Producing Artistic Director
As Producing Artistic Director and Literary Manager at Theatre NOVA in Ann Arbor, Shelby champions bold new plays and the artists who create them. She has directed (Death of a Driver, In Search of the Mothman), produced (The Year Without a Panto Claus, Jorge Luis Borges Gives a Lecture on Anatomy), and guided the annual Michigan Playwrights Festival (2024 & 2025).
She conceived and launched Theatre NOVA’s New Play Development Residency, providing playwrights with resources, time, and artistic collaborators to build new work. She also introduced a Director Mixer to foster a support network for local directors through shared problem-solving, hiring networks, and resource sharing. Additionally, she led the creation of the NOVA Workshop Series, professional workshops for adult learners led by Michigan theatre artists to encourage creativity, confidence, and collaboration.
Shelby has secured over $50,000 in grant funding while leading marketing, community outreach, education, and audience engagement efforts.
She represents Theatre NOVA within the National New Play Network and has read for the NNPN Showcase.
She also collaborates on season programming, artistic strategy, and hiring, helping advance Theatre NOVA’s mission to produce innovative work while sustaining organizational growth.
Award-Winning Producer
Shelby produced “Sassafras and the Captain” for NYC’s Fresh Fruit Festival, which was awarded “Outstanding Production of 2022.” She recruited and managed a 17-member creative team, secured funding for free COVID-19 testing, raised $5,750, arranged free rehearsal space in downtown Manhattan.
Educator
Shelby was the Director of Theatre at Patrick Henry Middle School from 2017-2023, where she produced and directed 12 plays and musicals with the mission to engage, enlighten, and empower students through theatre. She taught workshops across southeast Michigan for students elementary age to adult at Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Engage at Eastern Michigan University, Theatre Nova/Ann Arbor Rec and Ed, the City of Farmington Hills, and the Woodhaven Recreation Department.
Actor
Shelby has acted for the University of Michigan's CRLT Players and PEAR Office, and the Michigan Shakespeare Festival Interstate Touring Company. She voices London and Monica in the award-winning podcast, The Call of the Void.
