About Us
The Classic Theatre is a small non-profit professional theatre, located in the heart of the Deco District of San Antonio.
In her fourth season with The Classic, Executive & Artistic Director Kelly Hilliard Roush has significantly increased the representation of women, both on stage and on staff, and is committed to The Classic’s mission of producing excellent theatre that is relevant, diverse, entertaining and transformative.
Our theatre works with The Actor’s Equity Association to offer Special Appearance contracts to AEA members.
We produce five main stage shows a year, as well as our Second Series, a series of smaller productions, partnering with local and national artists.
The Classic Theatre was founded in 2008 by Chris Cheever, Asia Ciaravino, Anthony Ciaravino, Diane Malone, Rick Malone, Terri Peña Ross, and Allan S. Ross, and counts among its credits over 70 Alamo Theatre Arts Council Awards.
Mission:
The Classic Theatre creates excellent theatre that is relevant, diverse, entertaining and transformative.
Vision:
We envision San Antonio as a vibrant city with a rich diversity of arts and culture which connects communities
Staff
Kelly Hilliard Roush: Executive & Artistic Director
210-468-3900 | kroush@classictheatre.org
Kelly has worked regionally as a professional artist, educator and administrator for over twenty-five years. She has worked in both corporate and non-profit management, serving as Production Coordinator for Fox Sports Net, Lead Agency Director of First Congregational Community Services (FCCS), and as a producer at Cold Comfort Summer Theatre.
As an actor, she has worked in numerous theatres regionally. Some of her favorite roles include Arkadina in The Seagull at Classic, Catherine in Proof, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Anne Bronte in The Bronte Project and Masha in The Seagull. Plays directed in San Antonio include; Bus Stop, and A Doll’s House at Classic and Lucky Woman at The Overtime. Directing credits outside San Antonio include; These Shining Lives, Trojan Women, Lend Me A Tenor, and The Clean House.
In addition to performing and directing, she has worked as a producer, writer, collaborator and educator. Most recently, she served as Assistant Professor of Theatre at Aurora University. Roush is an Equity actress who earned her M.F.A. in Professional Actor Training from Louisiana State University.
Kacey Roye: Education Director
kroye@classictheatre.org
Kacey is a Southern California native, performing and teaching for over ten years. After college, she relocated to Portland, OR, where she continued to work as an actor in theatre, TV and film. She has worked at The Music Room School of Performing Arts in California as an instructor/choreographer for the Show Biz Kids. At The Magik Theatre, she has served as the Education Programs Manager, and as a company member.
Her most recent San Antonio acting credits include; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), A Doll’s House (Nora), Bus Stop (Grace), and The Tempest (Ariel) at Classic, Grease (Cha-Cha), Crime and Punishment (Sonya), and Venus in Fur (Vanda), at The Public Theatre of San Antonio, Hamlet (Ophelia), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Puck), and Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (June B. Jones) with The Magik Theatre. Some of her favorite credits on the West Coast include; Something in the Air (Holloway), Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal), A Flea in her Ear (Nannette), Cabaret (Helga), Our Country’s Good (Dabby Bryant), Dog Sees God (Sally), and The Shape of Things (Jenny).
Kacey is also a SAG-AFTRA franchised talent agent and a graduate of Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts, receiving her B.F.A. in Theatre Performance.
Ruben Jauregui Jr.: Operations Manager
ruben@classictheatre.org
Ruben is a native Texan, originally from El Paso. Prior to Classic, Ruben worked as the general manager for an environmental consulting firm in Houston, TX. Outside of work, you will find him out on a road trip or on a Netflix binge. Ruben holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management from Our Lady of the Lake University.
Caroline Neelley: Office Administrator
caroline@classictheatre.org
Caroline is a Tennessee native and a recent graduate of Trinity University, majoring in Theatre and minoring in Arts, Letters, and Enterprise. She joined The Classic as a Trinity ALE Intern in the summer of 2018 and joined the staff as an Office Administrator in the fall of 2018.
Florence Bunten: Box Office Manager
210-589-8450 | flo@classictheatre.org
Flo has had a career as a theatre professional, having managed a dinner theatre for the US Army for almost 34 years. After retiring from civil service, she came to work for Classic Theatre in fall of 2010.
