Jemma Alix Levy (Director, 2^nd Season) is an Associate Professor of Theater at Washington and Lee University.  She has directed nationally and internationally for over 20 years, including critically acclaimed productions in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and Illinois, where she spent ten years as Artistic Director of Muse of Fire Theatre Company. Jemma received her Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College, then graduated from The Juilliard School's directing program, where she studied with JoAnne Akalaitis, Michael Kahn, and Garland Wright.  She also earned a Master’s degree in Humanities from the University of Chicago, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University’s program in association with the American Shakespeare Center. Recent directing work includes a multi-media production of Natsu Onoda Power’s kamishibai adaptation of Thumbelina, Moliere’s Tartuffe at Prague Shakespeare Company, and Miss Holmes at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.  Jemma is also a playwright, and has written two Shakespearean adaptations: Queen Margaret, from the Henry VI tetralogy and Richard III; and Believe None of Us, from Hamlet.  She also adapted Lope de Vega’s Fuenteovejuna, and "Jenny Aloo," a short story by two-time National Book Award nominee Howard Norman.  Before joining the faculty at Washington and Lee, Jemma taught at Webster University's Conservatory of Theater Arts, Wabash College, Roosevelt University Chicago College for the Performing Arts, Mary Baldwin College, and The Brearley School.

Jemma directed Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's 2019 production of Miss Holmes

Design Sponsor:

Pete and Ginger Strange

Season Sponsors:

Kate Hamill (Playwright) is an actor/playwright. Wall Street Journal’s Playwright of the Year, 2017. Her work includes her play Sense and Sensibility (in which she originated the role of Marianne)—Winner, Off-Broadway Alliance Award 2016; Nominee, Drama League Award; 265+ performances off-Broadway. Other plays include Vanity Fair at the Pearl Theatre (in which she originated the role of Becky Sharp; Nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award 2017), Pride and Prejudice at Primary Stages and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (originated the role of Lizzy Bennet; Nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award). Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, at A.R.T., Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Dallas Theater Center, PlayMaker’s Rep, Folger Theatre (8 Helen Hayes Award nominations; Winner, best production—S&S), Arvada Center and others; upcoming productions at Shakespeare Theatre of DC, A.C.T., Trinity Rep, Portland Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Kansas City Rep, Dorset Theatre Festival and more. Upcoming world premieres: Little Women at the Jungle Theater and Primary Stages; Mansfield Park at Northlight Theatre. She is currently working on new adaptations of “The Odyssey” and “The Scarlet Letter,” as well as several new original plays (Prostitute Play, In the Mines, Love Poem). Kate was one of the top 20 most-produced playwrights in the country this season. www.kate-hamill.com

Kate Hamill was the playwright of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's 2020 and 2022 productions of Pride and Prejudice