About Us

About Us

Justin & Lily at a table near the water in Gloucester, MA

Lily Narbonne & Justin Genna are the Founding Artistic Directors of Lanes Coven. They began their theater careers as actors, and have a national network of collaborators. Trained at the MFA Acting Program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA, they were leaders in the demanding program, with diligent work ethics, professionalism, diverse skill sets, & provocative scene work.

Before they met, Justin was a professional ballet dancer, and Lily acted in both classical & experimental theater styles, so the variation of talents they bring to the table create the Lanes Coven aesthetic, as they craft comprehensive, visceral theater that is transformational and risky.

Mission

Lanes Coven is actor-driven. We produce reimagined Shakespeare and classical plays outdoors, accessible to the Cape Ann community and its visitors. We are committed to low-cost experiences everyone can enjoy.

Why outdoor? We believe that — after an audience — nature is a Shakespeare Actor's best tool, and a theater company's greatest humility; with every word we speak, we honor what is larger than us.

Cape Ann is our inspiration—geographically, historically, and culturally. Artists abound. And the community is hungry, supportive, and dedicated. Perfect ingredients to make theater.

Land Acknowledgement

We recognize that we gather audiences together to perform outdoors on the ancestral lands of the Pawtucket indigenous people, and their neighbors the Massachusett, Nipmuc, Penacook, and Wampanoag tribes, who have lived on these territories more than 10,000 years, are here now, and will be here for years to come. We sincerely honor these local tribes, and commit ourselves to do what we can to protect this land.

Working With Us

Educational Internships

In an ever-changing theater industry, Lanes Coven believes that artists should be well-rounded and know how to do many crafts in the theater. The Lanes Coven schedule makes it possible to hold a second job, but once tech (TUES - SUN) & performances begin, evenings (TH - SUN) are required.

The Educational Acting Internship (Audition & Interview)

wildly successful for the 2024 summer season. Submissions for summer 2025 will open in December. Deadline is usually March 1.

The High School Production Internship (Interview)

Inquiries welcome for summer 2025, deadline is around April 1. (Must be able to lift and carry). Will receive mentorship via close collaboration with professionals.

Volunteers

We use Sign-up Genius for Load-In, Load Out/Strike and Ushering, during the summer season. Volunteers get to see the show for free the night they work. Volunteers must agree to abide by our Community Agreements

Community Agreements

Lanes Coven brings people together from many different communities. Whether a Board Member, Director, Actor, Intern, Event-Planner or Usher, all members of the Lanes Coven community will abide by the Lanes Coven Community Agreements.

Lanes Coven Cast and Crew

Lily wrote about Lanes Coven for the Shakespeare Theatre Association

Self Tape Instructions

Please make sure you are well Lit! Use a ring-light if you have one, and as neutral a background as possible, fancy backgrounds aren’t necessary, but appreciated if you have it. If you don’t have a ring light make sure to film during the day

Please frame your video from the waist up. Don’t cut off the top of your head.

Please include an introduction, aka a “slate.” Introduce yourself with your name, preferred pronouns if you like, or anything else you would like to share about your identity; your height, confirm whether you are willing to work as a local hire, confirm whether you’re union or not

Upload the video to Vimeo, Youtube, GoogleDrive or WeTransfer. If you’ve made the video private, make sure that you give us the password.

Attach your headshot and resume in the email. Email to lanescovencasting@gmail.com

Resident Artists of Lanes Coven

Eryn O’Sullivan she/her

With Lanes Coven: Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet. Witch 1/Malcomb/Murderer 1 in Macbeth; and Rosalind etc in As You Like It: Reading & Listening Party.

Eryn is an actor, artist and audiobook narrator originally from Georgia, now living in Gloucester. She is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, where she majored in Acting, as well as the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She has played Bianca in Taming of the Shrew (National Players Tour), Valerie in The Weir, and Buckingham in Richard III. In 2018, she formed an all-female, multi-disciplinary theatre company called Don, Pat & Tom, and together they brought their inaugural show, “leaves,” to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Their current project, a film entitled “Epinephrine,” is in pre-production.

Eryn’s Website

Caroline Harvey (they/them)

With Lanes Coven: Paris/Escalus in Romeo & Juliet, Sonnet/Education Workshop at Lanesville Community Center. Role of Maige in the world premier of Monkey by Rachel Greenhoe at Gloucester Stage. Passionate about telling stories of creative survival, Caroline is a performance artist, educator, and activist. Caroline is proud to be the Co-Owner of Dogtown Books in Gloucester, MA and recently taught a Poetry Master Class at the Cape Ann Museum. SELECT PERFORMANCES: Season 5 of HBO’s “Def Poetry;” Keynote at The World Parks Congress in Sydney, AU; Poetry Performances at the US Embassy in Serbia; and multi-genre work presented within venues at Berklee College of Music, where they were a Professor for over 10 years. Caroline is honored to have shared stages with Alicia Keys, Livingston Taylor, Melissa Ferrick, Mary Lambert, Danez Smith, and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), and has writing published in Gertrude Press, The Cantab Poetry Anthology, The Legendary, and The Charles River Review, among many others. Caroline is neurodivergent & nonbinary, a collector of skulls & stones, and lives with their husband Lucas and a menagerie of animals in the Essex woods. BFA Theater, BU’s School of Theatre; MA World Arts & Cultures, UCLA.

Michael McNamara (he/him)

With Lanes Coven: Chubokov in The Proposal, Reverend Chaucible in The Importance of Being Earnest. Duncan/Porter/Siward in Macbeth.

Michael McNamara has been seen on local area stages for over forty years as an actor, producer and director. He founded several community groups, of which Fishtown Players was the latest. In 2019 he produced and acted in Mauritius at the Rogers Street Theater. Recent credits incle Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman (Mugford Street Players), Port Authority, The Weir, Antigone, and The Seafarer. Michael is a resident of Gloucester, and was born in Rockport.

Max McNamara headshot

Max McNamara (he/him)

With Lanes Coven: Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ivan in The Proposal, Lane/Merriman in The Importance of Being Earnest, and Benvolio in Romeo & Juliet. Banquo/Murderer 3/Young Siward in Macbeth; Gus in The Dumb Waiter; 21 Plays, and Lucentio in Taming of the Shrew.

Max is originally from, and currently resides here in Gloucester. Max is a Film, TV, and stage actor and has worked in Los Angeles, NYC, Boston and Austin, Texas. He is a proud member of Fishtown Players, with whom he produced and acted in Mauritius at the Rogers Street Theatre, and Port Authority. Film/TV: Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” “Equalizer 2” (Columbia Pictures), “The Possession of Hannah Grace” (Screen Gems) and “The Good Cop” (Netflix) among others.