CHANTICLEER TAKES THE STAGE
There is a moment before the curtain rises when anything feels possible. The house lights dim. Conversation softens into anticipation. An actor steps into the light and, with words written more than four centuries ago, somehow begins speaking directly to us. Shakespeare has always possessed that rare ability—to transcend time, geography, and circumstance. His plays have graced the stages of London’s Globe Theatre, New York’s Broadway, and Oregon’s famed Shakespeare Festival. Now, thanks to Chanticleer Shakespeare Co., they have found a professional home in Fresno at the hands of Co-Founders Blake Ellis, Brandon Weis, and Brandi Martin.
Bringing Shakespeare to the Central Valley is about far more than producing acclaimed works of classical theatre. It is about building a cultural institution, creating opportunities for artists, inspiring new audiences, and proving that world-class performing arts can thrive in a place many once overlooked. “Fresno has always had incredible community theatre,” says Weis. “But everybody that was doing the work and wanting to grow and wanting to start this professional career for themselves had to leave Fresno if they wanted to continue developing their talent. There was no professional institution here to take that next step.” Chanticleer Shakespeare Co. was created to change that.
For a region long celebrated for its agricultural abundance and entrepreneurial spirit, the Central Valley has often been overlooked as a destination for world-class performing arts. That narrative is changing. Founded in 2023 with the belief that Shakespeare is for everyone, Chanticleer Shakespeare Co. was created to bring high-caliber classical theatre to Fresno while making it accessible, engaging, and exhilarating for modern audiences. As Fresno’s first professional Shakespeare company (and the only professional Shakespeare company within roughly a 100-mile radius) the organization is filling a cultural void that has existed for decades. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but perhaps the most remarkable part is that it was imagined not by outsiders, but by artists whose roots run deep in the Valley.
COVER Various cast members backstage in rehearsal for The Tempest (2026). Photographer Shelby Guizar
ABOVE Cameron Varner, James Alexander, and Marikah Christine Leal in Richard III (2025). Photographer Laura Kennedy
Ellis built an impressive career performing with some of the country’s most respected theatre companies, including Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., and England’s Royal Shakespeare Company, before returning home. Weis grew up in the Valley theatre community, becoming an accomplished actor and producer before combining his artistic background with more than two decades of executive leadership managing large-scale business operations. Together, along with Technical Director Brandi Martin, they represent more than 50 years of combined professional theatre experience and a shared conviction that the Central Valley deserves artistic excellence on its own stage.
The company began taking shape as the region emerged from the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ellis returned to Fresno after the shutdowns significantly impacted the entertainment industry, and an opportunity to lead a Shakespeare workshop at Fresno Pacific University helped reveal a need. “There was a spark that said, ‘Hey, there’s a need for this here,’” Weis explains. “Not only that, but there was a need for professional theatre in general.” That momentum aligned with the emergence of Measure P funding, a city initiative designed to support expanded arts and culture efforts throughout Fresno. Chanticleer submitted a grant proposal during the initial funding cycle and received support that helped make its inaugural production possible.
From there, an idea became an institution—with a name worth crowing about. “Chanticleer” is a medieval word that appears throughout Shakespeare’s works and means rooster. It is also the name of the proud rooster featured in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales—a storyteller and herald whose voice announces the arrival of something new. The symbolism was not lost on the founders. “The idea was that when this gets its legs underneath it, it’s definitely going to be something that Fresno can crow about,” Weis says with a smile. The name also creates a subtle connection to Shakespeare himself, offering an elegant alliteration that reflects the company’s purpose: to announce the arrival of something bold, timeless, and rooted in place. While many theatre companies simply produce plays, Chanticleer is building something larger: a lasting cultural presence.
Matthew Wangemann and Lauren Mackenzie Skemp in The Tempest (2026). Photographer Diego Espinosa
For generations, Shakespeare has carried an unfair reputation. Some audiences encounter his work first through a classroom rather than a stage, where unfamiliar language and historical context can create distance rather than curiosity. Chanticleer seeks to remove those barriers. “Shakespeare has been timeless and relevant for people for the last 400 years for a reason,” Ellis says. “At its core, it’s tapping into what it means to be human and have real relationships.” The emotions are universal: betrayal, ambition, love, jealousy, revenge, hope, and resilience. The language may be centuries old, but the experiences remain remarkably familiar. “You’re building a future audience for these classic works in the English language,” he continues. “These are masterworks that people should be connected to well into the future, and we’re laying that foundation right here in the Valley.”
“Our goal is to make this as accessible, understandable, and digestible as possible for a modern audience,” Ellis furthers. “We don’t want people to have to do homework to come and enjoy our shows.” That philosophy does not mean changing Shakespeare into something unrecognizable. Instead, Chanticleer focuses on deeply understanding the material so audiences can connect with it naturally. “We always talk about the fact that we have two major stakeholders,” explains Ellis. “The first is our playwright. The second is our audience. If we’re not serving both of those stakeholders at the same time, then we’re doing something wrong.”
