News

THE LIGHTNING TOP 10: No. 9

Lisa K. Bryant led the financial recovery of the Flat Rock Playhouse.

By Bill Moss, Published: December 23, 2015

No. 9: How to succeed in business

For the first time in six years, the Flat Rock Playhouse ended a season with strong momentum and a balance sheet that was not soaked in red. Under the leadership of Lisa K. Bryant and a stronger and more engaged board of trustees, the Playhouse pulled back from the financial cliff, thanks to a better economy, a more appealing lineup of shows and aggressive budget management. Thanks to a 2016 lineup shaped by audience preferences, the State Theatre of North Carolina is sustaining the momentum. Record first-day sales for next year suggested that the Playhouse is on its way to financial stability. “We will always say will have a long road ahead of us,” marketing director Dane Whitlock said in September. “But every day it seems like that light gets a little brighter.”