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How it all started

A smiling man wearing glasses and a gray shirt, sitting next to a smiling woman with curly hair wearing a black top and a necklace.

Rebecca & Roy realized early on in their friendship that they had a shared love of theatre despite coming from very different creative backgrounds. At the time they met, Rebecca was getting her Yoga Teacher Training certification and trying to figure out how to combine her more traditional acting background with her yoga teachings to create more sustainable theatre. Roy, on the other hand, was coming from comedy and sketch scenes as a writer and director and was seeking a creative community in the theatre world that lasted beyond individual productions.

Rebecca and Roy gravitated toward shows with small casts where the characters felt like real people discussing topics that were challenging but honest. After working together on a play where Roy wrote and directed, and Rebecca performed, they realized they also liked to create theatre in the same way - with care and attention to the artist's well-being throughout the process. They combined forces to bring their unique skills together to create a theatre company based on mindfulness, community, sustainability, and theatre that reflects our shared humanity.

Dirty Gold creates dynamic, provocative, character-based theatre that comments on contemporary society and our shared humanity. We foster a diverse community of artists by providing opportunities for exploration and development. We infuse every aspect of our creative process with a unique focus on mindfulness and the well-being of our artists, resulting in sustainable, intentional, and elevated theatre.

The word "MISSION" in handwritten brown font on a white background.
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Supporting the mental and physical well-being of our artists.

Building a community of artists who learn and grow with one another.

Creating a healthy balance between being playful and productive.

Facilitating affordable and accessible art.

Fostering diversity in all realms; all voices are welcome and encouraged.

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Meet the Founders

  • Rebecca Greaves (she/her)

    Co-Founder & Executive Director

    Rebecca Greaves is a queer theatre artist and yoga teacher originally from Massachusetts. She holds a BA in Theatre Performance and an MA in English Literature from Tulane University, where she began cultivating a practice that blends embodied presence with storytelling. Rebecca spent a decade deeply rooted in the New Orleans theatre community before relocating to Austin, TX. Certified through Practice Yoga Austin, she has spent several years integrating her yoga and theatre training to support a more sustainable, mindful approach to performance. She is focused on creating provocative, heart-centered work that prioritizes artist well-being and community connection.

    Email: rebecca@dirtygoldtheatre.com

  • Roy Lazorwitz (he/him)

    Co-Founder & Artistic Director

    Roy Lazorwitz was born and raised in the great state of New Jersey and dropped out of community college twice before moving to Astoria, Queens to pursue the life of a starving artist. Since that time he has gotten the chance to write, direct, produce and perform across many different mediums. Ingraining himself into the comedy scenes of New York, Boston and Austin with a specialization in storytelling, sketch comedy, and variety. Roy has always focused on building strong collaborative communities and the punk ethos of anything worth doing is worth doing yourself.

    Email: roy@dirtygoldtheatre.com

Meet the company

  • Julius Alums (he/him)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Julius has been acting for around seven years starting his early training with The New Movement, currently known as The Fallout theater. He performed as an improv and stand up comedian also lending his talents to the dinner improv theater show, Dinner Detective. Julius started theater with the children’s theater company, Pollyanna Theater. Julius has worked in Austin theater since and has garnered positive reviews and earned a Iden Payne award nomination in 2020. Julius loves to please his audience with laughter and in depth portrayals of the many characters he’s brought to life and is happy to partner with Dirty Gold theater to continue the fun.

  • SJ Anderson (they/them)

    SJ is a graphic designer and theatre lover from Austin, Texas and based in Portland, Oregon. They like to conspire with others on how to champion creativity and passion for the arts, with heart and humanity at the center. Drawn to the punks, artists, and DIY-ers of the world, SJ helps others make their visions come to life. They are honored to be part of Dirty Gold Theatre. Let’s make something joyful and chaotic and real, baby!