She is a board member of Alamo Theatre Arts Council and the Scottish Society of San Antonio. For fun she enjoys singing and playing Celtic music with the band RTFM. “Dinner theatre was fun, but it’s refreshing to work for a theatre that does Shakespeare and other classic shows.”
Contact:
Work With Us:
At this time, our primary casting for all Season 13 shows have been cast. Please check back at a later time for Season 14 general audition info!
If you have any questions, please contact Ruben@classictheatre.org.
The Classic Theatre is a small professional non-profit theatre in San Antonio that creates excellent theatre that is relevant, diverse, entertaining and transformative. We envision San Antonio as a vibrant city with a rich diversity of arts and culture which connects communities. We were founded in 2008 in order to build a professional theatre that inspires passionate involvement in a shared theatrical experience and to create a source of pride for our community.
The Classic Theatre of San Antonio is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) 3, non-profit corporation
Our Board of Trustees:
- Randy Stier (Chair)
- Alvin Loewenberg (Vice-Chair)
- Christi Eanes (Secretary)
- Nuria Mitchell (Treasurer)
- Deborah Omowale
- Stuart Schlossberg
- Kathy Sakai
- Rosa M. Cabezas-Gil
- Michael Trexler
Our Advisory Board:
- Diane Malone
- Rick Malone
- Terri Peña Ross
- Allan S. Ross
- Emily Boehm
- Joe DeMott
Press
Classic Theatre Partners with DreamWeek For Community Conversation, ‘Amplifying Black Female Voices Series’
“The DreamWeek 2021 summit’s theme is “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” In a world of increasingly global connectivity, there is a need for education, learning and revelation of the voices that have (and are) directing our paths to enlightenment, peace and the “beloved community.”
Classic Theatre will host a continuation of their community conversation, Amplifying Black Female Voices Series (Part 4) in partnership with DreamWeek as they discuss the following topic: What are the choices you have had to make as Black women that affect your “Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness?” –Broadway World, 2021
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth
“Vociferous songbirds and croaking frogs accompanied productions of Macbeth when the Classic Theater San Antonio performed in the pavilion Oct. 2-11, said Kelly Roush, general and artistic director. The Classic Theatre then moved its famously dark Shakespeare play to the Lone Star Pavilion of the Espee, formerly Sunset Station, with two remaining performances today and tomorrow.” –San Antonio Report, 2020
“Broadway officials announced their shutdown will be extended again until May 30, 2021, on Friday. However, in the Alamo City, the Classic Theatre of San Antonio is one week into their production of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” –KSAT 12, 2020
“The highly respected literary critic, Harold Bloom, wrote in his analysis of Shakespeare’s Macbeth that the relationship between Macbeth and his Lady Macbeth is “the best marriage in Shakespeare.” Though that may surprise a lot of theatergoers who seldom think of those two as a loving couple, actor John Stillwaggon who portrays Macbeth in the new Classic Theatre’s production of the play, agrees. He sees Macbeth as an insecure man, who despite being a national hero at the start of the play, does not believe in himself.” – Arts Alive San Antonio, 2020
“John & Carolyn are a theatre power couple here in San Antonio…Starting October 2, they can be seen in Classic Theatre’s production of Macbeth, which will be using very innovative techniques to bring the show to life. Here to tell us all about it is John & Carolyn.” – The Richard Wilmore Show, 2020
“San Antonio’s Classic Theatre will produce an entirely outdoor season with shows at the San Antonio Botanical Garden.” – Paper City, 2020
San Antonio’s Classic Theatre Announces 2020-’21 Season
All five shows in Classic Theatre’s 2020-21 season feature characters at a crossroads.
“The theme is we are the choices we make,” said Kelly Hilliard Roush, the company’s executive and artistic director. “We feel it’s a year where there’s a lot of people who don’t always feel like one voice can be powerful, but the exciting thing about a democratic society is everyone’s voice matters and every choice we make in our lives matters.
