Bruce Miller graduated from the University of Richmond in 1974. In 74-75, he served as Federal Projects Director for Southampton County (VA) Public Schools. He co-founded Theatre IV as Virginia’s first professional children’s theatre in 1975. In 1983, he co-authored and directed Hugs and Kisses, Virginia’s principal child sexual abuse prevention program for the last 38 years. Hugs is produced in partnership with Families Forward and the Virginia Dept. of Social Services. The play has been seen by over 2 million Virginia students K-5 in every school district in the Commonwealth. For 99% of those students, Hugs has served as a prevention program; for approximately 1%, it has been an early intervention program. Over 20,000 Virginia children have disclosed their sexual or physical abuse for the first time after seeing Hugs. Each of those children has subsequently been provided with the help she or he needs to end the abusive situation. In 2001, Bruce became Artistic Director of Barksdale Theatre as well as Theatre IV. In 2002, Bruce’s play Buffalo Soldier became the first professional theatre production to be performed inside the Pentagon, as a morale booster following 9/11. In 2012, Bruce co-led the merger of Theatre IV and Barksdale to form Virginia Repertory Theatre, where he served as Artistic Director until 2016. Today Bruce is a full-time volunteer at Virginia Rep. He has been recognized with the Governor’s Award for the Arts by Gov. Tim Kaine, the Commissioner’s Award from the U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services by Secretary Donna Shalala, the Teresa Pollack Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts, the Excellence in Arts Instruction Award