The result is theatre that respects the original work while welcoming those experiencing Shakespeare for the first time. That approach was especially evident during a recent student matinee, which brought high school students from throughout the Valley to experience professional theatre firsthand. Students traveled from communities including Mendota and Tulare to attend a production at Fresno’s historic Warnors Theatre. Following the performance, one student shared a sentiment that perfectly captured Chanticleer’s mission. “I don’t normally understand Shakespeare,” she said, “but I understood every word of this production.” For Ellis, moments like that reaffirm why the company exists.
Jacqueline Antaramian in The Tempest (2026). Photographer Diego Espinosa
There is perhaps no more fitting home for Chanticleer’s productions than the Warnors Theatre. A Downtown Fresno landmark nearly a century old, the ornate venue provides an atmosphere that elevates every performance. Its architecture, history, and grandeur create an experience that feels both timeless and distinctly rooted in place. For Ellis, the theatre itself becomes part of the production. “In our first two productions there, it was like the theatre itself was an additional character in the show,” he says. The historic proscenium, intricate details, and sense of grandeur create the ideal setting for Shakespeare’s enduring works, offering audiences an experience that feels immersive and transportive.
When Ellis, Weis, and Martin first toured the space, they immediately recognized its potential and understood its significance. “As soon as we stepped out from underneath the mezzanine and you could see that suspended ceiling and that beautiful proscenium arch, Brandon, Brandi, and I looked at each other and thought, ‘Yeah, this is it,’” recalls Ellis. “There’s something magical about this place that you just have to be in the room to experience.” The venue also commands a different energy from performers. “Playing to a house of 2,000-plus people commands the size and the respect that Shakespeare’s works themselves command,” Weis says.
That sense of occasion has helped attract nationally recognized performers, including Fresno-native Jacqueline Antaramian, a Broadway veteran whose career spans film, television, and stage productions across the United States. For Ellis, one of Chanticleer’s greatest achievements has been creating a reason for artists who left the Valley to return home. “We’ve had so many success stories of people leaving the Valley and being able to work professionally, but then never coming back,” he says. “Part of our mission is to bring those professionals back here so they can share the talents and skills they’ve developed over a career with this community.” During their last production of The Tempest, Chanticleer had over 350 auditions from actors across 41 states.
Alexandria Everbach and Blake Ellis in Richard III (2025). Photographer Laura Kennedy
Although Chanticleer focuses on professional Shakespeare, its impact extends far beyond its own productions. The company intentionally partners with existing arts organizations rather than competing with them, recognizing that a thriving creative community requires collaboration. Its partnership with the Fresno Philharmonic for The Tempest (which incorporated live orchestral musicians into Shakespeare’s magical final masterpiece) demonstrated the power of organizations elevating one another. “Creating that partnership was a monumental feat for us and for them,” Weis says. “The relationship was fantastic, and we’re excited about continuing to find ways to collaborate.”
The company has also built connections throughout the downtown community, creating experiences that extend beyond the theatre itself. For Weis and Ellis, a professional theatre does not replace the community arts organizations that came before it—it strengthens them. “The rising tide lifts all the boats,” Ellis says. By bringing professional artists together with local performers, Chanticleer creates opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and growth, allowing community actors to gain new skills they can carry into productions throughout the region. “Having a professional theatre as part of the cultural DNA of the Valley improves theatre for every theatre-goer,” Ellis says. That commitment is reflected in the company’s programs, which highlight local theatre organizations and encourage audiences to support the breadth of artistic experiences available throughout the Valley.
Although Chanticleer is still in its earliest chapters, its founders are already imagining what the next decades could hold. The company has intentionally started with one production per season, currently presented in the April-to-May timeframe and focused on building a strong foundation for sustainable growth. The long-term vision is to expand into multiple productions and eventually a year-round artistic presence. The dream is not simply to bring Shakespeare to Fresno. It is to establish Fresno as a destination for world-class theatre. “We want students from other cities to come into this city to experience professional theatre,” Ellis says. “We want artists from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and beyond to be fighting for roles in productions being done here because it’s such an incredible place to work.”
Brandon Weis, George Mount, and Blake Ellis in Richard III (2025). Photographer Laura Kennedy
He points to other communities known for their artistic identities. “Ashland has Oregon Shakespeare Festival. San Diego has the Old Globe. Fresno has Chanticleer,” Ellis says. The hope is that the community will eventually view the company not simply as an organization based in Fresno, but as the Valley’s theatre. “It should be part of the DNA of being here in the Valley,” he goes on. “This is their theatre.” That vision speaks to something larger than a single performance or season. Communities become destinations not only through restaurants, attractions, or economic development, but through experiences that bring people together.
The arts create shared moments. They encourage conversation across generations. They allow audiences to see themselves reflected through stories that have endured for centuries. Shakespeare remains relevant because humanity remains recognizable. Ambition still tempts. Love still complicates. Families still fracture. Power still corrupts. Hope still survives. That is the true magic of Chanticleer Shakespeare Co. It is not simply bringing Shakespeare to the Central Valley. It is reminding the Valley (and the rest of California) that extraordinary art has every reason to flourish here. With every performance, Chanticleer is cultivating something lasting: a place where artists can return home, students can discover their voices, audiences can experience timeless stories anew, and Fresno can be recognized not only for what it grows from the ground, but for what it cultivates on its stages.
Editorial Director Lauren Barisic
Photos courtesy of Chanticleer Shakespeare Co.
