Dale Franzen has over 40 years of experience in the creative arts industry as an Opera Singer, Artistic Director, Award Winning Producer, Educator, Mentor, and Creative Consultant.
Dale Franzen (Right) as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel at LA Opera
Dale started her career as a classically trained soprano in both musical theater, operetta, and opera working with icons like Frederica Von Stade, Placido Domingo, Jonathan Miller, and Sir Peter Hall to name a few.
After over 20 years as a singer, Dale's career took a surprising and wonderful turn as she was asked to create a performing arts center in Santa Monica, California to serve the community. Dale raised over $123-million dollars to build and run The Broad Stage. Dale served as its Founding Director for 17 years and Founding Artistic Director for 7 seasons. The Broad Stage is a 541-seat house that allows for an intimate connection between the artists on stage and the audience. The Broad Stage hosts artists in theater, dance, film, opera, jazz, world music, symphony and chamber orchestras, and family programming. During Dale’s time as the Founding Artistic Director, Dale consistently brought in renowned performers including Juan Diego Florez, Joyce DiDonato, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Kelli O'Hara, Alan Cummings, Kyle Abraham, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Patti LuPone, Diavolo and Bill T. Jones Dance Companies, and Shakespeare's Globe to name a few. Dale ensured that educational and community outreach was just as important to the mission of the theater as hosting esteemed artists and launched extensive educational programming serving the lifelong community of Santa Monica. The Broad Stage gives cultural exposure to the Santa Monica community through various mediums like student events and reaches over 20,000 community members every year.
Dale (right of center) with the Hadestown Team during the acceptance speech for Best Musical at the 2019 Tony Awards
In 2012, Dale’s career took another exciting turn when she decided to develop a new musical written by Anaïs Mitchell titled Hadestown off of her concept album with funding from The Broad Stage. In 2015, she teamed up with Mara Isaacs/Octopus Theatricals to continue the development of this new musical. Hadestown had its world and Off-Broadway premiere at New York Theatre Workshop in 2016, which played to sold-out houses and the run was extended twice. In Fall 2017, the original live cast album was released leading up to the Canadian premiere of Hadestown at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre. After a successful Canadian run, Hadestown hopped over the pond to London’s National Theatre in November 2018 before announcing its return to New York City, but this time on Broadway. Hadestown opened on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on April 17, 2019. Hadestown has won multiple awards including 8 Tony Awards and a Grammy Award for the Original Broadway Cast Album that debuted in July 2019. Hadestown reopened on Broadway on September 2nd, 2021 after the Covid-19 shutdown. Hadestown launched a North American National Tour and an international production in South Korea in Fall 2021.
Dale Franzen with Neil Patrick Harris and Helen Hunt
Dale is a co-producer on several Broadway and Off-Broadway production since Hadestown including New York New York: A New Musical, Prima Facie, and For Colored Girls. In addition, Dale is the Executive Producer of the documentary film One Person, One Vote that examines the history of the Electoral College and unpacks its complexity with a particular focus on the role of slavery and race. She is also an Executive Producer and consulting on several other documentary films and working on her first featured film.
Dale is a frequent guest lecturer and strategic mentor to non-profits and artists. She has worked with hundreds of performers, non-performers, non-profits, and artists through classes, retreats, consulting, and one-on-ones. Dale thoroughly enjoys working with emerging arts leaders to help mentor them to kickstarting their careers in the arts sector. She has been a lecturer for many colleges and universities like Berklee School of Music in Valencia, Spain, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), University of Southern Carolina (USC), California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), and University of La Verne.
Dale has served on various boards including Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Broad Stage, and is a member of the Trusteeship, which is a founding affiliate of the International Women’s Forum and serves on its membership committee. She has also served as a member of the advisory committee for the World Sacred Music Festival LA; as a judge at the prestigious Julian Gayarre (Jose Carerras) International Vocal Competition in Pamplona, Spain; and on the Education Commission of the States of Arkansas’ initiative “The Arts – A Lifetime of Learning”. Dale was deeply honored to be appointed to the Board of Library Commissioners for the City of Los Angeles by Mayor Eric Garcetti.
In May 2019, Dale was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from Count Basie Center for the Arts. Dale has a Masters in Music from CalArts and also attended Stanford University's Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders in the Arts.
Dale splits her time between Los Angeles and a tropical island with her husband of 40 years and the proud mom of 3 children. In her spare time, Dale enjoys open water swimming, gardening, and being with her friends and family.
“Dale Franzen is a powerhouse, a woman of great vision and passion, a problem-solver of the first rank, that awesome combination of artist and entrepreneur. In short, like immigrants, she gets the job done.”
“Dale has lovingly challenged me to do my best work for years now. Her passion and follow-through are contagious! ”
“Having elegantly worn the three cornered hat of producer, administrator, and most importantly, performing artist, Dale is that rare creature who instinctively understands almost every facet of how a show works and eventually, relieved, one can hang their own hat on the unique perspective she has to offer. Plus she’s a lot of fun.”
“Dale Franzen is a creative powerhouse and natural connector of people. She brims with warmth and brings joy into every room. It has been a pleasure to serve the city of Los Angeles alongside her on the library board.”