Beth Henley

Beth Henley is the President's Professor of Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), renowned for her Pulitzer Prize-winning play Crimes of the Heart (1981) and its Academy Award-nominated film adaptation. She joined LMU in 2005, drawn to its emphasis on social justice and its nationally ranked Theatre Arts program. Henley teaches courses like Playwriting and The Creative Process, emphasizing an experimental, collaborative approach to foster creativity and resilience in students.

Her work explores themes of family, loneliness, and human connection, influenced by playwrights such as Tennessee Williams and Samuel Beckett. She has mentored students who performed her works in LMU’s Strub Theatre, including Crimes of the Heart (2013) and Laugh (2018). Henley’s accolades include a Tony nomination and an Oscar nomination, alongside her Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award.

She advocates for perseverance in creative endeavors, urging writers to complete projects despite challenges. Her teaching philosophy embraces failure as a learning tool, encouraging students to take risks to achieve deeper understanding.