Who We Are
Jessie Lillis
Producing Artistic Director & Co-Founder
Jessie is a classically trained actor, director, and educator from Coldwater, Michigan. Building on her extensive background in movement and textual analysis, she is always looking for ways to marry the body and the voice to serve storytelling. Jessie completed her BA at Ripon College and received her MLitt/MFA from Mary Baldwin University’s Shakespeare and Performance program in partnership with the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA. Jessie founded Starling Shakespeare Company with collaborator Heron Kennedy in 2020. Their flagship project was the first annual Mackinac Island Shakespeare Festival, which is now approaching its fourth year.
Heron Kennedy
Marketing and Content Manager & Co-Founder
Heron is a classically trained actor and educator from Foster, Rhode Island. After receiving her BA from Rhode Island College, Heron moved on to earn an MLitt/MFA from Mary Baldwin University’s Shakespeare and Performance program in partnership with the American Shakespeare Center, with a concentration in acting. During her time at MBU, Heron worked towards combining her love of text work with her desire to play, developing an approach to classical works that is as rooted in textual specificity as it is in physical storytelling. Heron founded Starling Shakespeare company alongside Jessie Lillis in 2020.