MEET OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP

BRIAN PORTER - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CONTACT

Brian became Executive Director of the Footlight Players in the winter of 2018 after serving for ten years as the Director of Administration at neighboring theatre company Charleston Stage. Co-founder of cult theatre favorite What If? Productions (2010-2020), Brian has been a mainstay of live theatre in Charleston for nearly two decades. A celebrated artist in his own right, Brian has been twice honored as Best Local Actor by Best of Charleston, presenting memorable performances in shows such as Cabaret, Hedwig & the Angry Inch, Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story, The Producers and most recently at Footlight in Monty Python’s Spamalot.

In his tenure thus far at Footlight he has raised the bar of live, quality theatre in the Charleston area by overseeing a renaissance of exceptional work for the theatre company, rebranding the theatre building back to its Queen Street Playhouse origins, significantly increasing audience attendance and a wider set of audience demographics and overseeing two of the highest grossing productions in the theatre’s decades-long history. His implementation of new programming such as the Sunday Night Speakeasy and Act Two series has also expanded the theatre’s audience base and outreach. Brian also is responsible for the new partnership with Spoleto Festival USA, making the Queen Street Playhouse a festival venue destination for the first time in its long history in Charleston.

kyle barnette - artistic director
CONTACT

Kyle officially joined as Footlight’s Artistic Director in Feb. 2022 after directing many of the company’s productions since fall of 2018. Previously Kyle served as co-founder and Artistic Director of What If? Productions (2010-2020) and served as the Executive Director of the Charleston Horticultural Society from 2012 -2022. His long association with Charleston Stage saw him directing productions such as Steel Magnolias, The Foreigner and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and in many memorable stage appearances there including Young Frankenstein, The Underpants, Shear Madness and The 39 Steps. He has worked throughout the country as a professional actor and director, most notably as a Resident Company Member at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN. Regional directing credits include Cabaret, I Love You, You’re Perfect Now Change, Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche, Little Shop of Horrors, Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens, Evil Dead: The Musical and The House of Yes. Kyle also founded and oversaw the WIP Playwrights Festival (2013-2019) which curated and produced world premiere productions of winning new works of theatre.

Upon joining Footlight, Kyle has overseen and directed many of the theatre’s most iconic productions in many seasons including POTUS, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Head Over Heels, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Full Monty, Doubt and God of Carnage and appeared on stage in 2022 as Paul Sheldon in Misery.