Actors Theatre of Louisville announced new leadership last week, appointing Amelia Acosta Powell as artistic director and Emily Tarquin as managing director. Both are rising queer leaders in Louisville. The move was approved unanimously by the theater’s board of directors.

Acosta Powell, a director and producer, previously served as associate artistic director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and held leadership roles at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Arena Stage. At Actors Theatre, she has worked as an impact producer and directed several productions, including La Egoista and Every Brilliant Thing. She relocated to Louisville in 2021 and has been active in civic and community work.

Tarquin, a producer and arts administrator, co-founded Off-Center, the immersive arm of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and produced the Colorado New Play Summit. Since joining Actors Theatre, they have taken on roles across finance, development and external relations, while also pursuing an executive MBA at Bellarmine University.

The pair take the helm during the 2025-26 season, which includes a world premiere based on U.S. history (FDR’s Very Happy Hour), a Halloween spectacle (Dead as a Dodo), the annual tradition of A Christmas Carol, and the new Storytelling Revolution Festival in partnership with Louisville Fringe.

“This is an extraordinary moment to imagine how theatre can offer a space of belonging,” Amelia Acosta Powell shared, “and I am honored to serve alongside Emily Tarquin to lead Actors Theatre of Louisville into its next chapter with a spirit of wonder and curiosity.”

Board president Mac Thompson praised the new leadership, citing their “complementary strengths, visionary thinking, artistic creativity, and deep commitment to both artists and audiences.”

Acosta Powell and Tarquin said they plan to build on the theater’s legacy while centering community, collaboration and the shared experience of live performance. The theater will also begin a strategic planning process with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management and Louisville cultural strategist Christen Boone.

Actors Theatre of Louisville, designated the State Theatre of Kentucky, has long been a centerpiece of Louisville’s arts ecosystem. Under its new queer leadership team, the organization is positioning itself as both a producing theater and a civic hub.