ABOUT

Blake Harris (he/him), a native of Chattanooga, TN, has been a leading force in the arts community for over 15 years, having produced and directed 25+ live performances focusing on delivering diverse, bold, and relevant premieres to the region. After graduating with departmental honors in Gender Studies from UTC, he received his MFA in Theatre Directing from CalArts. After earning his MFA, he secured a teaching and directing position at the Lee Strasberg Institute of Theatre and Film in Hollywood.

Passionate about enriching Chattanooga's cultural landscape, Blake returned to Chattanooga in the summers and founded Obvious Dad to expand access to professional, diverse, and impactful performances, quickly cultivating a dedicated following. Concurrently, he earned an MA in Arts Administration from Rowan University, strengthening his arts leadership and entrepreneurship skills. His artistic directing experience totals over a decade. He served as the founding artistic director of the former Chattanooga-based Theatre for the New South and is currently the artistic director of the Bobby Biron Theatre Program at Salisbury University, where he is also an assistant professor of theatre performance. Blake’s theatre education specializes in directing, analysis, devised theatre, arts entrepreneurship, and gender + theatre. His extensive teaching and directing portfolio includes UTC, Lee Strasberg Institute (Los Angeles), The University of New Mexico, and Chattanooga State. He is an alumnus of ArtsBuild’s Holmberg Arts Leadership Institute and The Company Lab (Co.Lab).