WHO ARE WE

We are here to celebrate and be inspired by the work of William Shakespeare. We believe that the need for his language, stories and his deep understanding of the human experience is needed more than ever.

We are passionate about Shakespeare and believe that no matter your age, class or nationality Shakespeare can and should be for everyone. We believe that for too long Shakespeare has been confined to history books leaving his work feeling unapproachable for actors and audiences. Bard City's objective is simple: shatter the reverence surrounding Shakespeare and grasp a fresh, revolutionary approach to this text.

Bard City is based in both New York and London. In New York BC is run by Harry Waller and Kirsty Woodward and in London it is run by Owen Horsley.

A Shakespeare training ground for actors, directors and schools.

Kirsty Woodward

Kirsty has worked as an actress for the past 14 years in England, performing extensively with companies such as Kneehigh Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare’s Globe.

Kirsty is also an associate artist of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and has lead courses, master classes and run auditions for the past six years.

Shakespeare acting credits include Love’s Labour’s Lost , Pericles, The Winter’s Tale - Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Cymbeline - Kneehigh Theatre Company The Winter’s Tale , Hamlet, Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet -The Royal Shakespeare Company

Owen Horsley

Owen’s Directing credits include Maydays by David Edgar (RSC), Hamlet (CSC, New York), Don Giovanni (LaMaMa, New York) Salome by Oscar Wilde (RSC) The Famous Victories of Henry V (RSC), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Garsington Opera), Henry V (Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (Watermill Theatre). Owen will be co-directing The War of the Roses with Gregory Doran in 2021.

Owen was Associate Director on the RSC King and Country Tour and worked with Artistic Director Gregory Doran on Richard II and Henry IV Part 1 and 2 and Henry V from 2013-16. Owen is also an Associate Director for Cheek by Jowl. He was Assistant Director to Declan Donnellan on The Changeling (2006) Cymbeline (2007), Troilus and Cressida (2008), Macbeth (2009-11) and ‘Tis Pity she’s a Whore (2011-13) becoming Associate Director in 2010. Owen Co-Directed the 2013 Tour of Tis Pity.

Other directing credits include The Richard Project (American Academy), Alls Well That Ends Well (Stella Adler), The Two Noble Kinsmen (RWCMD) Outside on the Street (Edinburgh Fringe and Arcola) Antony and Cleopatra, Lysistrata, As you Like it (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), Edward II (St Andrew's Crypt), See What I See (St Clements Mental Hospital) and The Duchess of Malfi (Southwark Playhouse and UK Tour).

Harry Waller

Harry is an actor, writer and teaching artist based in NYC. Originally from the UK, he has performed several times with the Royal Shakespeare Company (Much Ado About Nothing, Love’s Labour’s Lost & Wendy & Peter Pan), in the West End and regionally. Since moving to New York he has appeared Off-Broadway in the hit comedy play Puffs, has worked with a number of NYC Shakespeare companies (Shakespeare Forum, 7 Stages Shakespeare & Rude Grooms) and is a company member of acclaimed verbatim theatre ensemble Life Jacket Theatre Company (America is Hard To See). As a writer most recently he created The Feste Show with Owen Horsley, which was workshopped in NYC in 2019 and had been scheduled to play the Brighton Fringe in May 2020. In London he created and gigged in many basements and dive-bars as cabaret alter-ego Joe deVivre and the Circle of Friend[.]. As an acting coach and teaching artist he has helped students get into MFA programs at Yale School of Drama, NYU, Columbia, Brown, LAMDA & Central. He is also the voice of the talking dog for Bulldog Skincare’s “Goodest Man” adverts in the USA. www.itsharrywaller.com

BARD CITY IN LOCKDOWN

2020 has been a very difficult year for the creative industry so we decided at the beginning of lockdown to provide a number of online workshops and opportunities for our acting community.