Henry V Show Synopsis

HENRY V is set in England in the years 1413-1420. The political situation in England is tense: Several bitter civil wars have left the people of England restless and dissatisfied, and to gain the respect of the English people and the court, Henry must live down his wild adolescent past.

Henry lays claim to certain parts of France, based on his distant roots in the French royal family and on a very technical interpretation of ancient land laws. When the young prince, or Dauphin, of France sends Henry an insulting message in response to these claims, Henry decides to invade France. Supported by the English noblemen and clergy, Henry gathers his troops for war.

Henry’s decision to invade France trickles down to affect the common people he rules. In the Boar’s Head Tavern in Eastcheap, some of the king’s former friends—Pistol, Nim and Bardolph, whom he rejected when he rose to the throne—prepare to leave their homes and families. As they prepare for the war, they remark on the death of Falstaff, the elderly knight who was once King Henry’s closest friend.

The English sail for France, where they fight their way across the country. Against incredible odds, they continue to win after conquering the town of Harfleur, where Henry gives an impassioned speech to motivate his soldiers to victory. As the English advance, Nim and Bardolph are caught looting and are hanged at King Henry’s command.

The climax of the war comes at the famous Battle of Agincourt, at which the English are outnumbered by the French five to one. The night before the battle, King Henry disguises himself as a common soldier and talks to many of the soldiers in his camp, learning who they are and what they think of the great battle in which they have been swept up. When he is by himself, he laments his ever-present responsibilities as king.

The battle is fought the following morning, St. Crispin’s Day and the result is extraordinary. . .

Samuel Adams (King Henry V) is making his CSC debut. DC Theater: Mozart in Amadeus (Folger Theater), As You Like It (dir. Aaron Posner), Henry 60 (dir. Dody DiSanto) with the Academy for Classical Acting. NYC Theater: Hamlet (Kraine Theater), Leni & Joseph (New Ohio Theater), The Bacchae (Miller Theater), Summer & Smoke (Theater Row). Regional Theater: Midsummer Night’s Dream (Walden, MA), Summer I Disappeared (Cambridge, MA), Under Milk Wood. Film/TV: Time After Time (ABC), Mildred Pierce (HBO), Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar Games). Training: MFA from Academy for Classical Acting. Upcoming: Red Velvet at Shakespeare Theater Company, June 2022. Youtube: The Unweeded Garden.

Ian Charles (Nym, Duke of Bedford, Williams, others) is returning to CSC after having previously appeared in Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth Matinees (2018 and 2019), Macbeth[Movable](2019). His regional credits include: Henry VI, King Lear, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Twelfth Night (American Shakespeare Center); Meet Me In St. Louis, Bright Star, Grumpy Old Men (Riverside Center for the Arts); Mother Goose (Imagination Stage); I Love A Piano (Heritage Theatre Festival); Spamalot (Short North Stage); Pride And Prejudice, The Miser, Cabaret, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Classic Theatre of Maryland); She Stoops To Conquer (Fells Point Corner Theatre); Little Women (Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre). He received his MLitt/MFA in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University, in partnership with the American Shakespeare Center.

Jonas Connors-Grey (Canterbury, Bardolph, Cambridge, King of France) has worked with CSC since 2012, when he appeared in Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet. Other CSC credits include Richard II, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Richard III, and Measure for Measure. He recently appeared in CSC's 2021 production of A Christmas Carol. Jonas currently teaches at The Odyssey School, in Baltimore County. This one’s for Grampa.

Michael Crowley (Fluellen, Henry IV, Constable, others) is returning to CSC for his sixth production. He appeared with CSC previously in Measure for Measure, Henry IV Parts I and II, Julius Caesar, and Richard III. Additional area credits include The Member of the Wedding and The Farnsworth Invention (1st Stage); The Frederick Douglass Project (Solas Nua); Museum 2040 and Enron (4615 Theatre); Henry IV Parts I and II (Shakespeare Theatre Company); and others. Michael is a proud graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting and the Studio Acting Conservatory.

