“I love everything about theater – how it embraces all who come together to share a story: the producer; the creators; stage managers and crews. I love box office, public relations, marketing, development, volunteers of all kinds, and most importantly the audience... It’s like a large family playing together.”
This passion comes naturally. Penelope’s mother’s family was into business, while her father’s family was theatre elite. After work, Reed’s mother played in local theatres, while her father was a Broadway actor.
When Reed was just two-and-a-half, her parents split, "But at five, my mother surprised me with a trip to the Hotel Dupont Theater to see my father, Jerry Reed, a wild west cowboy in a musical…. I was mesmerized,” she says with fondness.
In 1957, at 12, Reed, on a Girl Scout trip to New York City, decided to call her father. Thrilled, he met her and climbed the Statue of Liberty with her and the Girl Scouts. In the next five years, Penelope became close with her theater family: her dad, his parents, and his sister, Aunt Suzie. In September of her senior year, Penelope learned that her father had died at age 38 due to lung cancer. She resolved to follow in her father’s footsteps.
Teen Acting
Although Penelope had success acting locally, her mother, Janet Kelsey, encouraged her to study advanced acting at Hedgerow Theatre with founder Jasper Deeter, who insisted on approaching every play with “humility, industry, and an aptitude for learning.”
Under his tutelage, Reed gained intellectual and empathic skills, became a professional Actors’ Equity Association member at 18, and began four years of theater training at Carnegie in Pittsburgh. Reed was in her element – learning her craft from the best teachers in the country while acting with gifted peers. “I found joy learning from theatre experts and playing with skilled peers.”
Upon graduating from Carnegie, she received honors, the RCA-NBC most valuable senior award, and many theater offers.
What to choose?
“I sought out a resident company where I could grow.” She didn’t want a scattered Manhattan life or the TV and Film industry. Instead, she longed to grow with a company of outstanding actors playing before avid theatre-goers.
She chose The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, where she served as a leading actress for 12 years. “Always seeking new ways to share theatre,” Reed explained, “I found delight in producing plays as well as offering classes, workshops, and teaching improvisation, that encourages understanding of others.
This led to many leadership opportunities to use theater to improve lives.
When her marriage ended in 1978, she and her sons, Jared and Allen, moved to Alverno College, where Penelope ran the Drama Department and Arts Center until 1981, until she met and married Zoran Kovcic, who became the new father to the boys. The new family moved to Princeton, where Reed joined Princeton’s esteemed McCarter Theatre as a leading actress and master teacher for five years.
In 1986, the family delighted in joining The Lawrenceville Prep School, where for 12 years, Penelope, as the leader of the drama club and the Allan P. Arts Center, introduced outstanding academic programs, shows, and hosted professional events. Zoran worked with students, while their sons received a superior education. In 1997, Vanity Fair Magazine heralded the school’s exceptional drama department as one of the top programs in the country.
In 1991, the Hedgerow Board asked Reed to help the tiny company save the theater that had burned down to its stone walls. For 25 years, Reed and Zoran led company and community leaders in renovating the building, establishing a professional company, and growing the school, board, and audiences.
For seven years, Penelope and Zoran commuted from Lawrenceville, until 1998, when they moved to Rose Valley. Penelope joined Suzanne Roberts in creating the Emmy Award-winning Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, a national CNN/Comcast show, winning Emmy awards and the 2002 Beacon Award.
By 2007, Hedgerow became a regional player.
Penelope’s greatest joy was acting with Zoran, her mother, Hedgerow matriarch Janet Kelsey, and her gifted sister, Juliet Grey Kelsey. Penelope smiles, “To this day, whenever we can, Grey, Zoran, and I love finding ways to play together.” Mom watches from above.
In 2017, Theatre Philadelphia awarded Reed the prestigious Barrymore Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2018, the Hedgerow Board named Penelope Hedgerow Director Emeritus at the 95th Belle of Amherst Ball, in honor of her performances as Emily Dickinson. After Penelope stepped down, Jared Reed kept the theater growing even through COVID by offering video online performances. In 2021, Jared began to run the Media Arts Council's Programs, and soon after Marcie Bramucci became Hedgerow’s Executive Director and continues to make Hedgerow shine.
Penelope loves Rose Valley, Hedgerow, and Act II Playhouse, where she acts regularly. She is an elder of Swarthmore Presbyterian Church, a contributor to Park Avenue Community Center, and a member of the Rotary Club of Swarthmore, where she and Zoran now live. Penelope is excited to now be working on her memoirs.
With the wisdom that she’s gained, Reed continues to share lessons from theater with actors, directors, and parents.
Actors:
- Practice self-care, keep your mind, body, and voice fit.
- Take direction 100%, so the director can tell if his ideas work.
- Be grateful to all. Support all who work on the play.
- Remember you do this for others, you’re a winner, a storytelling champion; no losers in theater.
Directors and Teachers:
- Make sure to cast carefully. Be demanding but nurturing and inspiring.
- Prepare well to provide the creative team your vision and expectations.
- Be clear and kind. Artists, actors, designers will work miracles if they’re inspired.
Parents:
- Make sure you find a nurturing environment for your child to learn and encourage them.
- They probably won’t end up acting but along the way they will learn to follow directions, communication skills, team play, problem solving, and gain in confidence and life skills.
To Penelope, presenting plays is a sacred experience, designed to entertain, enlighten, and illuminate.
“If it's your first time or your 100th, enjoy. Remember, amateur comes from the Latin Amo, meaning love. And the best professionals do theater for love.”