The Natchez Little Theatre’s Executive Director is Layne Taylor, who brings years of theatre experience to NLT’s stage. Layne graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, with a B. A. in Theatre.  At Millsaps, he starred in and directed numerous productions, winning many coveted awards and scholarships.  In Birmingham, Alabama, he was the Artist in Residence and Associate Producer/Director of the University of Alabama in Birmingham’s Town & Gown Theatre, associate producer of the Miss Alabama Pageant, Secretary to the Alabama Theatre Association and worked with Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine on the World Premiere of the Broadway Bound Musical, Meet Me in St. Louis.  In New York City, Layne was the Assistant Director of Play Development at the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Complex, a charter member of Joe Papp’s Shakespeare Marathon at the Public Theatre, and appeared in Franco Zefferelli’s production of Don Carlos at the Metropolitan Opera.  Layne was Associate Producer of two Tony Award winning plays, Strange Interlude starring Glenda Jackson; Aren’t We All starring Claudette Colbert, Rex Harrison and Lynn Redgrave; and of the Academy Award nominated film, Thin Red Line.  He has directed numerous NLT productions including Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Streetcar Named Desire, Southern Exposure for 2 years, Mississippi Medicine Show for 2 years, The Women, for which he won the Stan Dean Ovation Award for Best Director, Auntie Mame, A Natchez Christmas Carol.   Layne is the Immediate Past President of NLT’s Board of Directors and is creating an after school theatre program for local area elementary, middle school and high school students.

Layne is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church.  Layne serves on the Education Committee for the Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce and is on numerous tourism committees in Natchez.