Terrance Fleming (The Dauphin, Westmorland) is a CSC Company Member and Teaching Artist. He is from Mobile, Alabama, and is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) where he received his BFA in acting. Since moving to Baltimore in 2016 he has worked with many different theatres including Dracula (Chesapeake Shakespeare Company); Twelfth Night and Richard ll (Her Majesty and Sons); Aida the Musical and The Wiz (Artscentric Theatre); Hamlet (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory); and Jerusalem (Fells Point Corner Theatre).

Oz Heiligman (Boy/others) Oz Heiligman is returning for their second show with Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, having previously performed in the 2017 production of The Tempest (Boatswain/Spirit).

DeJeanette Horne (Falstaff, Rambures, Governor of Harfleur, and Gower) is a native Washingtonian, returning to the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company after performing in their 2021 production of The Adventures of Pericles. Other credits include; appearing as Lewis in Blue Door with Perisphere Theater; Mr. M. in My Children! My Africa! with The Washington Stage Guild; Jim Bono in Fences with The Little Theatre of Alexandria; and many others throughout the Baltimore and Washington region.

Bess Kaye (Orléans, Gloucester/Fight Captain) is an actor and fight director in DC and Baltimore. CSC credits include The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mistress Quickly), Macbeth [movable, 2019] (Ross, Witch, Fight Director), and Romeo and Juliet [Matinee, 2020] (Fight Director). Regional credits: Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night (PG County Shakespeare in the Parks); The Giver (Next Stop); Don Juan (Faction of Fools); One Man, Two Guvnors (1^st Stage). Bess holds an MFA in Classical Acting from GWU and is a member of the Society of American Fight Directors. thebesskayescenario.com.

Lesley Malin (Chorus/CSC Producing Executive Director) is a founder of The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and has served as its chief executive since 2003. Her thirty acting credits at CSC include Lady Macbeth (2006, 2007, 2016), Paulina in The Winter’s Tale, Lady Bracknell, Mrs. Fezziwig, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Anne Frank’s mother, the Queens in Richard III and Cymbeline, Titania, and Mrs. Hardcastle in She Stoops To Conquer; previously, she performed in New York.
She managed CSC’s building renovation of an 1886 bank into its award-winning modern Shakespeare playhouse as well as the associated $6.7 million capital campaign. She served for two decades as board vice president at The Lark, a new play development center in New York City, where she was once Managing Director. She was on the Executive Committee of the international Shakespeare Theatre Association for five years and organized its 2017 conference that was held in Baltimore.
She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, NYU’s Arts Management program, The LEADERship Baltimore, and Leadership Howard County.

Morgan Pavey (Katherine, Ely, and others) is making her CSC debut. She holds an MFA from the Shakespeare Theatre Center’s Academy for Classical Acting, where she performed in Man & Superman for Radio (Narrator), Hamlet for Radio (Ophelia), and All’s Well That Ends Well (Lavatch, Diana). Her other credits include, Timon of Athens (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Metamorphoses and A Doll’s House Part 2 (Berkeley Rep), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Marin Shakespeare Company). morganpavey.com.

Dawn Thomas Reidy (Duke of Exeter) previously appeared in CSC's A Raisin in the Sun (2022) and Measure for Measure (2020). She is a CSC Teaching Artist, and a member of CSC's Black Classical Acting Ensemble. Regional credits include The Few, Romeo and Juliet, Danny Boy, The Lady in the Van, and Candy & Dorothy (Unexpected Stage Company); Phaeton (Taffety Punk Theatre Company); Overruled (Washington Stage Guild); and How the Other Half Loves and The Boys Next Door (Brown County Playhouse). She also works with 'Shakespeare For The Young' and is a teaching artist with Everyman Theatre and Baltimore Shakespeare Factory. Dawn holds a BFA in Acting from UMBC and an MFA for Acting at Indiana University.

