Keith Cromwell

Executive Director

 

A military brat, Keith was born in North Africa, graduated from James Madison University, and spent 25-years as a performer and director, on and off-Broadway and around the world. He arrived in Birmingham in 2002 as a guest artist to direct a show for what was then known as Summerfest. He planned to stay a few months and head back to New York. But, six months later, he had fallen in love with the city, bought a house, and accepted the position of Executive Director. Since that time, under Keith’s leadership, the organization, whose name later changed to Red Mountain Theatre Company, grew its budget from half a million to nearly $4 million, increased the full-time staff to 23, and literally put Birmingham on the artistic map. He is a longstanding member of Actors’ Equity Association, The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, The American Guild of Variety Artists, and The Screen Actors Guild. Keith serves on the board of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre as Development Chair and is actively engaged in the National Fund for New Musicals. In 2016, Keith was awarded membership in the Broadway League. He has participated on granting review panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. His industry connections and diligence in growing relationships with Broadway and national artists has not only opened doors of connection for Red Mountain Theatre students – who have gone on to successful careers in Broadway, film, and TV – but provided positive recognition for Birmingham across the nation and created incredible artistic experiences for our city. In 2014, Keith led the organization into position as a lead co-producer on Broadway’s The Bridges of Madison County and then in 2018, as a co-producer on Once On This Island, which won a Tony Award.

 

Keith is a graduate of Leadership Birmingham, Leadership Alabama, served on The Cultural Arts Committee for Birmingham City Schools, Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham Steering Committee, Youth Leadership Forum, and the Arts Committee of Birmingham-Southern College’s Norton Board. Keith was the recipient of the National Conference for Community and Justice’s 2017 Brotherhood Award. Keith was named a Birmingham Business Journal’s CEO Awards finalist and voted one of “365 People You Should Know in Birmingham” (Birmingham Magazine). Keith is dedicated to the renaissance of this great city and continuing to forge a place for the arts and cultural sector to be recognized as a valuable asset leading the city of Birmingham into its dynamic future.