GUIDING THE VISION OF OKLAHOMA SHAKESPEARE
Oklahoma Shakespeare is led with clarity, care, and a deep commitment to artistic excellence. As Executive Artistic Director, Tyler Woods stewards the company’s mission, shapes its creative direction, and cultivates the relationships that sustain its work. This page introduces the leadership guiding OSP into its next chapter.
EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Tyler Woods brings more than three decades of Shakespearean experience to Oklahoma Shakespeare, where he serves as only the second Artistic Director in the company’s forty‑two‑year history. Throughout the course of his career, he has produced, directed, choreographed, or performed in nearly sixty Shakespearean productions. As an actor, Tyler has appeared in roles such as Macbeth, Henry V, Hamlet, and Richard III.
He has acted with The American Shakespeare Center, Virginia Stage Company, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Pearl Theatre Off‑Broadway, and ABC Television’s All My Children. A “lifer” at Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City, Tyler earned a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Central Oklahoma. He pursued graduate studies in English Theatre Arts at Columbia University and later trained at The Public Theater’s Shakespeare Lab in New York City.
Tyler is also an educator and arts advocate, serving on the Advisory Board of the Oklahoma State Arts Institute. He has taught with The Town Hall Foundation in New York City, Oklahoma Shakespeare, and schools across the state.
He is a recipient of the Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Award for Community Service.
TYLER WOODS
Tyler Woods, on the stage of the Shakespeare Gardens Theatre
Artistic & Executive Vision Statement
Honoring our rich history of inclusion and outreach, I envision a future shaped by deeper cultural diversity, stronger community engagement, and programming that reflects the full breadth of our region. The way forward for Oklahoma Shakespeare lies in the strength of its people — in like minds working together toward a shared purpose and creating work that resonates far beyond the stage.
I aim to build a robust network of local arts organizations, educational institutions, and small businesses whose partnership will expand our impact and strengthen our foundation. To earn the support of major institutions, we must demonstrate meaningful, measurable growth; and to take our place among the great theatres of this country, we must continue to stretch our artistic reach and amplify Oklahoma’s voice on a national stage.