KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Stephanie Bass Abrams, the new artistic director and program manager at Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center, was the featured guest on My Keene Now & Next on WKBK Radio this past Saturday

Abrams, who began her new career Aug. 4, outlined her vision for revitalizing the Redfern, which has gone more than seven years without an executive artistic director. She said her top priority is bringing back the Redfern’s Presenting Series, once known for hosting nationally-recognized performers, while also strengthening ties with academic departments and the wider community.

“The kids here in our theater and dance and music departments shouldn’t have to go to Boston,” Abrams said. “They should have it accessible to them here.”

Abrams brings an eclectic artistic background to Keene. A Texas native, she discovered pantomime and physical theater in high school and later trained in San Francisco under Chinese acrobatics masters, who selected her to specialize in contortion. Inspired by Cirque du Soleil, she founded the company Kinetic Theory in Los Angeles at age 21, growing it into a successful experimental theater company and circus arts school over 15 years. The school closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting Abrams to relocate to Brattleboro, Vt.

“I said to myself I don’t need to wait for somebody to come and hand me a job. I can just make a show,” Abrams recalled of her decision to start her own company. “So it became a pretty big operation, and COVID just killed all of that.”

Now in Keene, Abrams says she is focused on rebuilding the Redfern’s reputation as a cultural hub for both the college and the Monadnock region. “Every single person I’ve talked to in the community and on campus, as soon as I say that, they say the Redfern used to have the best shows. And I say, ‘We’re going to have the best shows again.’”

This fall’s lineup includes performances by the Apple Hill String Quartet, a Dances on Film project, and a musical adaptation of “The Bridges of Madison County.” A full relaunch of the Presenting Series is planned for fall 2026, with Abrams aiming to draw companies from across the U.S. and abroad.

“Maybe you’ll see me miming around town,” she joked, nodding to her theatrical roots.

For more on the Redfern’s programming, visit keene.edu/redfern.

Listen to the full interview: