Beverly Blanchette retired as the Dean of Theatre at the AW Dreyfoos School of Arts after a 35-year career as an arts educator. She has directed over 100 plays/musicals, many of which were awarded/showcased at the Florida State Thespian Festival, the Florida Theatre Conference, the International Thespian Festival, and the Edinburgh/Scotland Fringe Festival.   Her students received many Critics’ Choice Awards in all areas of performance and design at both district and state Thespian Festivals.  She chartered four Thespian Troupes in the state! She is most proud of the achievements of her former students who are working in all realms of the theatre, film, and television industries.

During these years, she was distinguished with many accolades including:  the Randolph Frank Prize for Performing Arts Educator, the Florida Theatre Conference Distinguished Career Award, the Florida Association for Theatre Education Outstanding Arts Educator Award, the Florida State Thespian Sponsor of the Year Award, and an induction into the Educational Theatre Association Hall of Fame.

An advocate for arts education, she is a past president and current Executive Board Member of FATE (Florida Association for Theatre Education).  Most notably, Blanchette just completed a Juilliard School (New York) Directing Fellowship and a Globe Theatre (London) Shakespeare-Directing Program.

She is currently enjoying Act II of her life as an actor, director, private acting coach, consultant, and workshop presenter.