Venture Faculty and Staff
“What matters is this: can you make a rehearsal into a lively experience for those taking part? Can you feel the material growing and taking shape and beginning to live as you and your collaborators work? Do you get a passionate satisfaction out of this work? If these three questions get from you a ringing and spontaneous affirmative, then press on. If not, better stick to that nice steady job in the bank, or go chase wild bulls and bears on Wall Street or elephants in Africa”
Founding Artistic Director
Kirstin Leigh Daniel
Education: BA Theatre Education Emerson College,
MTS in Production and Design Southern Oregon University,
MA Shakespeare and Creativity a Shakespeare Institute and Royal Shakespeare Company Collaboration.
Work: Teaching Artist for Shakespeare and Company, and Adjunct Professor at local WNC Colleges including UNCA, Brevard and Young Harris. She is a company member of Asheville's The Cardboard Sea. And a certified k-12 teacher in theatre arts.
Passions: Teaching, Toby (her cat), laughing, living a wholehearted life, Shakespeare, old homes, swimming in lakes and her baby girl Junebug.
Costume Designer
Tyler Ogburn
Education: BA in Theatre from Young Harris College
Work: Entrepreneur, photographer, designer. Previously worked as a stylist in NYC and taught costume courses and designed for Young Harris College and UNCA
Passions: Taking photos, spending time with my dog Astrid, playing games with my family, creating art and living a whole and fulfilling life.
Front of House
Kim Garner
Education: Design at Brigham Young University
Work: Finance Associate at First Baptist Church of Asheville. Administration, management, and fundraising for plays, musicals, and concerts in multiple Buncombe County Schools. Previously Camp Director for multiple youth conferences and young women summer camps.
Passions: My 4 kids, Chocolate, the Beach, Photography, & Genealogy Research
Social Media Specialist
MJ Gamelin
Education: BA in Drama with a minor in Arts Management & Entrepreneurship, UNC Asheville
Work: Stage manager, assistant director, actor and student with TheatreUNCA
Passions: Tabletop games, sci-fi/fantasy, embroidery, collaboration, community, and baking.
Summer Workshop Manager:
Ann Forster
Education: BA English Literature Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Secondary Teaching Credential Cal State Fullerton, Cleared Credential National University, MA Shakespeare and Creativity University of Birmingham Shakespeare Institute
Work: Para Educator at a Special Needs Elementary School, Office Assistant/Event Staff at the Festival of Arts Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach
Passions: Shakespeare, Thoreau, Food, Travel, Cats
Resident Dramaturg
Liesl Jensen
Education: BA Acting International (Hons), East 15 Acting School at the University of Essex.
Work: Liesl is an actor, scholar, and teacher. As an actor she has been seen at Venture Shakespeare as Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and has performed with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Prague Shakespeare Company at the Czech National Theatre, and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Outside of Shakespeare she has performed in a wide variety of plays from devised theatre and sketch shows, to the first UK revival of Simon Stephen’s experimental Three Kingdoms. As a teacher she coaches students in acting and Shakespeare, and designs Shakespeare curricula and cut versions of his plays for schools. As a scholar she researches asexuality and performance in Shakespeare.
Passions: Cats, cheese, tea, travel, baking, rowing, rain, LGBTQ+ and British history.
Resident Teaching Artist
Lochlan Angle
Education: Graduated in 2019 with B.A.s in Theatre and History from the University of South Carolina. 2018 Shakespeare and Company Summer Training Institute. 2018 Weekend Workshops at the American Shakespeare Center.
Work: Venture credits are Puck in 2022's Midsummer and Feste/Fabian in 2019's Twelfth Night. Other local theatre work includes playing George Bailey and others in Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It's A Wonderful Life with the Immediate Theatre Project, and working as a teaching artist as well as playing various roles in educational shows put on by Bright Star Touring Theatre. In his non-acting time, Lochlan works as a bartender and tour guide at various Wicked Weed Brewing locations.
Passions: Shakespeare of course! Playing and listening to good music in any form. Watching sports (go Gamecocks!). Playing sports (disc golf, pickup soccer). Hiking. Traveling.