Sam Richie (Pistol, and others) is making his CSC debut. He is a recent graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting where he played the title role in Cymbeline, Lord Capulet in Romeo & Juliet, and Roebuck Ramsden in Man and Superman. Other credits include Macbeth (Rapid Descent); Henry VI, The Tempest (Do It Live!); The Mermaid Madonna: Tales of A Crisis (Center Stage Theatre). samuelrichie.com.

Teresa Spencer (Nell Quickly, Alice, French Soldier, and Others) previously appeared with CSC in As You Like It (2014). Teresa is a Company Member with Taffety Punk Theatre Company, where she has appeared in Titus Andronicus, Charm, Bloody Poetry, The Tempest, Antigonick, The Fragments of Sappho, and Othello. Other recent credits include Fallen Angels (NextStop); Caucasian Chalk Circle (Constellation); and Still Life with Rocket (Theater Alliance). Teresa is an Assistant Professor of Acting at Towson University and holds an MFA from the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting. Her next production is her baby, due in July. teresaspencer.net.

Ryan Tumulty (Montjoy, Grey, and Others) graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 with a BA in Dramatic Arts. He is making his CSC debut. Credits include: Richard II (Gaunt and Others), Her Majesty & Sons; Flood City (Clive Keltz), Theatre Alliance (HHA Winner, Outstanding Supporting Actor - Helen); The Trial (Multiple Roles), Synetic Theater (HHA Nominee, Outstanding Supporting Actor - Helen); Whipping: or the Football Hamlet (Coach), Long Acre Lea; Brother Mario (Bowser), Flying V Theatre, The Merchant of Venice (Antonio/Launcelot), Faction of Fools; Journey to the West (Pig/Ensemble), Constellation Theater (HHA Nominated, Outstanding Supporting Actor - Helen).

Alec Wild (Director) is Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company's Academy for Classical Acting at George Washington University. He has directed more than 70 productions at theaters across the country, including the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Chautauqua Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theater (San Francisco), Milwaukee Shakespeare, and the Great River Shakespeare Festival, which he cofounded and where he served as Producing Director for eight years. He was artistic director of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and the award-winning Folio Theatre in Chicago. Most recently, he directed Pericles and The Maid's Tragedy for the Academy for Classical Acting at Shakespeare Theatre Company, and the 2013 and 2014 Shakespeare in the Streets projects for the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis. His last film, Whisper, won prizes for Best Film, Best Actress, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Musical Score, and Best Screenplay at the 2015 St. Louis '48 Hour Film Project', and was an official selection for the St. Louis Filmmakers' Showcase and the St. Louis International Film Festival. Alec holds an M.F.A. in directing from the Yale School of drama, and a B.F.A. in acting from the Theatre School at DePaul University.

Séamus Miller (Assistant Director) is a director, filmmaker, and a CSC Company Member, most recently appearing in Measure for Measure (Angelo) and Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Hal). CSC directing credits include Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, and the upcoming production of Much Ado About Nothing. BA: Cornell University, MFA: The Academy for Classical Acting (Shakespeare Theatre Company and George Washington University). seamusactor.com.

Sarah Curnoles (Production Manager) (See Staff Bios)

Jesús López Vargas (Stage Manager) is a stage manager, production manager, director and visual artist. He is one of the founders and directors of MOON Collective (international), the Associate Creative Producer for Transversal Theatre Company (Amsterdam/California), and the Media Coordinator for the New Swan Shakespeare Center (Orange County). Past credits include No Erasure (co-director, Egypt); Curie, Curie (producer, Poland/California); Tomas and the Library Lady (stage manager & associate projections designer, Colorado); When We Watch (co-director & producer, International Web Series). jelopez-stage.com.

