Lear deBessonet

Why you should listen

Lear deBessonet is an award-winning Broadway director who specializes in creating large-scale performances, with shows such as the Tony-nominated Into the Woods, Once Upon a Mattress, Annie Live! and The Odyssey under her belt. She is the artistic director of the Tony-nominated Encores! series at New York City Center and the founder of Public Works, a model of community engagement and participatory theater that has spread internationally. She is also the founder and co-artistic director of One Nation/One Project, whose ARTS FOR EVERYBODY campaign will see public arts events premiere simultaneously in 18 cities and towns across the United States on July 27, 2024.