BOARD

The WSF Board of Directors continues to work to secure the company’s professional and financial future.

Christopher L. Campbell, President, Technical Director (Baker, Manock & Jensen, Attorneys at Law)

Tori Lichti, Board Member, Treasurer

Rene Newlove, Board Member, Social Media and Publicity 

Renee provides general production oversight as well as developing marketing opportunities and managing the company’s social media efforts.Renee has worked with the Woodward Shakespeare Festival off and on since the first season. She has acted in numerous productions (Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, Richard III, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)) as well as helped with set and costume design. She has performed with  numerous other local companies and was a producer of the Rogue Festival.

Darcy VillereBoard Member, Secretary & Webmaster (J&J Farms)

Charles WestBoard Member, Education Outreach

 

COMPANY

Casey Ballard, Artistic Director/Production Team Member 
Celeste works as the company’s principal costumer and costume consultant.

Ballard holds a B.A. in Theater Arts and has worked as an actor for 20 years. After an 8 year adventure as a Costume Designer for theater companies in Portland, OR, Ballard returned home to Fresno. She has worked with the festival in previous years, as well as with the Good Company Players and the Selma Theater Arts Center. It is her hope to continue to grow the talent in and around Fresno, CA while offering professional level, free theater to the community.

 

Julia Reimer, Artistic Advisor / Education & Outreach YES! Project Director
Julia developed and leads WSF’s primary outreach effort, The YES! Project. She also advises on artistic and production matters.

Julia is currently on the faculty at Fresno Pacific University, where she chairs the Theater department, teaches and directs. Areas of expertise are Performance Studies (PhD) and Applied Theater (MA). She is a founding member of the WSF Board.

 

Celeste Johnston, Artistic Advisor / Costumes 
Celeste works as the company’s principal costumer and costume consultant.

Celeste spent seven years in England studying Renaissance literature  with an emphasis on Shakespeare. It was during a stint at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, studying performance history, that she had the opportunity to costume shows. She has been acting and costuming ever since. Acting credits include Much Ado About Nothing, The Anastasia Trials in the Court of Women, and Hamlet.

 

Richard Adamson, Production Team Member

Richard will soon be celebrating 50 years working on or behind the scenes of the stage as a performer, stage manager, director and designer. He grew up in Visalia and graduated from Pepperdine University with a BA in Vocal Music Performance. Continuing his education in Europe, he earned a graduate degree in Music Theater Direction from the Conservatory of Music and Performing Arts in Hamburg Germany.

Since returning to the Central Valley, he has been active with the Visalia Players, Good Company Players, Woodward Shakespeare Festival, the Fresno International Grand Opera, California Opera Association, the Livermore Valley Opera, the Golden Gate Opera and Opera San Luis Obispo.

In addition to his responsibilities as a member of the Production Team for Woodward, he serves as Resident Stage Director and Technical Director of the California Opera Association, Resident Set Designer and Technical Director of Opera San Luis Obispo and Technical Director of the Golden Gate Opera in Marin.

LEGACIES

Legacies have played a significant role in WSF’s success, but may or may not be directly involved with the current season.

  • Adam Meredith — Performance
  • Anjanette Schmidt — Finance & Logistics
  • Ann Vermel — Aesthetics, Performance
  • Brooke Aiello — Costume, Education, Performance
  • Debora Crockett Bolen — Costume, Hair, Makeup
  • Gabriela Lawson — Performance, Production
  • Jennifer Hurd-Peterson — Performance
  • Manny Jacquez — Dramaturgy
  • Michael Peterson — Design, Performance, Production

PARTNERS

  • City of Fresno, PARCS Department
  • California Arts Academy
  • Fresno Pacific University
  • Fresno County Public Library