Kate Austin–Gröen (she/her) is a director, producer, intimacy director, and actor with over 35 years of theatre experience. As a director, she has helmed productions ranging from classics to contemporary works, including The Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island, Tiny Beautiful Things, The Full Monty, and Falsettoland. She currently serves as Resident Intimacy Director at OpenStage Theatre & Company, where she has also directed and production-managed numerous shows. As an actor, Kate’s favorite roles include Nora in A Doll’s House, Part 2, Adriana in The Comedy of Errors, and Dr. Charlotte in Falsettoland. Her training spans acting, voice, dance, and aerial arts, and she developed the Observation and Re-Creation (OaR) technique to help actors embody emotion with physical specificity and sustainability. Beyond the stage, Kate has been deeply involved in community arts leadership and advocacy, committed to building theatre that is bold, inclusive, and joyfully collaborative.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, he authored 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and countless poems that continue to shape theatre and literature worldwide. His works span comedy, tragedy, and history, with beloved titles including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Macbeth. A shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later the King’s Men, Shakespeare’s plays were performed at London’s famed Globe Theatre. His keen insight into human nature and enduring influence on storytelling have secured his place as a cornerstone of Western drama. He died in 1616, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire audiences, artists, and scholars more than 400 years later.