DIRECTING
“The theater that Shana brings to life is serious, hilarious, engaging, relevant and transformative.”
“Shana Bestock’s taut staging...teases out information and emotions with such skill, it keeps you guessing and wondering. It is no spoiler, though, to give the actors and their director high praise for making this fierce and delicate dance of nerves so riveting....genuinely provocative theater. ”
Artistic Direction
Over 17 years at Seattle Public Theater, I had the honor of working intimately with world-renowned playwrights, directors, designers, and actors to create bold, thought-provoking theater. I brought to Seattle regional premieres of plays by playwrights such as Heidi Schreck, Julia Cho, Nathan Louis Jackson, Christopher Chen, Martyna Majok, Rebecca Gilman, Bryony Lavery, Christopher Shinn, A. Rey Pamatmat, Johnna Adams, Itamar Moses, Lisa Dillman, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Rolin Jones, Richard Greenberg, Josh Harmon, Alan Ayckbourn, Tracy Letts, David Mamet, and Theresa Rebeck, and well-received revivals of Albee, Pinter, Wilson, Fugard, Shaw, and Stoppard through contemporary lenses.
At SPT, I forged relationships with playwrights locally, nationally, and internationally with a focus on bringing in - and commissioning - exciting new scripts amplifying the voices of women, LGBTQ, and BIPOC artists. I believe in simultaneously challenging and delighting audiences with resonant themes, juicy text, dynamic staging, humor and heart.
With Penguin Productions, I launched the Finding Trails project, an innovative theater+trails festival bringing together environmental and arts professionals in collaboration with community members. Penguin commissions new scripts and partners with BIPOC theater organizations and environmental groups to communicate stories exploring our connection to public lands.
Directing - representative productions
My Name is Asher Lev, Aaron Posner, Penguin Productions
Amadeus Peter Shaffer Seattle Public Theater
Bad Jews Joshua Harmon Seattle Public Theater
Talley's Folly Lanford Wilson Seattle Public Theater
Gidion's Knot Johnna Adams Seattle Public Theater
The Language Archive Julia Cho Seattle Public Theater
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Tom Stoppard Seattle Public Theater
Arms and the Man George Bernard Shaw Seattle Public Theater
The 13th of Paris Mat Smart Seattle Public Theater
3 Tall Women Edward Albee Seattle Public Theater
Master Harold…and the boys Athol Fugard Seattle Public Theater
A Wedding Story Bryony Lavery Seattle Public Theater
The Sweetest Swing in Baseball Rebecca Gilman Seattle Public Theater
Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare Seattle Public Theater
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Barbara Robinson Seattle Public Theater
Awards, Recognition, Publications
Gregory Nominee Theater of the Year ('13, '14, '16), Outstanding Director ('14)
Footlight Award 2003-2014 in various categories including Acting, Directing, Ensemble, and Production
Gypsy Rose Lee Award Outstanding Director and Ensemble nominee ('14)
Featured Panelist, Intiman Theater, “Diversity in the Arts”
Featured Panelist, Freehold Theater, “Directing”
Lifetime Achievement Award, Youththeatre Northwest
Jewish in Seattle Magazine, “Bad Jews”
Director's Notes, Shana Bestock - collected essays
Guest Director/Instructor Positions
University of Washingon (Bothell) English Department
Seattle Pacific University
“Pork Filled Players
ACT Theatre Young Playwright’s Festival
NextBook at Benaroya Hall with Susan Stamberg
Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle Central Community College
Centrum Center for the Arts and Creative Education
Book-It Repertory Theater
Court Theater (Chicago)
Dance/Choreography
Period dance and theatrical movement director. Traditional international folk dance performer and teacher.