Claire Kelly Named Artistic Director of Shakespeare on the Sound

Claire Shannon Kelly of New Canaan has been named artistic director of Shakespeare on the Sound which concluded its 20th season in Rowayton's Pinkney Park June 28 with 16-night run of "All's Well That Ends Well."

Kelly has been associated with nonprofit theater as director of education and artistic associate and directed the theater's two previous productions, "Two Gentlemen of Verona" in 2014 and "As You Like It" in 2013.

Her appointment was announced from the stage by Cherie Burton, the president of Shakespeare on the Sound who also disclosed that Steven Yuhasz of East Berne, NY has resigned after four seasons as executive director and the function is to be filled as part of an administrative restructuring.

"Steven has assembled a stellar team," Burton said, "and we expect to keep that team together."

Kelly is reviewing Shakespeare's inimitable palette of dramatic masterpieces that have shaped the English language-reminding us what it is to be human-and plans an announcement in early September designating the play selection for June of 2016.

"Over the past three years we have worked with some incredible actors, many of whom have become audience favorites," she said. "We will continue to work with them and will welcome new actors to our family. We will also continue to have auditions in Connecticut as well as New York."

Kelly is a yoga teacher and mother of two whose daughter Beatrice, 10, was named after a character in Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing." The family also has a dog named Ophelia and a turtle named Romeo.

As director of youth programing and touring education, Kelly committed herself to "empowering the creative self-expression" of her students. She helped develop the anti-bullying workshops called "Speaking Daggers" and collaborated with Emily Bryan to create "Let's Play Shakespeare" for schools.

She says: "We intend to expand our education offerings and apprentice company which has been a huge success. We have worked with incredibly talented emerging artists over the years. In fact, many of our former apprentices have returned to Shakespeare on the Sound as professionals."

As a performer, director producer and in arts management over the years Kelly has previously worked with the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, The Ordway Music Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, MN, the Shakespeare Theater in Madison, NJ, New York's Roundabout Theater and the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ. She was also director of drama at Proctor Academy in Andover, NH.

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