"she was damnably curst & shrewd"
About Us
Championing unique perspectives and emerging artists, Shrewd Productions is focused on women's voices, new plays, and work developed though a collaborative artistic approach. We are committed to creating high-quality theatrical experiences that are thoughtful, provocative, and entertaining, featuring the work of women, LGBTQ, and BIPOC artists as we seek to provide a broader array of voices in American theatre and for Austin audiences.
Shrewd has been honored over 80 nominations and multiple awards from the Austin Critic's Table, B. Iden Payne Committee, Broadway World, and Austin Theatre Examiner and inclusion on multiple “Best Of” lists in the Austin Chronicle. We are proud to be a member of the Austin New Works Theatre Community, building Austin's professional theatre community devoted to the development of original work.
Recent productions include the world premieres/first productions of Alabaster by Audrey Cefaly, Jump by Charly Evon Simpson, The Afterparty by Reina Hardy, The Madres by Stephanie Alison Walker, Hold Me Well by Eva Suter, Emma When You Need Her by Rudy Ramirez and Ensemble, Liz Fisher's Deus Ex Machina, Katie Bender's Still Now, Reina Hardy's Glassheart, Jenny Connell Davis' The Dragon Play and Beth Burns' The Long Now as well as critically acclaimed productions of Megan Gogerty’s Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan, Lauren Gunderson's The Revolutionists, Shrewd’s gender-fluid take on As You Like It, Charles Mee's Big Love, and Joshua Conkel’s multi-award winning MilkMilkLemonade. Previous Shrewd productions include the world premieres of Monika Bustamante's Io: a myth about you and Stillborn: a bedtime story, and Cyndi Williams' Where Are They Now?; regional premieres of Kidnapped by Craigslist by Katie Goan and Nitra Gutierrez and Trash Anthems by Dan Dietz; and original collaborations Cheater, Feast of Fools, Camp Shrewd, and Xmas Unwrapped. This past season, Shrewd launched the episodic play-by-mail Letters From Camp Shrewd by Reina Hardy, Trey Deason, Krysta Gonzales, and Briandaniel Oglesby.
Love Letters
“'Emma When You Need Her' is a piece bursting with energy and fire, a piece of dynamite and dance, celebrating the life of this history-making revolutionary, while always reminding us of the harsh things she went through, and the hard times our nation, and the world, were facing... It’s one of the most powerful pieces I’ve seen in some time, and one that I cannot recommend enough."
- Ryan E. Johnson
Austin Theatre Examiner (Emma When You Need Her)
"Shrewd Productions Artistic Director Shannon Grounds keeps well-focused on the drama's emotional stakes, a task she's aided in by actors with a deep sensitivity to feelings....Thus this fable of the fantastic feels very grounded, its heartrending choices all too real. We catch ourselves reflected in the mythical beast's shining scales, seeing what it is to sacrifice our identity for love and choose the ordinary over the extraordinary."
Robert Faires
Austin Chronicle (The Dragon Play)
"...a touching and charismatic romp through childhood dreams and disillusions... Under the direction of Jason Hays, Shrewd Productions’ enchanting show demonstrates of the kind of magic that happens when a cast commits itself completely to a script that walks the tightrope of ridiculousness... 'MilkMilkLemonade' shows us how much courage it takes to be yourself."
Cate Blouke
Austin-American Statesman (MilkMilkLemonade)
"The Long Now” combines the sweet, sentimental morality of fairy tales, the “Twilight Zone’s” twists and sense of the uncanny, and one frightening puppet. And it works...That’s the real success of “Long Now.” Burns has mixed fairy tale, relationship drama, and mystery into one constantly counter-balancing, turning story. She weaves together first dates with fantastical bargains and humanity with magic."
Joey Seiler
Austin-American Statesman (The Long Now)