Shakespeare By The Sea Festival

About Us

 

Shakespeare By The Sea Festival Inc., a community-based, charitable organization, produces and promotes artistic works with a focus on William Shakespeare. Our organization unites seasoned and developing talent and aspires to excel in all aspects of our work.

The Shakespeare By The Sea Festival is the longest running outdoor summer theatre event in the St. John's area and celebrates its 20th season in 2012.

Since 1993, the Shakespeare By The Sea Festival has been performing the works of that famous Bard all around the St. John's area – from the cliff-top meadows of Logy Bay to the historic World War Two bunkers at Cape Spear – from the cobblestoned courtyard of the Murray Premises to the lush landscapes of Bowring Park. Since that time, the Festival has grown into a much-anticipated annual event.

Shakespeare By The Sea Festival Inc. is a registered charity (No. 891781841RR0001) with the Canada Revenue Agency and is a member of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of America.

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Jennifer Deon | Chair & Artistic Director
Jenn is an accredited business communicator who works with Memorial University’s School of Pharmacy. She has been involved in the local arts community for many years as an artist, administrator and fundraiser. Jenn has operated as the volunteer Artistic Director of the Festival since 1995 and has directed many of its productions over the years.    

Chris Hibbs | Vice-Chair
Chris is the International Student Recruitment Officer with Memorial University. A long-time on-stage participant with the Festival, Chris is also an avid freelance photographer who has photographed many Festival productions over the years. Chris' play, The Curious Case in the Colony: A Sherlock Holmes Adventure was a 19th Season Festival production at the Newman Wine Vaults, PHS.

Jean Graham
Jean is a local writer and editor. She was President of the Human Rights Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and is currently employed as communications director with the Provincial NDP Caucus. Jean has performed in several Festival productions over the years.

Chris Martin
Chris currently works as an Historic Sites Officer with the Provincial Historic Sites. He graduated from Memorial University with a Masters in History and has written on the Newfoundland Regiment during the First World War. His past involvement with the company has been as an actor in the mid 90's and again in 2011.

Erin Maxwell | Secretary
Erin hold a Master of Arts in English from Memorial University, with a focus in Modern Drama and Playwriting. In 2011, she was selected to participate in Statoil Young Canada Playwrights Series for her play One Hundred Days. Currently, she is a student of the MUN Performance and Communications Media Diploma Program. Erin was the Production Assistant for the Festival's 19th Season.

Cliff Roberts
Cliff has worked in the telecommunications sector for over 25 years and is currently the local Branch Manager for Dramis Network Cabling. He is a member in good standing with the St. John’s Board of Trade, the Newfoundland Offshore Industries Association (NOIA), and the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries (NATI), where he sits as a member of the Board of Directors.  Cliff is also an aspiring writer and long time Festival attendee and admirer.

Nicole Rousseau | Artistic Associate
Nicole has been Artistic Associate with RCA Theatre since 2008. She is a graduate of the acting program at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College and a past recipient of the Rhonda Payne Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council. She has performed with several local theatre companies (c2c, Artistic Fraud, Open Actors Studio, She Said Yes!). Nicole's directorial credits include: Eli and the Death Curse (Bare Boards), Momentum (c2c / MUN) Troilus and Cressida (SBTS Festival 2010).

Dave Walsh | Treasurer
Dave is a graduate of Memorial University and has worked and volunteered in many aspects of theatre over the years. He is a former Tour Manager with Rising Tide Theatre and a former Operations Manager with the Resource Centre for the Arts. He is currently a junior high school teacher with the Avalon East School Board.

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