Meet The New Phoenix Theatre Staff
Richard Lambert, Executive Director
Richard Lambert has been the Executive Director of the New Phoenix Theatre on the Park since he purchased the property in 1996. Since coming to Buffalo in 1988, Richard has appeared on most city stages as an actor (over 40 productions). He has directed many productions in the United States as well as Canada, and is the author of several plays. He has received over a dozen nominations in the city’s yearly “Artie Award” competition, in addition to winning Best Actor for Brad Frasier’s Poor Super Man. While living in Manhattan, Richard performed on many stages including the Tomi Theatre, Village Performers Theatre, and the Manhattan Theatre Club. It was while living in New York that he met and began a long-term relationship with noted actor/director/playwright Maxim Mazumdar, whose plays continue to be performed in both the U.S. and Canada, including a production of Oscar Remembered, directed by William Hutt at Stratford. It is for Mr. Mazumdar, who at one time operated the Phoenix Theatre in Montreal, Canada, that the New Phoenix Theatre is named. Before moving from Manhattan, Richard met the playwright and scholar Eric Bentley. The Phoenix currently hosts a yearly new play competition in his name and honor. In addition to his work at the Phoenix, Richard has hosted the local television show Human Touch for Adelphia Communications and has appeared in many commercials in Western New York.
Robert Waterhouse, Artistic Director
Robert Waterhouse (Artistic Director) holds a Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo, is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and has directed over 40 plays in the US and the UK. He and Richard Lambert have been collaborating since the latter’s arrival in Buffalo in 1988, and projects undertaken together include Miss Julie, The Seagull, Old Lovers, Into The Square…The Work of Dario Fo, Prelude to a Kiss, American Buffalo, The Night of the Iguana, The Remarkable Piety of the Infamous, and True West; their production for giant puppets of Othello began life on the green outside the Phoenix and traveled to London and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2001. Bob’s other favorite productions include The Price, Dealer’s Choice, Master Class and the US premiere of his father’s play, Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, for the Kavinoky Theatre, Buffalo; Histories for Hillside Hospital and the Academy Theatre, Atlanta; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? for barking dog theatre, Atlanta; Chipko and Gifts of Flame for Cygnet Theatre, UK; and God’s Spies for Engine # 5 and multiShades Atlanta. Recent or current projects include Freud and the Sandman, The Seafarer, The Pillowman, Organic Movement Of The Chair And Pitcher, Metamorphosis, The Glass Menagerie, Gilgamesh, and Thrill Me. Bob is Asst. Professor of theatre at Daemen College.
Franklin LaVoie, Master Puppeteer/Designer
Franklin LaVoie has been working in theater for twelve years. He works as a set and costume designer, builder, and painter for many theater groups throughout Buffalo, including The Kavinoky Theatre, The Irish Classical Theatre, Shakespeare In The Park, The New Phoenix Theatre, Pick of the Crop Dance Company, et al. Franklin is the founding member of Skeleton in the Closet Theater Company, where he has currently written, directed, and starred in The Bedeviled Chest, and for which he served as costume and set designer as well. For over ten years Franklin has been developing a series of lectures entitled “Sacred Geography of Western New York,” which examines the legends and folklore of his hometown. As a storyteller, Franklin has performed at The Chautauqua Institute, Lilydale Assembly, Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo State College, and at other venues throughout Western New York.
Betsy Bittar, Costume Designer
Betsy Bittar joined the New Phoenix Theatre Company in the summer of 2001. Betsy's true passion is acting, and her stage debut with the company was Grace in Joe Egg. She recently starred at the NPTC in The Beauty Queen Of Leenane. Betsy has performed in a variety of roles at Alleyway, Irish Classical, BET, UB, Buffalo State, TOY and Ujima. She has also been Costume designer for the NPTC shows True West, Reservoir, Trophy Wife, The Country Girl, Guido, Jesus Hopped The "A" Train, Alice Underground, Metamorphosis, The Woman Before, and The Beauty Queen Of Leenane. Betsy is Treasurer/Board Member of the NPTC, a CPA, and a mother.
Michael Klemm, Graphic / Arts Director / Webmaster
Michael D. Klemm is a lifelong Buffalo resident and freelance graphic designer. A graduate from Buffalo State College with a BA in Graphic Design, class of 1980, his befriending of the local theatre scene began when he was the art director and editor of Metro Weekend from 1995 to 1997. He later covered theatre, and was art director, for the short-lived paper Things To Do, Places to Go, People To See. He was the art director at Automart Magazine for ten years, and writes the video columns in Outcome and abOUT and for his website, Cinemaqueer.com. Michael lives in North Buffalo with his soul mate, his life partner of 21 years, Andrew Lippa.
New Phoenix Theatre
Board Of Directors
Mark Moretti, Board Chair
Richard Lambert, Executive Director
Robert Waterhouse, Artistic Director
Betsy Bittar, CPA Treasurer
David V. Bouie, Board Member
David Granville, Board Member
Tom Higgins, Board Member
Prof. Olga Karmen, Board Member
Michael Klemm, Board Member
Julie Kittsley, Board Member
Thomas A. Lambert, Esq., Board Member
Linda Moskal, Board Member
David Seeger, Esq., Board Member
Marta Werner, Board Member
Eric Bentley, Board Member Emeritus
In Memorium: Timothy C. White