Ron Scot Fry, who portrays Shakespeare in “To Be!", is the founding Artistic Director for Optimist Theatre. He began playing Shakespeare in 1994, and has played the role for over fifty schools and organizations in more than a hundred workshops and performances.

Ron spent nineteen years as the Artistic Director for the Bristol Renaissance Faire, where he created the Bristol Academy of Performing Arts. He has also directed nationally renowned Faires in Virginia and Los Angeles, CA. He taught theatre at Carthage College, and has worked as an Artist in Residence at Columbia College in Chicago, IL.

William Shakespeare in only one of the interactive characters Ron has played. Others include:

Leonardo daVinci
Will Sommers (Fool to King Henry VIII)
Captain Sir Francis Drake
Sir Walter Ralegh
Robin Hood
The Sheriff of Nottingham
Puck
Pan

He has also worked as a Jouster for Heros and Villains and a Jouster and Master of Arms for the Hanlon Lees Jousting Knights and Steeds, and in stage roles including:

Puck	A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Common Man	A Man for All Seasons
Inspector Match	What the Butler Saw
Harpagon (The Miser)	The Miser
The Stage Manager	The Skin of Our Teeth

He has been a professional actor and performer for almost thirty years, and has played more than a hundred different characters.

Ron’s work as an actor, director, and writer has been seen by more than three and a half million people.

His educational background includes:

M.A. in Drama	University of Virginia
B.A. in Speech, Communication, and Theatre Magna cum Laude w/Honors	Carthage College
“Training the Trainer” Workshops	Second City, Chicago

His skills include full armor jousting on horseback, fire-eating, juggling, high-velocity rappelling, stage combat, saxophone, and many Microsoft applications.

Learn more about Ron's work on his website: RonScotFry.com