Source: Debrah Martin, San Antonio Express News- March 4, 2020
Acting Out: What’s new on San Antonio’s Stages in 2020
San Antonio’s live theatre scene has everything audiences need to start a new year on the right step, from the fresh enthusiasm of fanciful spectacles to the reflective tragedies of history. For theatergoers eager to support local productions, we’ve put together a list of shows to kick off 2020 — either with a laugh or a sigh.
San Antonio’s Classic Theatre Announces 2019-’20 Season
Classic Theatre will offer its patrons a little bit more next season.
The company, which typically has staged four shows per year at its theater at 1924 Fredericksburg Road, is expanding to five shows during the 2019-20 season.
The theme of the company’s 12th season is the ties that bind. The season includes plays exploring a variety of connections.
Source: Debrah Martin, San Antonio Express News- March 4, 2019
Woodlawn Theatre Block has new ownership
The city block that includes the Woodlawn Theatre and the Classic Theatre is off the market. The building was purchased by 1920 Woodlawn Partners, a limited liabilty company formed by Austinite Trevor Titman; his father, Sheridan Titman; and Sherry Wehner.
The owners would like to add a gallery and perhaps a cafe or coffee shop to the mix in hopes of helping to turn the neighborhood into an arts destination. “We want to bring tenants in there that mesh well with the Woodlawn Theater and the Classic,” Trevor Titman said. “Those are cultural anchors for the property and the whole area.”
Source: Deborah Martin, San Antonio Express News- May 15, 2018
Classic Theatre focuses on hope in 11th season line-up
The season’s theme is “things longed for,” (Kelly Roush) said. At the heart of that is hope, a recurring theme in all four shows. “Hope is at the core of joy,” Roush said. Roush also sought plays that had roles for actors of all ages, and made it a point to choose two plays by female playwrights and two by male playwrights. She’s also striking that gender balance in the directors who will be heading each show.
Source: San Antonio Express News- March 6, 2018
Classic Theatre’s executive director expands her role
The company has taken another step in that direction by making Hilliard Roush both executive and artistic director. She took on the additional role in January. The four founders who have remained involved — Malone and her husband, Rick, and Allan S. and Terri Peña Ross — still serve on the advisory board, but the day-to-day responsibilities fall squarely on her shoulders.
“They have laid such a strong groundwork and are still absolutely here to advocate for the company, to participate as artists, but they get to take a break,” Hilliard Roush said.
Source: San Antonio Express News- February 8, 2018
San Antonio’s Essential Theatre Companies & Performing Arts Venues:
Do you like your plays to stick to the dramatic canon? If so, The Classic Theatre of San Antonio’s productions of popular classics and forgotten masterpieces is the space where you can let your theater geek flag fly. Performances typically include a complimentary champagne reception on opening night and a “Community Talk Back” near the end of the run. The company’s ninth season wraps up with productions of Shakespeare’s The Tempest (February 17-March 12) and William Inge’s Bus Stop (May 5-28). 1924 Fredericksburg Road, (210) 589-8450, classictheatre.org.
Source: San Antonio Current – February 22, 2017
Classic Theatre Branches Out with Annex:
The 1,950-square-foot annex isn’t exclusively a storage facility. There’s an office, and a small room beneath the costume loft has been turned into a shop where Rick Clyde, who is technical director for the current season, can build set pieces and other items.
Source: Express News- January 18, 2017
Can San Antonio Finally Join the Big Boys of Theatre?:
“Money will follow mission,” she (Kelly Roush) said. “If we are doing our mission, and it is the time (to transition to Equity) — which we believe it is — then the other things will follow. We feel that we’ve taken a sizable leap this year, so in the next two years … once it starts, there really is the ability for it to explode.”
Source: Express News- December 3, 2016
The Best San Antonio Theatre Productions of 2016:
Source: Express News- December 21, 2016
History
The Classic Theater of San Antonio was founded in 2008 in order to build a professional theatre that inspires passionate involvement in a shared theatrical experience and to create a source of pride for our community.
The Classic Theatre of San Antonio Founders:
- Chris Cheever
- Asia Ciaravino
- Tony Ciaravino
- Diane Malone
- Rick Malone
- Allan S. Ross
- Terri Peña Ross
