A Bit About Us

NOVA Nightsky Theater was founded in later summer of 2021 by actor/producer Jaclyn Robertson and playwright/director Ward Kay. Both had worked in the local theater scene for years but wanted to bring something a little different to the community. While our first show was performed outdoors in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have performed 18 productions in all different types of venues aligning with our mission of producing theater in unconventional spaces. Unlike other community theater companies who rely on grants or donations to operate, we rely on ticket sales to produce our shows. As such, we maintain tight budgets and create shows utilizing the amazing talents of our company members and casts.

Thank you for supporting us on this journey!

NOVA Nightsky Theater Company

Board Members

The leadership team of Nova Nightsky Theater.

Jaclyn Robertson

Producing Director/Co-Founder/Actress

Jaclyn is a producer, actress, mom of three, and a serial entrepreneur. After graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, she took a long hiatus from the theater to raise her three young children and spent a decade running a successful fitness business for mothers. Since 2017 Jaclyn has worked at Providence Players of Fairfax, Shoestring Theater Company, City of Fairfax Theater Company, and LTA. In 2024 she began working as a Teaching Artist for Next Stop Theater Company.

As our Producing Director, Jaclyn brings her expertise as a small business owner to NOVA Nightsky by focusing on community outreach, marketing/branding, and making sure our crews and casts have everything they need to feel supported.

Adam Ressa

Design and Technical Director/Actor

Adam has held a variety of creative and technical roles in multiple industries, including exhibits, theatrical experiences, and immersive theme parks. He graduated from Virginia Tech with dual degrees in Industrial & Systems Engineering and Theatre Arts. While attending VT he founded a school sponsored performance-based multi-media organization, and took on side projects with theaters and creative organizations all over VA. In 2010, his desire to tell immersive stories brought him to Orlando where he joined Walt Disney Imagineering - the creative arm for Disney's Parks and Resorts. Adam also served as a freelance scenographer and technical production manager for various theater organizations in central FL. In 2017, Adam returned to the DMV and began working in the museum industry, creating content-based exhibits for the National Parks Service as well as other public and private institutions. He has worked for the Smithsonain as a Visual Information Specialist for the National Portrait Gallery, and is currently working at the Exhibits Specialist at the U.S. Capitol. His infant son Levi is an adequate assistant lighting designer.

Sarah Baczewski

Artistic Director/Actress/Director

Sarah Baczewski is a director, stage manager and (occasional) actress. A Washington State native, Sarah is a recent transplant (via Los Angeles, CA) to the Washington, DC area. She has directed productions for Providence Players of Fairfax and NOVA Nightsky Theater, as well as a radio play for The Arlington Players (TAP). She fell in love with community theatre at age 12 and majored in theatre at Whitman College. Following a 12+ year career in the entertainment industry, she shifted to the nonprofit space three years ago and currently works in fund development for a nonprofit focused on D.C. legal system reform.

Elyse R. Smith

Administrative Director/Actress/Director

Elyse is an Army Brat who discovered theater while growing up in Germany. According to family legend, Art Club was canceled one afternoon, and her sister dragged her to Drama Club instead. Elyse—a professional introvert—was content to work backstage, but her dad insisted she try the spotlight.

She spent her high school years doing shows with peers and at the Roadside Theater in Heidelberg. Elyse earned her BA in Theater and Arts Administration from Drew University, where she acted, directed, and served as chair of the dramatic society. She later earned an MA in Arts Management from George Mason University.

After a decade-long hiatus from performing (her daughter was 10 when she got back on stage—go ahead, do the math), Elyse returned to acting thanks to a spontaneous audition for NOVA Nightsky in 2023. She hasn’t stopped pestering them since.

Elyse enjoys acting, directing, designing, and cheering on her incredibly talented young thespian. By day, she works for the Smithsonian, where she champions unrestricted revenue and occasionally shakes down couches for loose change. She loves a good spreadsheet.

Company Members

Theater is a "team sport," and Nova Nightsky relies on the hard work and dedication of volunteers to make our shows successful.

Company Members are individuals who are tackling larger technical roles in our 2025 season.

Hannah Ruth Blackwell

Hannah Ruth Blackwell is an actor, director, and playwright hailing from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and is a graduate of American University with dual degrees in Musical Theatre and Music. She was in her first theater production at the age of 3, and has been involved in theater ever since! She has been involved with NOVA Nightsky Theater in both a directing and acting capacity, and is excited to join the team as a company member. When not in rehearsal, Hannah Ruth can be found fundraising for nonprofit organizations, or at home with her wife and their two cats.

Fosse Thornton

Fosse is an actor / dancer / singer born and raised in Northern Virginia. She loves the classics-with-an-in-your-face-twist, and has found that NOVA Nightsky is the perfect place to work on some real good theater with an incredibly talented and passionate team. When she’s not onstage, you can find her at the skatepark or in a dance class. Thanks to Jaclyn, Adam, Sarah and the whole team for the laughs and artistry—and cheers to many more.