West Palm Beach, Florida
Beverly Blanchette graduated from Florida State University’s School of Theatre and earned an M.F.A. in acting and directing from Florida Atlantic University, where she studied with master acting teacher Zoe Caldwell.
Ms. Blanchette serves as dean of theatre at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she manages a department of over two hundred-fifty theatre majors and seven faculty members. An impressive number of Dreyfoos alumni have gone on to attend professional secondary acting programs at top colleges and conservatories. Ms. Blanchette is an accomplished playwright, actress, and director.
She has been her school’s Thespian troupe sponsor since 1997 and has chartered four Thespian troupes since 1977. She has directed main stage shows at the International Thespian Festival, the Florida State Thespian Festival, and the American High School Theatre Festival at the Edinburgh Fringe. She has directed all-state shows and one-act plays at the Florida Thespian Festival, served as a member of the board of directors and the main stage screening committee, and conducted numerous workshops.
Ms. Blanchette is a charter member of the Florida Association for Theatre Education and has served as its president and conference chair. Her many honors include the Florida Association for Theatre Education Outstanding Educator and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Foremost Arts Educator awards. Under her guidance her school received the Educational Theatre Association’s Outstanding School Award in 2003. She is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and is designated as an Outstanding Young Woman of America.
