beyond the stage, Larsen serves as a Virginia Commission for the Arts Teaching Artist and currently serves as Co-Chair of Community Theatre on the Virginia Theatre Association Board.
Her work reflects a commitment to arts education, consent-based theatre practices, and creating collaborative, inclusive spaces where creativity can thrive.
To learn more about the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Small Town and Rural Arts Network, visit:
https://www.smalltownbigarts.com/about-sara
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