Mission: LoneTree Live pushes the boundaries of theatre through the creative use of the body, voice, imagination and technology.
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Vision: We strive to foster talent and create community with every offering.
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Values: We embrace inclusivity, creativity, collaboration, professionalism,
and compassion for artists.
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: Aliza Moran
VICE PRESIDENT: Amy Rush
SECRETARY: Kristen Fisher
TREASURER: Criston Kopka
AT LARGE: Jeremy Fisher, Rae Kestrel
Nicholas Weaver​
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Julia Hinson
Julia Hinson (Executive Director and Founder) is a versatile theatre and film director, producer, and teaching artist, dedicated to fostering talent and community. With an extensive background in international and cross-disciplinary training, Julia has directed, produced, and taught across the globe, including performances at the NY and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, the Po Saule Festival in Lithuania and the Three Branch Festival in London. Her recent directing work in Memphis includes award-winning productions like Rhodes Theatre Guild's regional premiere Wire in the Garden, for which she received an Ostrander Award, and LoneTree Live's innovative psychoacoustic experience In a Dark Wood. In film, Julia has collaborated with longtime colleague Kristin Tripe, producing two films: Fortunate Country, which won Best Nebraska Short at the Omaha Film Festival, and Ash, which premiered at Indie Memphis and was featured in other festivals. She holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from East 15 Acting School (UK), an MA in Theatre from the University of Nebraska Omaha, and a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Memphis. An enthusiastic and compassionate theatre maker, Julia brings over 20 years of experience to her work, drawing on techniques from Stanislavski, Chekhov (Michael and Anton!), Jungian psychology, and Viewpoints to cultivate a deeply inclusive and dynamic work. Her holistic approach empowers actors to not only grow as performers, but also to reconnect with their authentic selves. Balancing a vibrant professional life with her most cherished role as a mother, Julia is dedicated to inspiring self-discovery and a sense of belonging through the transformative power of the arts, whether on stage, on screen, or in the classroom.
Aliza Moran (President) has a BFA from the University of Memphis ('04) in Theatre Performance and a M.A in Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities from NYU ('18). At NYU, she studied abroad in Ireland and the UK studying Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) and devising processes within foreign communities. Aliza has been an arts educator and community collaborator for 15+ years within the Memphis community. Previously, she worked as the drama teacher and after school site coordinator for Hillcrest High School in Whitehaven, TN. Prior to that she was the Operations Manager for the Department of Outreach and Education at Theatre Memphis. Aliza's work at Theatre Memphis included administrative, curriculum development and facilitation, tour direction and designer for ShoWagon, teaching artist, and performer. Aliza has collaborated with community partners such as Thistle & Bee, The Urban Art Commission, RedZone Ministries, Shelby County Schools, The Grizzlies Foundation TeamUP Mentoring Program, and the University of Memphis. Not only an educator, Aliza is a local performer who has been invested in the arts community since the early 2000s. She continues to produce and support new theatrical experiences by collaborating with local Memphis artists, educators, community organizations, and creatives. Aliza is the Executive Director of Les Passees Kids on the Block which provides educational puppet performances to area non-profits and educational institutions.
Amy Rush (Vice President) moved to Memphis from Prague in 2020 and she quickly discovered that the Memphis theater community is full of warm, talented and capable artists. She earned an M.A. in Puppet Arts at University of Connecticut. Amy was a resident puppeteer at the Center for Puppetry Arts and studied improv at Dad's Garage in Atlanta, performed in many puppet projects and took improv classes while living in New York, performed in plays and improv groups and taught improv classes while living in Prague. Amy is proud to be on the ongoing producing team for LoneTree Live's The 24 Hour Plays: Memphis. Notable local acting credits: Theatre Memphis' The Play That Goes Wrong (Ostrander for Best Supporting Actress); Circuit Playhouse's POTUS and New Moon Theatre's Shockheaded Peter, Art, and Small Mouth Sounds. During the day, Amy is a Human Simulation Educationalist at the Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation at UT Health Science Center, where she trains simulated patients to be educational partners to healthcare learners in many different disciplines. Amy has a graduate certificate in graphic design and is proud to bring her design, marketing, and education skills to advance LoneTree Live's vision to foster talent and create community.
Kristen Fisher (Secretary) is the Director of Production at Ballet Memphis, where she is in her 13th season with them. In Memphis, she has stage managed, done prop design/coordination, and sound design/coordination for Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Playhouse on the Square, Theatre Memphis, Lost In Found, and LoneTree Live. She is also in her seventh year as a judge for the Ostrander Awards. Kristen has a B.F.A. in stage management from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she originally hails from.