Staff

Jay Paul Skelton

Ryan Producing Artistic Director

Assistant Professor, Department of Film, Television and Theatre

Jay has directed, written or produced more than 100 theatrical events in the Chicago, New York, and Boston areas over the last 19 years. He has held administrative positions with such organizations as the Goodman Theatre, Blue Man Group and Jane Alderman Casting. A native of Massachusetts, Jay holds a B.S. in Marketing and Communications from Babson College and an M.F.A. in Directing from The Theatre School, DePaul University.

Aaron Nichols

Director of Audience Development

Aaron is starting his third year at Shakespeare at Notre Dame supporting the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and Actors From The London Stage. After graduating from Taylor University, he served as the Managing Director for the Musical Theatre of Chicago. When not working to make Shakespeare at Notre Dame an internationally recognized center for the study of Shakespeare in performance, Aaron enjoys partnering with local civic and community theatres, where he participates as an actor, designer, producer, and director.

Amy Atkinson

Company Manager

Now in her third year with Shakespeare at Notre Dame, Amy continues her work with both the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival and Actors From The London Stage. Before coming to Notre Dame, she worked in the theater and humanities communities in Chicago, serving as both a grant writer and house manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater and as a development associate at the Newberry Library. Amy also holds a B.A. in English Literature from Knox College.

Mark Abram-Copenhaver

Production Manager

Mark has worked with the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival since its inception. He is a professional stage manager and member of the Actor's Equity Association. During the school year, Mark is an associate professor of theater at Saint Mary's College, directs with the South Bend Civic Theatre where he just finished directing Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, and is active in his church.

Deborah Girasek-Chudzynski

ShakeScenes Coordinating Director

Deborah celebrates her eighth season with the company this year. As an actress, she was last seen as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit at South Bend Civic. Previous posts include Director of Educational Programs for Acting Ensemble Stage Company, adjunct faculty member of Indiana University at South Bend’s Theatre Department and director of IUSB’s Summer Theatre. She is currently Chair of the Fine Arts Department at the Stanley Clark School where she both teaches and directs.