History
“I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak…”
-William Shakespeare; Henry IV, Part 1
Starling Shakespeare Company was founded by Jessie Lillis and Heron Kennedy in 2020, but the origins of the company date back to 2017 when the two first met. Their first play together, Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, became the partial inspiration for the future Starling Shakespeare’s name - it’s the only play in the canon which references the bird!
Starling was founded at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while we may now be able to safely do theatre indoors, accessible outdoor performances are still core to Starling’s identity. The company launched their flagship project, the Mackinac Island Shakespeare Festival, in 2021, and expanded to add their Summer Tour in 2022. Starling continues serve communities across the US, bringing high quality, professional, and affordable entertainment to parks, theatres, schools, community centers, and more.
Jessie and Heron as Beatrice and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing.
Photo: Miscellaneous Media Photography
Heron and Jessie as Hal and Hotspur. We promise their friendship is much less contentious in real life than it was as these two characters.
Photo: Lauren Reed
Jessie and Heron as Nurse and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
Photo: Miscellaneous Media Photography