Abigail Funk (Rehearsal Stage Manager) is an actor and teaching artist in Baltimore. Previous credits include She Stoops To Conquer and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Chesapeake Shakespeare Company); King Lear in Original Pronunciation, Henry V, and Romeo and Juliet (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory). They have taught the Homeschool Corps for The Studio at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company for the past three years. They also work in the Box Office and as a House Manager for CSC. abigailfunkactor.com.

Dan O’Brien (Scenic Designer/Technical Director) (See Staff Bios)

Kristina Lambdin (Costume Coordinator) (See Staff Bios)

Minjoo Kim (Lighting Designer) Her collective lighting design credits include Water by the Spoonful, Life Sucks, and The Great Leap (Cygnet Theatre); The Royale (KC Rep); The Great Leap (Round House Theatre); The Chief (Pittsburgh Public Theater); One in Two (Diversionary Theatre); Bette Davis Ain't for Sissies (Mile Square Theatre); The Two (Space Owul); Quiet No More (San Diego Women's Chorus); Qulili (The Blindspot); IDEAS-Cetacea (Calit2 Theater, Atkinson Hall); Crimson Girl (Dongsoong Art Center); Die or Not (Seoul Art Space Mullae); Mask on/off (Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre). Her work on Othello was selected in the 'Emerging Artist/Imagination Exhibit' from the USA at Prague Quadrennial in 2019 and Emerging Artist Exhibition of World Stage Design 2022. minjoo-design.com

Caleb Stine (Composer) is a performing songwriter who has released a dozen albums and opened shows for Jason Isbell, Bombino, and Sam Bush.  He also composes film soundtracks and once played Cisco Houston Off-Broadway in Woody Guthrie Dreams. calebstine.com

Kristopher Ingle (Lightboard Operator) is making his CSC debut in Henry V. His previous productions include Macbeth (GW Shakespeare Company), Eurydice (GW Shakespeare Company), and Henry IV Part I (GW Shakespeare Company).

Lisa Beley (Voice and Text Coach) is making her CSC debut. She is Head of Voice and Text at The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington DC., and on faculty with their Academy for Classical Acting. Favorite theatre credits include Julius Caesar, Cherry Orchard, As You Like It, Comedy of Errors, and Pericles (Academy for Classical Acting); Peter Pan and Wendy, Everybody, Hamlet, and The Oresteia (STC). Select film & television credits: The Good Doctor (ABC), Bates Motel (A&E), Alcatraz (Fox), Suckerpunch (Warner Bros.), The 100 (CW); Warcraft (Legendary Pictures), Monster Trucks (Paramount).

Robb Hunter (Fight Director) is a member of SDC, AEA and SAG/AFTRA and has been awarded the title of 'Fight Master' by the Society of American Fight Directors. Mr. Hunter has choreographed for many area theatres including The Shakespeare Theatre (Helen Hayes nomination, Richard III), The Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth (HH award, HIR; nomination, An Octoroon), The Studio Theatre (HH nominations, Red Speedo and The Walworth Farce), Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre and Olney Theatre, to name a few. He is on faculty at The Shakespeare Theatre’s Academy for Classical Acting and Choreographer in Residence at American University.

Hannah Brill (Wardrobe Supervisor) is a costume and lighting designer from Baltimore. She is a graduate of Towson University with a BS in Theatre Design & Production and Metalsmithing & Jewelry. She is the Assistant Costume Shop manager for Towson University’s Department of Theatre Arts. Hannah is returning to CSC as wardrobe manager (Alice In Wonderland, A Winter’s Tale, and Taming of the Shrew). Other recent work includes lighting design for Rachel (Rapid Lemon Productions) and costume design for The First Thing That Happens (Acme Corporation).

Jess Rassp (Props Designer) is a theatre artist whose background in painting and sculpture fuels her work in props, puppetry and scenic design. She has worked with CSC on Dracula, Alice In Wonderland, The Winter’s Tale, Othello and many other productions. She is a member of CSC’s Resident Technical and Design team. Jessrasspdesign.com.

