Meet the Board of Directors
Brian Hennessy - President/Creative Director
Brian Hennessy
Brian Hennessy is a producer, editor, and Shakespeare enthusiast dedicated to bringing bold, accessible classical theatre to the high desert. As Co-Founder of the Joshua Tree Shakespeare Company, he combines professional production experience with a deep love of the Bard to help build a sustainable, community-driven Shakespeare festival in the Morongo Basin. He made his theatrical producing debut up here with The Gin Game late last summer of 2025, which received multiple Hi- Desert Ovation nominations.
Brian studied performance at Shakespeare at Winedale at the University of Texas at Austin. His Shakespeare credits include Rosencrantz in Hamlet, Fabian in Twelfth Night, and the Apothecary in Romeo and Juliet.
He brings more than two decades of experience in film and interactive media, with credits at Disney Interactive, Krafton, and Striking Distance Studios. His work spans large-scale marketing campaigns and digital storytelling across major entertainment platforms.
Brian believes Shakespeare belongs everywhere — including under desert skies — and is committed to producing work that is both timeless and rooted in the spirit of the American West.
Liz Wessel - Secretary
Liz Wessel received her BS in Theater from Illinois State University in Normal Illinois, home of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. She has a graduate degree in English Literature from Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles. She is a Shakespearean and Medieval Scholar and has presented papers at UCLA, Hawaii Pacific University, and the University of New Mexico in Alberquerque, to name a few.
She brings to the table experience as an actor, voice talent, costumer and producer. Her most recent credits include costume design for Inspiration Edge's production of The Rocky Horror Show, and co-starring in the Pulitzer Prize winning two person play, The Gin Game.
She is the owner of Delilah's Vintage in 29 Palms where she obtains, curates and sells vintage furniture, collectibles, art and clothing.
Liz has lived in Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles, but she loves being a small town girl.
Michael King - Treasurer
Michael Paul King is a multi-award-winning theater actor and a recipient of the Morton Brown Scholarship in Drama from The University of Texas. During this time he was also the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band, December, and the host of a late-night local cable music program.
As a member of the WGA, Michael has written for television and produced ancillary, often interactive, content for countless major motion pictures and well-known television shows.
As an onscreen actor, Michael can be seen opposite Julia Roberts as the famous 70s talk show host Mike Douglas in the STARZ limited series, Gaslit (also starring Sean Penn). He has also starred in numerous short films accompanied by several Film Festival Acting Award nominations and wins, but has found his highest profile success in many national commercials for Wayfair, Kohl's, Heineken, Boost Mobile, Dish Network, and Skechers, among others. He is also the proud recipient of Society for Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Voice Arts Award for Best Voiceover for work he performed for Netflix.
Theatrically Michael has performed in countless productions, but his Shakespeare credits include Romeo, Hamlet, Lorenzo in Merchant of Venice and Posthumous in Cymbeline. He was most recently seen on stage as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Long Beach Playhouse’s annual production of A Christmas Carol. He has studied with The Groundlings, The Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), and legendary multi-Golden Globe / Emmy / Academy Award nominated actor, James Caan as well with the legendary Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.
About Us
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We are proud to partner with local businesses and organizations to bring exciting and unique events to our community. From performances to workshops, we are always seeking new collaborations.
