Artist Statement: Becoming part of a dedicated theatre ensemble as a volunteer in 1977 at LSU led me to fall in love and change my degree from pre-law to theatre. After I received my degrees in theatre from LSU and the Yale School of Drama, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the theatre due to the openness of the theatre community there. I moved back home to Shreveport in 1994 and was quickly welcomed into the rich history and high achievement of the theatrical community here. As a director, I believe in a nurturing approach to collaboration. During the last 7 years I have been able to see the relationships I have made in NWLA blossom to a greater extent than before. During this time, I have directed five plays at Shreveport Little Theatre, and I am casting my sixth play. I have directed another dozen plays for Mahogany Ensemble Theatre and LSU Shreveport, including several new collaborative efforts. Bio: Robert Alford II has directed over 30 productions at LSU Shreveport including Blackbird, A Raisin in the Sun, Clybourne Park, Inherit the Wind, Summers in Suffolk, A Lesson Before Dying, East Texas Hot Links, Bulrusher, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Beyond Therapy, Family Planning, Burn This, Oleanna, American Menu and Southern Girls. A scene from The LSU Drama Club production of Doubt: A Parable, directed by Mr. Alford, was presented at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Region 6 Festival. Mr. Alford’s other productions include Fences (1997 and 2012), Glengarry Glen Ross, The Lonesome West, Crowns and Family Planning (Shreveport Little Theatre), The Colored Museum, American Menu, Crowns and Stick Fly (Mahogany Theatre Ensemble), The Sweet Life (Yale Repertory Theatre), A Summer Romance, A Summer Memory (Mark Taper Forum New Works Festival), A Summer Memory (Beverly Hills Playhouse) and Life During Wartime (Burbage Theatre). A member of the Board of Directors of Shreveport Little Theatre, he served as president from 2015-2021. Mr. Alford played the role of Frank in James Harlon Palmer’s musical Anniversary, the winner of the 2019 Louisiana Film Prize. He played the leading role Cyrus Hunt in Notes on the War, a Top 20 finalist for the 2022 Louisiana Film Prize. He played 4 roles in The Laramie Project at Shreveport Little Theatre. He directed the short film Summer Dreams with Nancy Cheryl Davis, which was screened as an official selection at the Pan African Film and Arts Festival in Los Angeles. An LSU Shreveport associate professor, Mr. Alford is a graduate of LSU and the Yale School of Drama.