Grace Srinivasan (Resident Music Director) has programmed and arranged the music for CSC productions since 2016. A soprano who performs a wide-ranging repertoire throughout the region, she appeared as a soloist in a program of works inspired by Shakespeare’s plays, If Music Be the Food of Love, with CSC artists, the Peabody Baroque Band, and the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble. Grace holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory and sings professionally at St. Stephen Martyr Church and the National Cathedral. gracesrinivasan.com.

Eva Hill (Assistant Stage Manager) returns to CSC after having previously worked Raisin in the Sun as a wardrobe supervisor. Other show credits include Flyin' West, Steel Magnolias (Everyman Theater); Once Upon..., The Good Time (Hershey Entertainment); Trouble in Mind, Turn of the Screw, She Like Girls, and Twelfth Night (UMBC).

The Battle of Agincourt:  A History  

Genesis of a Battle 

Henry V’s claim to the throne of France came through his grandfather, King Edward III of England.  When Charles IV of France died in 1328, he left no male heir; his nearest male relative was his nephew Edward III who was the son of Isabella, Charles IV’s sister.  The French nobility did not want to be ruled by an English King, and since it was recognized that females could not succeed to the throne, they agreed that Phillip of Valois (Phillip VI) would take the throne.  Edward III asserted that although a woman could not inherit the throne, inheritance could flow through the female line, and therefore claimed the throne of France.  This launched The Hundred Years War, which carried on episodically over the next 116 years. 

There were three major battles during The Hundred Years War.  Edward himself invaded France, and in 1346 he and his son, Edward the Black Prince, defeated Phillip VI at Crecy.  In 1356, the Black Prince again defeated the French at Poitiers and captured the French King, John II. The resulting Treaty of Bretigny (1360) granted Edward III overlordship of nearly a third of the land area of France.  However, over the next fifty years, during the reigns of Richard II and the usurpation of the throne by Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV), the French managed to regain much of this area. 

It was to recapture the territory and reassert his claim to the throne of France that Henry V, on the throne for two years, launched his invasion of France in 1415. 

The Campaign 

The events of the Agincourt campaign are straightforward to relate.  As medieval battles go, it is surprisingly well-documented:  the chronology can be fixed with considerable accuracy, the exact location of the battle has never been in dispute, its topography has altered little over five hundred years, and there is less than the usual wild uncertainty about the numbers engaged on either side. 

Henry V planned to conquer a fortified town on the coast of France to use as a base, and then march across France to demonstrate his overlordship.  He selected the town of Harfleur, on the Bay of the River Seine as his target.  During the spring and early summer of 1415 Henry assembled his army, which numbered approximately 10,000, comprised of around 2,000 men-at-arms and 8,000 archers, and on August 11 he set sail for France.  Henry then laid siege to Harfleur beginning August 17.  While the garrison at Harfleur was not large, the town itself benefitted from being guarded by marshes and a moat, limiting the points at which the English could assault. It was not until September 22 that the town surrendered to Henry, after the French army had refused to try to lift the siege. 

Unfortunately for Henry, it was now late in the year for campaigning, with the autumn rains due to arrive, and his army had been reduced by about a quarter between the need to garrison Harfleur, the casualties from the siege, and, importantly, the outbreak of disease in his army.  Therefore, it was decided at a council of war on October 5 to march north to Calais, a distance of some 120 miles along the coast, with the only major obstacle being the River Somme.  On October 8, Henry led his army out of Harfleur. 

Progress was initially good, with Henry reaching the Somme on October 13.  On approaching the river, Henry learned that the nearest crossing was blocked and defended by a French force of 6,000.  After discussion, he rejected retreat and turned south-east to follow the river until he found an unguarded ford.  It took five days and a forced march on October 18 before Henry managed to find an unguarded crossing.  The next day he wrestled his hungry and tired army over the river, before it rested on October 20.   

