INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Q: How did you become involved with so many aspects of Shakespeare & Company so quickly?

A: I first came to Shakespeare & Company the summer after my freshman year of college to participate in Shakespeare & Young Company, to get that first taste of Shakespeare & Company’s way of working. I got really involved quickly; in fact, I don’t know if I’d be so involved now if I hadn’t been encouraged so early on. Later, the Education program was looking for people to work with the kids in Riotous Youth, and I was attracted to that because we allow kids to really play with Shakespeare, and have a lot of fun. I’ve been part of Riotous Youth ever since.

Q: Do you have any passions outside of Shakespeare?

A: I am a passionate lover of queer culture – I think it’s so important to carry the torch of queer knowledge, passing on stories of the stars of our ilk – and not just those who are in the limelight, but those lesser-known today, especially in classic film. I also like to look at how aspects of queer culture and gender have influenced our identities today. If you ever want to spend an hour chatting about What Ever Happened to Baby Jane and how the queer community latched onto the Bette Davis and Joan Crawford relationship for more reasons than just entertainment value, find me. We'll talk.

Q: As we emerge from the pandemic, have you learned any lessons or gained new perspectives?

A: A big lesson I took out of the pandemic is this: If I want to have work that is fulfilling, joyful and compelling, the first voice that I have to listen to is my own. This is not to say that other voices don't matter. I am an avid student and love to work with people that I trust to help shape me as an artist; but as a black, queer, non-binary person in this field, it is so easy to fall into what other people see you as rather than having a voice of one's own that guides your work. The only thing that I know that I can bring into a room with me is me, and that is more than enough. It's wonderful.

Q: What excites you most about where Shakespeare & Company is headed?

A: I’m really excited about the people I see the Company investing in. People like Kelly Galvin {Director of Much Ado About Nothing} – I have had the privilege of being directed by her three times and think of her as one of my most dear collaborators. Now, she’s directing a main stage show with a cast that has been put together in a way I think is also admirable. It’s exciting that I heard talk of this kind of direction in the past, and now we’re seeing it happen. The Company can create change – I really believe that, and that’s important.

Q: Why do you keep coming back?

A: This is a question I’ve asked myself – especially in the midst of a global pandemic. At the core of the Company’s work is a real curiosity about human nature. We’ve chosen to work with this particular playwright, William Shakespeare, because we believe he had things to say about the world that are visceral and true, and they are worthy of being shared. And if shared in a generous and whole-bodied way, it can change lives. ■

Devante Owens in The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, 2021. Photo by Katie McKellick.

Devante Owens with Riotous Youth participants, 2021. Photo by Katie McKellick.

Left to Right: Kirsten L. Peacock and Devante Owens, Shakespeare and the Language that Shaped a World, 2021. Photo by Katie McKellick.