Rachael Powles (she/her) is a dramaturg, playwright, journalist, and director currently based in Ottawa, Ontario. Her work focuses on the intersections of the past and present, with an emphasis on elevating marginalized voices and bringing contemporary perspectives to the classics. Rachael is currently the Resident Dramaturg at The Theater at Woodshill in her hometown of Sauquoit, NY, where she helps to bring the works of William Shakespeare to rural communities in entertaining and accessible ways. With Woodshill, she has produced video and social media content and provided dramaturgical support to mainstage productions. Her production dramaturgy materials have also been seen at Ithaca College Theatre Arts and the New Voices Literary Festival. As a writer, Rachael has been published by Pile Press, IC Current, Buzzsaw Magazine, Stillwater Magazine, and Loose Tooth Magazine. Her first poetry collection, THE WOLRD ENDED ON A FRIDAY, was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022. She has also edited pieces for The Theatre Times and curated online content for HowlRound Theatre Commons. Rachael graduated in May 2022 with her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Studies and Culture & Communications from Ithaca College. Her undergraduate thesis focuses on the role of the Delsarte System of Dramatic Expression in the development of a uniquely American performance pedagogy in the nineteenth century. She is currently a master’s candidate in Theatre Theory and Dramaturgy at the University of Ottawa in Ontario Canada.