The march to Calais resumed on the next day, but a large French army had assembled on the right (east) of the English and shadowed Henry’s army for three days. On October 24, the French crossed ahead of the English, and blocked their path toward Calais between the woods centered on the village of Tramecourt to the northeast and Agincourt to the northwest.   A challenge to battle was issued by the French, and Henry and his army spent the night in the village of Maisoncelles, awaiting battle on the morn, while it poured rain during the night.  The rain would prove meaningful as the resulting mud and wet ground significantly reduced the mobility of cavalry and fully armored men-at-arms, which comprised the vast majority of the French army. 

The Battle

Henry’s army numbered around 6,000, comprised of 1,000 men-at-arms; the balance were the famed English archers, who were armed with the rapidly firing English longbow, armor-piercing bodkin arrow, and whose weekly training (as required under a law issued by Edward III in 1363) made them formidably skilled.  At dawn on October 25 (approximately 7:00 am) Henry assembled his army into a traditional line of battle with the main body in the middle commanded by Henry himself.  Archers were positioned on each flank as well as between the 3 groups of men-at-arms, with sharpened stakes planted in front of the archers to protect them from mounted troops. 

Approximately 25,000 French stood 1,000 yards away and were assembled in a column of three lines, each of some 6-8,000 men, mostly on foot.  On each flank was a group of cavalry numbering 500 each.  The French plan was to wait for either the English to attack, believing their superior numbers would prevail, or for the English to retreat, during which the English army would be vulnerable to a cavalry charge.  With neither the King nor the Dauphin present, however, command of the French army was unsettled.   

For almost 4 hours, the two armies stood facing each other.  At around 11:00 am, Henry decided to advance to “extreme bowshot” range, perhaps 250 yards.  Upon reaching the new position and replanting the sharpened stakes, the English archers opened fire on the French, causing the French to charge. 

First to engage were the French cavalry which charged the English archers on the flanks.  Protected by their stakes, the archers repulsed the cavalry, sending it retreating through the French first line, causing disorder and leaving the wet field of battle significantly chewed up.   

At this point, the French numbers began to work against them.  They were packed together so densely, with 7-8,000 men packed into several ranks in a line of less than 1,000 yards long that they had limited freedom of movement to fight, whereas the English suffered no such disadvantage.  Matters were made worse as the main body in the second rank of the French army advanced, pressing into the vanguard from behind.  The engagement was short, and the French first and second lines broke and retreated.   For some time a stalemate existed with the French rearguard remaining on the field, forcing the English army to remain in line while the field of battle was littered with the dead and wounded and with weapons strewn all around.  Later that afternoon, newly arrived French troops and the French rearguard gave the appearance of preparing to renew the assault.  It was at this time that Henry ordered the killing of his prisoners, likely out of fear that he could not spare enough guards to prevent them from being set free and rearming themselves from the weapons laying on the field of battle, and not of out of rage at the attack on his baggage train.  However, the assault was never renewed, and the French army withdrew.   

The English army left for Calais the next day, arriving on October 29, from whence it would return to England. 

The Legacy

Why should this battle hold such interest today?  Agincourt was not a decisive battle.  The French suffered heavy losses in terms of dead and captured, perhaps 6,000, but politically these were not significant enough to force the French to the negotiating table.  Henry’s victory made his later conquest of Normandy easier, as the French were reluctant to meet him in battle again.  But his final triumph in May 1420, with his acceptance as heir and regent of France by the Treaty of Troyes, was the result of political division in France rather than simply military success. 

The simplest explanation for the special place of Agincourt is Shakespeare.  His Henry V (1599), probably the first play performed at the Globe Theatre, provides an image of a charismatic individual and his great victory that still predominates today.  Had Shakespeare’s involvement in the writing of the play Edward III (1590-1594) been greater, we might celebrate Crecy and Poitiers too, but its language comes nowhere near the memorable and inspirational speeches of Henry V. Over the centuries, it is Shakespeare’s portrait of Henry V that has come to stand for Englishness and for triumph in the face of adversity. 

