Kevin served as the Artistic Director of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival from 2012-2017, producing vibrant, theatrical productions of Shakespeare’s plays including an original practices production of Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet starring Deborah Staples in the title role. He launched a new work initiative, leading to productions such as Failure: A Love Story by Philip Dawkins, Love's Labor's Won by Scott Kaiser, and a hip-hop adaptation of Two Gentlemen of Verona, Q Gents, by the internationally-acclaimed Q Brothers. He also co-created a new Halloween tradition, ShakesFEAR, with director Andy Park.
Additionally, his series of 45-minute adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, The Billy Shakespeare Project, was a centerpiece of the ISF Touring Company, playing for over 5,000 students in Central Illinois between 2013-2017. Kevin helped redesign the MFA Acting program at Illinois State University, creating a deeper connection to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and incorporating a unique focus on civic engagement. To this end, he brought in grant-funded guest artists from such community-based companies as Roadside Theatre, the Civilians, and Shakespeare Behind Bars to share their methodologies with his students, which they used in the development of original work in conjunction with civic partners such as YouthBuild, Friends Forever, and the Cancer Community Center.
Additionally, his series of 45-minute adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays, The Billy Shakespeare Project, was a centerpiece of the ISF Touring Company, playing for over 5,000 students in Central Illinois between 2013-2017. Kevin helped redesign the MFA Acting program at Illinois State University, creating a deeper connection to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and incorporating a unique focus on civic engagement. To this end, he brought in grant-funded guest artists from such community-based companies as Roadside Theatre, the Civilians, and Shakespeare Behind Bars to share their methodologies with his students, which they used in the development of original work in conjunction with civic partners such as YouthBuild, Friends Forever, and the Cancer Community Center.
2017
Previous Seasons
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2016 Season:
Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. Peter and the Starcatcher, by Rick Elise. Theatre for Young Audiences production: Rodeo, by Philip Dawkins. Special Event: The Improvised Shakespeare Company. 2015 Season: Love’s Labour’s Lost, by William Shakespeare. Richard II, by William Shakespeare. Q Gents, by the Q Brothers. Regional premiere. Love’s Labor’s Won, by Scott Kaiser. World premiere. Theatre for Young Audiences production: As You Like It, abridged by Kevin Rich. Special Event: The Improvised Shakespeare Company. 2014 Season: Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare. Antony and Cleopatra, by William Shakespeare. Elizabeth Rex, by Timothy Findley. Theatre for Young Audiences production: Shake Your Shakespeare, by Nancy Steele Brokaw. Special Event: The Improvised Shakespeare Company. 2013 Season: Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare. Macbeth, by William Shakespeare. Failure, A Love Story, by Philip Dawkins. Theatre for Young Audiences production: Magical Mind of Billy Shakespeare, by Kevin Rich. Special Event: The Improvised Shakespeare Company. |
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