History
Atomi Theatre Collective was founded in November of 2023 by Artistic Director Kemper Kisner to honor the memory of the late Dr. James Loehlin, the Director of Programming of Shakespeare at Winedale. In the spirit of collaboration borne of Kisner’s time at Winedale, Atomi Theatre Collective debuted with a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a process decidedly outside of the norm - one without a director.
The name Atomi comes from Mercutio’s famous Queen Mab speech, in which he describes Queen Mab’s chariot as being “drawn by little atomi over men’s noses as they lie asleep”. In our Collective, we like to think of ourselves as a form of Atomi: working together to carry dreams to people. Outside of this Shakespearean context, the word is derived from the Greek “atomos,” which refers to things that can not be divided. We feel that this also reflects our function as a “collective,” a group coming together as one to create something.
Mission Statement
Shakespeare’s plays are not something to be intimidated by, nor should they be presented in a way that feels inaccessible or hard to understand. These plays have stood the test of time for a reason, and we aim to breathe new life into them for today’s audiences. We believe in producing Shakespeare with a focus on genuine storytelling, rather than putting a twist or a spin on the text.
This Collective is a space where everyone’s artistic voices are heard and each person’s personal rehearsal process is treated with respect. We approach each show without any sense of hierarchy; all Collective members are valued equally and through a sense of play and experimentation in the rehearsal process, we all work together to shape our own unique versions of each show.
Our goal is to produce truthful, contemporary, and fun productions of Shakespeare’s works (as well as other classical works) that will always remain affordable and accessible for all audiences.
Artistic Producing Team
Kemper Kisner
Artistic Director
Skye Pagon
Co-Producer
Julia Rehwald
Co-Producer
Daniel Light
Resident Fight Director
Guillermo Contreras
Co-Producer