Notes on Sources: Genesis of a Battle and The Legacy adopted from The Battle of Agincourt by the Royal Armouries. The Campaign and The Battle adopted from The Face of Battle by John Keegan. 

Henry V’s Claim to the French Throne

When Charles IV, King of France, died in 1328 without an heir, the succession was thrown into the air.  The decision was made to award the kingship to Philip, a grandson of Philip III.  Edward III of England, the French King's nephew (Edward’s mother was Charles IV’s sister) and next of kin, was barred from the throne due to the Salic Law, which expressly forbade the inheritance passing through a female.  Edward took the title of King of France anyway, and used his claim as a basis for invading France, leading to the Hundred Years’ War.  His successors all used the title as well and continued the war, until Henry V, after his great victories in France, agreed to marry Charles VI’s daughter Katherine, and accepted the title of Heir to the French throne.

LEADERSHIP

Ian Gallanar (Founding Artistic Director, A Christmas Carol Adaptor) In addition to founding the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company in 2002, Ian has worked as a professional actor, director, and writer for more than 150 professional productions. He has directed 40 productions for CSC. Previously, Ian has served as Artistic Director for the National Theatre for Children, Minnesota Shakespeare in the Park, and the Repertory Theater of America. Ian is a proud member of the distinguished National Theatre Conference and the Dramatists Guild of America; a Helen Hayes Tribute Award, Telly Award, and Howie Award (Howard County Arts Council) winner. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he is a Member of the College of Fine Arts Advancement Council. He is Immediate Past President of the international Shakespeare Theatre Association, an organization for professional Shakespeare companies around the globe.

Lesley Malin (Producing Executive Director) is a founder of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, and served as its Executive Director since 2003. She managed CSC’s building renovation of an 1885 bank into our modern Shakespeare playhouse as well as the associated $6.7 million capital campaign. She has performed in 28 CSC productions and previously in New York. She was, for 20 years, Vice President of the Board of Trustees of The Lark, the landmark new play development center in New York City, where she earlier was Managing Director. She served for five years on the Executive Committee of the international Shakespeare Theatre Association and organized its annual conference that CSC hosted in Baltimore in 2017. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, NYU’s Arts Management program, Leadership Howard County, and LEADERship Baltimore (2018).

STAFF

Michael Lonegro (Director of Operations and Finance) was the lighting designer for CSC’s Julius Caesar (2017) and has operated lighting for numerous CSC productions. He is a member of the Resident Technical and Design Company. Before joining CSC in 2014, he studied law at the University of Maryland and comparative literature at the University of Chicago and worked for 10 years as a university press editor. He holds a BA from Yale University, where he also designed lighting for undergraduate and graduate theatre productions.

Kristina Lambdin (Resident Costume Designer & Business Manager) won the Broadway World Best Costume Design award for her designs for A Christmas Carol (2016). Some of her costuming credits with CSC include Dracula (2013 and 2019); The Diary of Anne Frank; She Stoops to Conquer; Alice in Wonderland; Red Velvet; Anne of the Thousand Days; The Fantasticks; Macbeth (2016); A Christmas Carol (2014-2018); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2005, 2011 and 2014); The Importance of Being Earnest; The Taming of the Shrew (2006 and 2013); Romeo and Juliet (2003, 2012, and student matinees 2015-2019); A Doll’s House; As You Like It (Broadway World Best of Baltimore Award); and The Country Wife. Broadway World named her as a top artist of the 2007 Baltimore Theatre, and she won the Greater Baltimore Theater Award for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2005). For more than a decade, she served as the Costume Supervisor for the Baltimore Opera Company and then Lyric Opera Baltimore.

