Staff

OUR STAFF

Brendan Burke – Artistic Director

Brendan Burke^ (Artistic Director) has been Artistic Director of SHADOWLAND STAGES since 2005, and has directed and/or produced over 100 productions, including multiple world premieres, and shows featuring such actors as Sean Astin, Judd Hirsch, Alley Mills, Orson Bean, David Strathairn, Stephanie Zimbalist, Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss and more. During his tenure, SHADOWLAND STAGES completed renovation and restoration of its MainStage building, built the Studio at SHADOWLAND STAGES, and constructed actor and staff housing. In 2019, Shadowland will relocate its scene shop and administrative offices to Center Street in the Village of Ellenville. The theatre has received multiple accolades and awards during his tenure, including Ulster County Cultural Business of the Year from the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, Arts Organization of the Year from Arts Mid-Hudson, Citizen of the Year from the Ellenville Noonday Club, and recognition from the NAACP for contributions to our community. Mr. Burke’s other regional work includes productions at Seven Angels Theatre, NJ Rep, Chenango River Theatre, Half Moon Theatre, and FringeNYC. A member of SDC and AEA, he is also an instructor in the Department of Theatre Arts at SUNY New Paltz.

Ben Williamson – Managing Director

Ben joins the staff of Shadowland Stages as Managing Director, following his role as the organization’s Development Director and Education Director. He previously served as Associate Artistic Director of Cider Mill Playhouse in Binghamton, NY, and as Founding Co-Artistic Director of Denizen Theatre in New Paltz from 2017 to January 2020. Ben is currently a professor at SUNY New Paltz in the Digital Media and Journalism Department, where he teaches Directing and Performing in Media. He holds a BA with Honors in Acting and Directing from Binghamton University and an MFA from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. A passionate and dedicated theatre artist, Ben is committed to crafting bold, high-quality work with intention and integrity. As an actor, he has appeared at regional theatres including Capital Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Manhattan Theatre Club, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, American Stage, Madison Theatre, Cider Mill Playhouse, Know Theatre, Denizen Theatre, Urbanite Theatre, and the National Academy for Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing, China where he played Chris Keller in ‘All My Sons’. His television and film credits include Vinyl (HBO) directed by Martin Scorsese; The Perfect Murder (ID); Royal Pains(USA); Mysteries of Laura (NBC); Lost on a Mountain in Maine (feature); and Barry Baker (Amazon Prime), along with national commercial work for brands including Benjamin Moore, Doritos, Corona and Adams Fairacre Farms.

Peter Johnson – Technical Director

Peter Johnson (Scenic Designer / Technical Director)
I’m honored to continue my theatrical career here, having started with Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, NY. then onto Baltimore, MD working with Center Stage and Baltimore Opera. Then New York beckoned me back for work with the world famous Production Resource Group. I am grateful for the mentoring of many, but specifically; Scenic Design Professor Gary Eckhart, Sculptor and Colleague Brian Davis, and most adoringly my Wife Cynthia Johnson.

Julie Polk – Box Office + Admin Associate

Julie Polk is delighted to join the Shadowland Stages staff. She trained in classical theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the University of Delaware’s Professional Theater Training Program and holds an MFA in creative writing from the New School. She’s played ingenues (Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Isabella in Measure for Measure) leading ladies (Paulina in The Winter’s Tale), snarky servants (Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lucetta in Two Gentlemen of Verona), and assorted misfits and weirdos including a scheming bishop, a bored pirate, a mystical hag, a fussy little mayor, a charades-obsessed maid, and a Christmas sheep. She was a teaching artist and company member at the National Shakespeare Company and the Texas Shakespeare Festival and taught acting and playwriting at Manhattan University. She’s taught storytelling for The Moth and was a guest teaching artist at CUNY’s Newmark School of Journalism and was the curriculum director for Girls Write Now, a New York City nonprofit twice recognized by the White House as one of the country’s leading after school programs. She’s also a trained theatrical intimacy director, creating choreography that tells our most deeply human stories with creative freedom, precision, clarity, and safety while ensuring environments where actors feel confident and free to be their best, bravest creative selves.

Aidan Countryman – Production Stage Manager

Aidan is a Production Stage Manager beginning his first official season in the role at Shadowland Stages, after previously serving as an Assistant Stage Manager. He studied Theatre Performance at the State University of New York at New Paltz, where his notable roles include Rod in Avenue Q and the Baker in Into the Woods. His recent Production Stage Manager credits include King James, Darker the Night, Brighter the Stars, Becoming Dr. Ruth, Proof, and Kitty and Georgiana: Christmas at Pemberley. As an Assistant Stage Manager, his credits include Waitress, Beehive: The ’60s Musical, Dear Jack, Dear Louise, The Garbologists, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Skeleton Crew, Million Dollar Quartet, and Always… Patsy Cline.

Shadowland Stages is seeking the following roles: Marketing Manager, Assistant Technical Director, and Education Director. If you have any interest please contact info@shadowlandstages.org with your resume and cover letter. We will respond as soon as we are able. Thank you!