A Message from Renton Civic Theatre
Renton Civic Theatre is pleased to announce a new chapter in our leadership. Graham Arthur Blair has been elected as the President of the Board of Directors. Brad Lo Walker will serve as Vice President of Operations, and Lisa Stromme Warren as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. We are also welcoming Eleanor Withrow to the board.
The former board President Alan Parsons and Artistic Director Bill Huls have both stepped down. The majority of the previous board, including Ellen Zambrowsky-Huls, has also stepped down. The remaining members of the board are committed to working with the new leadership to guide Renton Civic Theatre through a transformation in the coming year.
We would like to thank and praise those who stood up and spoke out in the last two weeks. We hear you and commend your bravery in speaking out.
We are focused on correcting the transparency and accountability issues that existed under previous leadership. This change is vital to restoring trust and ensuring that Renton Civic Theatre operates with integrity and openness moving forward.
You’ll hear more from us in the coming weeks and months. For now, we want to say that this theater will look and feel very different than it has in the past. The safety of our actors, patrons, and employees is paramount to us, and to that end, all members of the board will be subject to background checks before being allowed to serve.
We look forward to building a new and thriving theater community with the goal of making everyone feel safe and wanted.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Graham Arthur Blair (he/him)
President
Graham Arthur Blair brings a wealth of experience from both on and off the stage to his role as the new president of Renton Civic Theatre's board of directors.
A passionate theater artist in Seattle for the past six years, Graham has always harbored a strong desire to contribute behind the scenes, focusing on production and management. A 2013 graduate of the University of Washington, his acting credits span across several prominent local community theaters, including Renton Civic Theatre, SecondStory Repertory, Seattle Musical Theater, and Twelfth Night Productions.
As president, Graham is excited and humbled to guide Renton Civic Theatre through its current transition. He is committed to leading with transparency, kindness, conviction, and accountability, while actively promoting diversity and inclusion. Graham aims to create an environment where all voices are heard, and everyone feels welcome and safe to practice their craft and create art together.
Lisa Stromme Warren (she/her)
VP - Marketing & Communications
Lisa has spent her professional life doing communications work; first in journalism, then in public health, and now in translational research. She currently works as a Director of Communications within the University of Washington.
Lisa also works as an actor in the area, and has performed with Twelfth Night, Reboot, and Tacoma Musical Playhouse. From 2022-2024, Lisa served on the board of the Reboot Theatre Company, serving as the social media manager.
An Emmy-winning storyteller, she holds a BA in journalism from the University of Oregon, and currently attends the UW School of Drama, with the goal of someday teaching theatre arts to youth.
She looks forward to serving on this new board and helping create a new legacy for this theatre.
Brad Lo Walker (he/him)
VP - Operations
Brad Lo Walker has been active in the Puget Sound theatre scene for almost 20 years.
Seattle born and raised, he now lives just outside of Renton, WA with his wife, son, and cat. He serves as the full-time Drama Teacher for Cascadia School, and he spent years managing an educational school theatre program with Studio East.
As an actor, Brad has performed with Seattle Children’s Theatre, Village Theatre, Taproot Theatre, Harlequin Productions, 5th Avenue Theatre’s Educational Touring Company, Storybook Theater, and of course, Renton Civic Theatre. He has directed for Reboot Theatre, Second Story Rep, Taproot Theatre, Village Theatre KIDSTAGE, Studio East, and others.
All that is to say: Brad is passionate about the performing arts and the local theater community; the mission to serve the city of Renton through high-quality, thoughtful, and inclusive theatre is a deeply personal one.
Jentra Smith (she/her)
Treasurer
Jentra Smith has been a resident of Renton since 1970. Her first involvement in theatre began with the City of Renton's Summer Teen Musical, Honk, in 2002, when her daughter got involved. While her daughter worked backstage and did makeup for one of the characters, Jentra contributed by doing hair, assisting in the lobby, and helping with concessions. Both continued volunteering with the Summer Teen Musical, and Jentra also began working part-time at Carco Theatre as Front of House staff. She eventually started doing costumes for Valley Community Players and Renton Summer Teen Musical shows.
Later, Jentra volunteered and worked as Front of House at Seattle Musical Theatre for several years, where she also assisted with costumes and backstage for their production of Hairspray.
In 2010, when Renton Civic Theatre took over the Summer Teen Musical, Jentra began volunteering, starting as an usher, then helping with concessions and box office tasks. She joined the Renton Civic Theatre board in 2022, hoping to support the theatre’s growth.
Jentra is enthusiastic about the new board structure and talent at Renton Civic Theatre and looks forward to helping the theatre move forward, expanding its service to the community and the arts.
James Tierney (he/him)
Secretary
James Tierney was a cofounder of Eastside Musical Theatre and a performer for Northwest Savoyards and Pirate Productions in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. He has played many roles for Renton Civic Theatre: President, Secretary, Treasurer, and bartender.
James believes in the power of live theatre to positively impact lives. He hopes to help Renton Civic continue to be a presence in downtown Renton.
Dane Gill (he/him)
At-Large
Dane Gill brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the board of directors.
A passionate lover of the arts and an avid theatre-goer for 20 years, he is also a proud University of Washington graduate. As a patron of over 15 local theatres, Dane is well-acquainted with the inner workings of front of house operations and has experience working in the box office. He also volunteers as an usher at various theatres throughout the Puget Sound area.
Dane is excited to contribute to the prosperity of the theatre and to make a positive impact in the Renton community.
Eleanor Withrow (she/her)
At-Large
Eleanor has been working in theatre education in the Seattle area for a little over a decade. After multiple years working as a teaching artist with Seattle Children’s Theatre, Stone Soup Theatre, and SingOut Seattle, she became the full-time Performing Arts Teacher for Eton School in Bellevue, teaching children ages 3-14.
Outside of theatre education, Eleanor has worked at Taproot Theatre, Bainbridge Performing Arts and Fantastic Z theatre as a dresser and wardrobe manager.
She is also a local actor, performing with theatres like Reboot Theatre, Tacoma Musical Theatre, Annex Theatre, and Seattle Immersive Theatre.
Contact the Board
We encourage the community to reach out to the Board of Directors with any questions or concerns.
Join Our Board
Renton Civic Theatre is seeking passionate individuals to join our Board of Directors. We are especially looking for expertise in the following areas:
- Finance / Accounting
- Legal