The New England Studio Theatre

  • The New England Studio Theatre produces contemporary and classical works of literary and cultural significance. NEST further seeks to enrich the civic life of our region through educational programming. While we strive for theatrical excellence in all our endeavors, we seek to explore new models of creating theatre that sustain and enrich our artistic community, and make theatre accessible to our region at large.

  • Studio theatres are generally experimental spaces where non-traditional theatre practices can be explored. NEST is invested in developing new models for making theatre that strive for artistic excellence, nurture the artistic experience, and make theatre accessible to all.

    We believe that theatre that is emotionally engaged and artistically inspired can help foster a deeper sense of empathy within us all by showing us worlds outside of those that we know. In this way, theatre can be an incredible force for good in the world, and further the cause of equity.

  • In 2024, Michael Hinton founded the New England Studio Theatre in the region of Eastern Connecticut traditionally occupied by the Mohegan and Pequot tribes. The goal was to explore non-commercial and experimental methods of producing theatre. Inspired by his time in the UK studying at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, by artists he’d met while working regionally throughout New England, and by emerging research in the field of Applied Theatre, he started to imagine a new professional theatre company that not only produced theatre in a specific region, but was intimately connected to that region. NEST was intended to be an artistic home for New England theatre artists and the communities that champion them. We produce theatre in New England and are interested in celebrating New England voices. With our inaugural production of Uncle Vanya currently in the works for March 2025, NEST is still very much in its infancy… but the idea is growing! Welcome!

Meet the Team

  • Michael Hinton

    Founding Artistic Director

    Michael currently serves as Director and Assistant Professor of Theatre at CT State Community College, Tunxis. He has also taught at Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and served as Director of Education of the Playhouse Theatre Academy.  As an actor, director, fight choreographer, and educator, Michael has worked regionally throughout New England, in New York, and in the UK. Selected theatres include: Elm Shakespeare Company, The Actors Studio, Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, Ivoryton Playhouse, Flock Theatre, Playhouse on Park, Connecticut Shakespeare Festival, Hole in the Wall, Capital Classics, Hip to Hip Theatre, Esteigenius Theatre Festival, Colonial Theatre, and Tobacco Factory Theatre.

    Michael has appeared in over 30 productions of Shakespeare’s plays, including title roles in Macbeth, Richard II, and Romeo and Juliet. Favorite roles also include Sir Lucius O’Trigger in The Rivals, Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice, and John in Dark of the Moon. He has also worked extensively as a voice actor, including over 50 audiobook titles. He is a graduate of the MFA in Professional Acting program at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Bristol UK, and has trained extensively at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA. A native of southeastern CT, Michael still calls this region home with his wife, daughter, and new baby due in April. This company has been a dream for over 15 years. Thank you all for helping to make it a reality!

  • Kristin Allegrezza

    Associate Artist

    Kristin is a retired IATSE Local #764 Costumer with 40 years of theater experience, including Regional Theater (The Guthrie, Seattle Children’s Theater, Seattle Repertory Theater), Summer Stock (Utah Shakespeare Festival), Wardrobe Supervisor for A National Tour of “A Chorus Line”, various Roadhouses (5th Avenue, WA, The Palace Theater and The Shubert Theater, CT), and six years on Broadway (Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast).  Most recently Kristin directed and costumed the 2024 Panto at the NAC. She served as Assistant Director of the inaugural NEST production, Uncle Vanya.  Much love to her husband, Jon, for his constant love and support. 

  • Thank you!


    NEST is deeply grateful for everyone that has helped to make this vision a reality. We seek to be a positive part of our community and look forward to many collaborations in the future.

    Special thanks goes out to:

    Tyler Clark, Rebecca Goodheart, Mary Dolan Hinton, Ken Lamothe and the Chelsea Players, Dane O’Leary-Clark, Faye Ringel and everyone at The Norwich Arts Council, and George Sebastian-Coleman. Thank you!