The HBB relies on a cooperative of largely volunteer staff to oversee the management and operation of the HBB and to lend support to the faculty and students who do research there. Since graduate faculty have a long-term career stake in the success of the HBB, they shoulder the main staff positions while graduate and undergraduate students assume various supporting roles in light of their interests, schedules, and degree demands.
The HBB generates additional support for its operations and performances through a collaborative labor model amongst the season's directors and producers. In addition, the HBB manager facilitates a practicum course through which students contribute to HBB operations and productions in exchange for course credit. Other HBB community members—faculty, students, staff, partners, and friends from across campus and Baton Rouge—volunteer their assistance . . . just because.
Dr. Hal Lambert
HBB Manager
Dr. Tracy Stephenson Shaffer
Outgoing Producing Director
Dr. Patricia A. Suchy
Director of Public Relations
Dr. Travis Brisini
Incoming Producing Director
Ethan Hunter
HBB Graduate Assistant
HBB Advisory Board
The HBB Advisory Board was established in fall 1996 to act as the HBB's decision-making body. The Advisory Board consists of six HBB community members: one CMST Performance Studies faculty member who serves as the producing director, the HBB manager, one undergraduate student, one M.A. student, one Ph.D. student, and one ABD Ph.D. candidate. Board members serve a term of one academic year although individuals may serve a longer term if there is a favorable consensus amongst the community. Advisory Board members undertake to make decisions that are in the best interests of the HBB community, and aim to be efficient, creative, consistent yet flexible, and fair in the decisions they make and activate. Consistently, the most important decision the Advisory Board makes is the selection and scheduling of events for the upcoming season.
2024-2025 HBB Advisory Board
Producing Director
Dr. Tracy Stephenson Shaffer
HBB Manager
Dr. Hal Lambert
Undergraduate Representative
Christian Wise
M.A. Representative
Autumn Passman
Ph.D. Representative
Jessica Kintigh
ABD Representative
Ethan Hunter