Nancy VanReece (Executive Director) in 2007, Ms VanReece became Nashville Shakespeare Festivals first Executive Director. She had a successful eight and half year career in entertainment, corporate and healthcare licensing for the world’s largest performing rights agency, Broadcast Music Inc (BMI). She brought a total of twenty-five years experience in sales, marketing, promotion and business development. She has also successfully lobbied public officials for fairness on the federal, state and local levels. She was the president of an independent advertising agency for eight years as well as a successful personal recording artist and record producer manager for nine years. VanReece has won awards of excellence in print magazine advertising and has been named as one of 2,000 Notable American Women (1995) as well as being listed in the International Who's Who of Professional and Business Women (1993). She was also nominated as Cashbox Magazine's Promoter of the Year (1989). Ms. VanReece moved to Nashville in 1986 after college at Baylor University where she studied radio/TV and communications. She has served the Nashville artistic community in a variety of ways. She is a painter and published author. She was president of the board of directors for People’s Branch Theater 2004-2006 and now serves on the board of directors for The Nashville Film Festival and on the Community Advisory Board for the Women’s & Gender Studies department at Vanderbilt University.
Denice Hicks (Artistic Director) In 2005, Ms. Hicks returned to Nashville Shakespeare Festival as Artistic Director, a position she held from 1998-2002. During that time she directed Twelfth Night, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Shakespeare in the Park and numerous touring shows as well as initiating the Apprentice Company training program for teens. Ms. Hicks was a member of the original Artistic Company of the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, and in 1990 co-founded Nashville’s Darkhorse Theater. Her work has been praised by the Tennessean, Nashville City Search and The City Paper, and has received “Best Actor” and “Best Director” awards from each of those publications. A teaching artist for the Nashville Institute for the Arts, the Leonard Bernstein Center and TPAC Education since 1994, she continues to act and direct for regional professional companies such as, People’s Branch Theatre, Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theater, Tennessee Rep, Dollywood, and the Nashville Children’s Theatre.
Robert Marigza (Operations Manager) first became involved with The Nashville Shakespeare Festival as a cast member in the 1994 Shakespeare in the Park production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Over the last twelve years, he has variously served the Festival as actor, stage manager, technical director, crew, production assistant, teacher, and volunteer. In the summer of 2005, he was appointed Interim Managing Director for the company. As a professional actor, Mr. Marigza has worked with Nashville Children’s Theatre, Mockingbird Theatre, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, People’s Branch Theatre, Actors’ Bridge Ensemble, and Broadaxe Theatre, as well as in commercials and independent films. As a teacher, he has taught Shakespeare and Creative Drama at Nashville Children’s Theatre. Robert received training at Shakespeare & Company and Mary Washington College.
 Claire Syler (Education Director) received a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Missouri and a M.F.A. in Directing from the University of Memphis. As an educator, Ms. Syler is an adjunct professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance at Belmont University. Additionally, she is a teaching artist for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the Nashville Children’s Theatre. An actress and director, Ms. Syler’s professional credits include the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, People’s Branch Theatre, Green Room Projects, Playhouse on the Square, Missouri Repertory Theatre, and the Huron Playhouse. Most recently, she directed THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA as part of The Nashville Shakespeare Festival's 20th season of Shakespeare in the Park.
|
|
|
