Georgia Shakespeare Hires New Managing Director

**Updated 4:22 p.m.**

's new managing director began her first official day Monday and is on her way to help usher the more than two-decade-old organization out of it's .

Lauren Morris, who resigned in October as executive director of the Long Beach Playhouse in California to work with Georgia Shakespeare, made her official last day of work there Nov. 5.

Morris told the Long Beach Post that the decision to leave the playhouse was "a difficult decision when so many wonderful things are happening."

In California, Morris helped lead a major artistic and financial turnaround of the revered 82 year-old organization, according to Georgia Shakespeare's announcement on Facebook. The decision to hire a managing director was to help Georgia Shakespeare overcome similar challenges following an announcement by co-founder Richard Garner that the theatre company would close if it didn't meet its fundraising goal. Georgia Shakespeare has since raised $380,000 of the half million dollar goal it set for this year's end -  an accomplishment that allowed the organization to hire Morris."

"I’m thrilled she is here," said Richard Garner, producing artistic director. "She has the perfect balance of financial skills and people skills to be a dynamic administrative leader for us, and I’m looking forward to working in partnership with her to take Georgia Shakespeare in exciting new directions as we move forward."

Morris has an undergraduate degree in theater from Indiana State University and worked as a theater artist and manager in Indianapolis before receiving an MBA and MFA in theater management from Cal State Long Beach.

David Haberbush, president of the Playhouse Board of Directors referred to Morris' leadership as "outstanding" and that the organization would miss her.