A native of Fordwich, the seed of a professional theatre career was planted in Rachael at the age of 13, on a school field trip to the Blyth Festival. Since that time, Rachael has worked across North America and Australia as a stage, production and tour manager with companies such as the Blyth and Shaw Festivals, Green Thumb Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, Erth Visual and Physical and Theatre Passe Muraille.

Rachael taught stage management at Douglas College and was part of the Event Services team for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. She comes to Blyth directly from Exhibition Place where she has been with the Production Services team, delivering such events as the 2016 Grey Cup & Centennial Classic, the 2015 PanAm Games, as well as the annual CNE and Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Rachael holds a Bachelor of Arts, Drama in Education from the University of Windsor as well as a Master of Fine Arts, Stage Management from the University of Iowa.

Kelly is an award-winning theatre artist who has worked in arts administration as well as on the stage. She’s performed across the country and internationally, and served for many years as an associate artist with the Caravan Farm Theatre in British Columbia, Canada’s leading equestrian theatre. Kelly and Artistic Director Gil Garratt co-authored the critically acclaimed Blyth Festival production In the Wake of Wettlaufer. Other Blyth credits include the Outdoor Donnellys, Death of a Hired Man and Hippie. In 2022 Kelly appeared as Maureen Poole in Cottagers & Indians. She is humbled to have the opportunity to engage with the inspiring community that makes the Blyth Festival thrive: donors, members, and artists alike.

Call Kelly and tell her your stories! She loves to hear how and why you have connected with the Blyth Festival.

Jen joined the Blyth Festival in December 2016 as their first fundraiser in over a decade. Previously, Jen has worked at the Stratford Festival, Stratford Summer Music, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and the Royal Shakespeare Company (both in Stratford-upon-Avon England).

Jen’s work at the Blyth Festival is to engage and secure new sponsorships and donations and to increase the membership base of the Festival as well as to create robust, cost-efficient and strategic marketing plans to increase ticket sales and recognition of the work of the Blyth Festival.