Brandon W Vernon (Marketing Manager & Resident Graphic Designer) is an animator, illustrator, and graphic designer who has worked for numerous publications and theatres around the country including the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. He served as the Dramaturg for Dracula (2019). He holds an MFA in Visual Communication from Jacksonville State University in Alabama, and a BFA in Traditional Animation from the School of Visual Arts in New York. He has designed for theatre, film, television, and has been a featured artist on MTV.com.

Sarah Curnoles (Production Manager) stage managed with CSC for Much Ado About Nothing, The Importance of Being Earnest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Dracula, A Doll’s House, The Tempest, and Henry V. Before working at CSC, she was self-employed as a life coach. She has also worked at Center Stage as the Executive Assistant to the Artistic and Managing Directors. Sarah created and directed A Fool’s Paradise: 30 Shakespeare Scenes in 60 Minutes which was performed at the Baltimore Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, and various stages around Baltimore.

Daniel O’Brien (Technical Director & Facilities Manager) is a founding member of CSC. Daniel has performed, designed scenery, lights, and served as Technical Director for many productions (among other jobs too numerous to name). He oversaw the construction of CSC’s theatre in Baltimore and designed the sets and lighting for Macbeth (2016); for the inaugural season plays A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Richard II; Romeo and Juliet (2015-2019); A Christmas Carol (2014-2019), and many others.

Ron Heneghan (Director of Education) oversees education programs for CSC. More than 13,000 students attended performances in the 2018-2019 student matinee program, while the in-school residency, where CSC Teaching Artists embed in English/Language Arts classrooms as a resource for teachers and a learning experience for their students, served more than 2,500 students in Baltimore City, Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Howard Counties. Ron is a member of the CSC Resident Acting Company and a member of Actors’ Equity Association. He holds an MFA from the University of Washington and a BS from the University of Maryland.

Troy Jennings (Education Manager) oversees the administrative aspects of CSC’s education program. In the past, Troy has taught at Drama Kids International of East Montgomery and Howard Counties.  His career as an actor has spanned nearly two decades. Theatre credits include productions at Everyman Theatre, Adventure Theatre, Spotlighters Theatre, The Strand Theater Company and the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory. He has also appeared in commercials, feature film and voice overs. He holds a B.S. degree in theatre from Towson University.

Jose Guzman (Institutional Giving Manager) is a CSC Resident Actor and Teaching Artist who has appeared in 18 CSC productions since 2009. He is an education, public affairs, and managerial professional who has worked for the School District of Palm Beach County, New York City Board of Education, and recently, The Pew Charitable Trusts. Jose holds an BA in Mathematics from Florida Atlantic University and an MA in Theatre from Binghamton University.

Mandy Benedix (Box Office Manager) previously worked as the Audience Relations and Box Office Manager at Baltimore Centerstage. She graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a BFA in Theater. She has had the pleasure of living and working in Chicago and New York prior to calling Baltimore her home.

Pamela S. Forton (Senior House Manager) supports the Box Office and coordinates many of the front-of-house and patron services that make audiences feel welcome in our beautiful theater and at the Ruins.

Miranda Solomon (Marketing & Development Assistant) assists and supports CSC’s marketing and development teams in promoting and funding CSC's work. She previously worked at Omnibus Theatre, a small fringe theatre in London, UK, as a marketing intern. She holds a B.S. in Economics and a minor in Marketing from the Sigmund Weis School of Business at Susquehanna University.

Chester Stacy (Scenic Carpenter/Painter, and Assistant Technical Director) has designed, built, and painted many CSC productions, including Alice in Wonderland, The Fantasticks, Red Velvet, and Titus Andronicus; and for Baltimore Center Stage’s Thoughts of a Colored Man and Shakespeare in Love.  Chester Creates LLC, has provided film production design for The Night Watchmen, set decoration for House of Cards and The Wire; and environmental graphics for Crunch Fitness, Royal Caribbean, Bmore Greek Grill, and Healthy Highlandtown.

Russell Laury (Porter) worked with Southway Builders on the transformation of our landmark building into a beautiful Downtown Baltimore theater before joining the CSC staff.