    (See more of SJ’s work at artsharecollective.com/sj-anderson)

  • Julia Bennett (any pronouns)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Julia Bennett is an actor, artist, and writer who finds value in exploring a wide variety of mediums and forms, and in learning how those forms feed into each other in surprising ways. Fueled by collaboration, experimentation, and playfulness, they are incredibly excited to bring their deep love of - and interest in - out-of-the-box theatre works to the Dirty Gold team. They have worked with several theatre companies in Austin, including the Filigree Theatre and ACC Drama, and have also co-created experimental performance projects solo and with friends. Say hi at juliabennett.conline!

  • Jamie Davidian (she/her)

    ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

    Jamie Davidian is originally from Boston but currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. After graduating from Tulane Law School in 2020, she’s been practicing law as a capital markets associate at a firm in Manhattan. Jamie has always been a fan of the arts, dating back to her participation in middle school plays and dance recitals. She is excited about the vision for this company and is honored to be a member of the board.

  • Jacob Foster (he/him)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Jacob is a scenic artist, set designer, and when needed a carpenter. He feels that our calling to art is as natural as the seasons, and to embrace art is to embrace the natural world.

    Jacob is thrilled to be a part of the DG company! 

  • Cynthia Gage (she/they)

    ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

    Cynthia Gage believes in the magic of creativity, education, and joy. She is an Austin native and has been involved in the arts her whole life. She received a BA in Radio/Television/Film Production and a BA in History from the University of North Texas. They also hold a MA in History from Baylor University. She is grateful to be a part of this artistic and caring community.

  • Hayden Hartrick (he/they)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Hayden is an Actor, Comedian, and Writer. He graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s in Theatre with a Film Concentration. He values bringing a silly heart and soul with him as he preforms in plays, sketches, clown, and improvised musicals.

  • Joe Kelley (he/him)

    TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

    Joe Kelley is an Austin resident with a passion for collaboration and storytelling. He has been active in the Austin performing arts community since 2014 as a designer, educator, scenic artist, director, technician and performer with local companies including: Pollyanna Theatre Co., The Archive Theatre, Summer Stock Austin, Bottle Alley Theatre Co., and ACC Drama. 

  • Lianna Patch (she/her)

    ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

    Lianna Patch is a conversion copywriter and casual comedian whose greatest dream is to make customers pause, smile, and click (in that order). She’s written for Freshbooks, Igloo, Manly Bands, Loop Returns, Flaviar, and ProductHype, and regularly speaks at ecommerce and software conferences around the world, even when they ask her not to.

  • Trace Turner (he/they)

    ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

    Trace Turner is a multi-disciplinary queer storyteller originally from Austin, TX. Trace holds a degree in Directing from the Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University. Trace works as a free-lance director, intimacy professional, actor, and writer. Their style has been described as a blend between the fantastical and naturalistic. They work primarily to help support imaginative and exciting new work.

  • Louie Sanchez (he/him)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Louie Sanchez is a writer in Austin, TX. He has written and performed in the Austin sketch comedy community since 2015. Louie's critical writing includes a volume for the acclaimed 33 1/3 book series and reviews of TV and comedy for Slant Magazine.

  • Luis Sandoval (he/him)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Luis Sandoval is a lighting designer, writer and actor who graduated from Southwestern University with a BA in Theatre (Design and Performance emphasis) and a Minor in Psychology. He has worked in the Austin area for 5 years with various companies and is proud to have found a home with Dirty Gold Theatre. His focus is to bring the themes of a show out through lighting and performance to immerse the audience in an authentic experience. Lives should be full of experiences and theatre is one. 

  • Meret Slover (She/her)

    COMPANY MEMBER

    Meret Slover is a lifelong theatre-lover and sometimes theatre-maker, working onstage as a performer and offstage as a writer and director. By day, Meret works in education administration as the Assistant Director of a preschool and child development center. She is a devout believer in community theatre's power to forge meaning and connection, even in the bleakest landscape.