Raphael Parry in 2020. Photography by Kathy Tran.

Raphael Parry, a longtime executive and artistic director of Shakespeare Dallas, will retire March 31.

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During his 20 years at the organization, Shakespeare Dallas produced 51 plays. Of those, Parry directed 20.

“My tenure has been fulfilling and eventful, and I’m very proud of our work and our growth,” Parry said in a newsletter announcing his retirement.

The organization expanded to a year-round season with indoor and outdoor performances from two Shakespeare in the Park summer productions under Parry’s leadership.

He also partnered with AT&T Performing Arts Center to lead a canon completion project, including staged readings of every play, sonnet and epic written by William Shakespeare.

The organization commissioned Quixote, a bilingual Spanish-English work from Octavio Solis, in 2017, and it has been produced at regional theaters under Quixote Nuevo!

In 2020, Shakespeare Dallas hosted a conference for the 175-member Shakespeare Theatre Association, which draws Shakespeare producers from around the world. And in 2021, Shakespeare Dallas launched a rebranding to position the organization as “the people’s theatre,” furthering its goal to provide fun and accessible theater for audiences.

Karen Raehpour was named the new executive director of Shakespeare Dallas in November, and Parry kept his artistic director role. Jenni Stewart will be interim artistic director and will remain until the national search for a permanent artistic director is completed in 2024.

Shakespeare Dallas completed its 50th season last year. The organization was originally known as Shakespeare Festival of Dallas and began with a performance of “An Evening of Shakespeare” at Fair Park on July 16, 1972.