Kingdom of Animals

BARRY SMOOT is an Artistic Associate of the landmark Paramount Theatre in Abilene, Texas and the Festival Director of the 24fps International Short Film Festival. He is a writer, director and designer for theatre, digital media, and film. He was born in Childress, Texas and grew up in the Austin, Texas area. He attended Abilene Christian University before interning with Manhattan Theatre Club at City Center in New York City, as well as PBS (NYC) where he worked on the documentation of the Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays. He was the Artistic Director of Historic Paramount Theatre, Inc., from 1992 to 2020.

His play, Revelations, was a finalist i the Del Shores Foundation Writers search for 2023.

His stage directing credits for Paramount Productions include A Grand Night for Singing, Hello, Dolly!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Big River, Jekyll & Hyde, The Producers, The Drowsy Chaperone, Parade, Young Frankenstein, Bonnie & Clyde, Les Miserables, Into the Woods, The Robber Bridegroom, August: Osage County, Fiddler on the Roof, Pippin, Our Town, Newsies, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. For the Paramount he has also directed the US Regional Premieres of Adam Guettel's Myths and Hymns and Frank Wildhorn's The Civil War, as well as the World Premiere of A Texas Christmas Carol. In February 2018 he directed an immersive theatre production of Peter and the Starcatcher at THE MILL Wine Bar and Event Center in their warehouse space.

His other theatre credits include Music Direction of the US Regional Premiere of Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins (directed by Lisa Lawrence Walker) and direction of the Festival of New American Musicals workshop and premiere of Brock Walsh's Bullies. On the University level he has directed West Side Story, Diamond Studs, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Parade, And the World Goes Round, Reckless (McMurry University), and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Three Birds Alighting on a Field, and A Feast of Snacks (Hardin Simmons University).

Barry is a lighting and projection designer for the theatre as well, and his design credits include Carmen, La Boheme, Tosca, La Traviata, The Girl of the Golden West, The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovani, Pump Boys and Dinettes, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Floyd Collins, The Secret Garden, A Little Night Music, The Music Man, Annie, Les Miserables, Ragtime, Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Myths and Hymns, The Civil War, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jekyll & Hyde, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, A Texas Christmas Carol, The Producers, Parade, Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, Shrek: The Musical, Guys & Dolls, The Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein, Bonnie & Clyde, Into the Woods, August: Osage County, Fiddler on the Roof, Pippin, Our Town, NEWSIES, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. He has designed lighting for Paramount Productions, Chameleon Performing Arts Company, The Abilene Opera Association, Abilene Ballet Theatre, McMurry University, Abilene Christian University, and Hardin Simmons University.

His work in film and digital media includes web design and video design and editing. He founded the 24fps International Short Film Festival, now in its 24th year, which was recently named one of the Top Ten Short Film Festivals in North America. Its unique and challenging competition programs are widely recognized as some on the best in the world. Past 24fps Jury Prize winners have gone on to receive major awards at Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca, SXSW and Cannes.

Barry's writing credits include work for Paramount Productions, Young Audiences (the National Arts in Education program), Playmakers (Baton Rouge, LA), and The National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. In addition to A Texas Christmas Carol, he is the author of three additional plays--Revelations, Kingdom of Animals, and Daniel.

He is a longtime member, partner, and advocate of Amnesty International. AI is a global movement of people fighting injustice and promoting human rights. For more information, visit http://www.amnesty.org.