Colleen Sehy: writer, speaker, traveler, Anglophile in America.

Welcome! I'm Colleen Sehy, author of Finding Shakespeare in America, a guide to festivals, theaters, gardens, and other places across the United States and online where you can connect with the Bard.

I also write Eating British in America, a column for Anglotopia that highlights great places to find English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish food in the United States.


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Colleen Sehy

Writer Speaker Traveler ~ Anglophile in America

I have a passion for English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and Shakespearean history and culture in America.

I draw inspiration from my lifelong love of the British Isles, numerous visits to Great Britain and Ireland, and more than 30 years of traveling across the United States and Canada exploring places with links to the history and culture of the British Isles.I love sharing ideas that will help you get in touch with your inner Brit right here in the United States, no passport or plane ticket required! That’s why I’m writing a series of guidebooks that highlight the best of the British Isles in the US. The first book, Finding Shakespeare in America, is available now. Finding Scotland, Finding Ireland, and Finding England are in development.Please take some time to explore my site and learn more about my writing and speaking. Subscribe to my newsletter, Anglophile in America, for updates on great Anglophile places I’ve visited in America, tips for connecting with the British Isles here in the US, news about my books, and much more. You'll also receive my free guide, 10 Places in America Every Anglophile Should Visit.

Colleen Sehy: Writer, Speaker, Traveler, Anglophile in America.

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Colleen Sehy: Writer, Speaker, Traveler, Anglophile in America

About Me

Author and Speaker


My special expertise is in English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and Shakespearean history and culture in America.

I draw inspiration from my lifelong love of the British Isles, numerous visits to Great Britain and Ireland, and more than 30 years of traveling across the US and Canada exploring places with links to the British Isles.My passion for British history and culture goes back to my childhood, when I was introduced Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, and many other classic British children’s books. When I was eight or nine, PBS aired The Six Wives of Henry VIII, which sparked my love of English history. It’s safe to say I was the only kid on my block who waited with bated breath for each episode! I took my first trip to England when I was fifteen, and in my early 20s I started my ongoing odyssey to discover England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland here in America.

Love of Shakespeare


My love of Shakespeare was nurtured at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I planned to major in political science, but I enrolled in a Shakespeare class my freshman year that ended up changing the course of my life.

It led to a part-time job at the university’s performing arts center and involvement in a university group that staged Renaissance plays. These experiences sparked an interest in theater management and a transfer to Columbia College Chicago, where I completed an internship at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre and earned a bachelor’s degree in the school’s trailblazing Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management program, one of the first undergraduate arts management programs in the country. I also hold master’s degrees in organizational behavior and business administration.After graduating from Columbia College, I spent five years at the Illinois Arts Council, a state grant-making agency that supports artists and arts organizations. Eventually, I managed the agency’s arts in education programs, which helped bring performing and visual artists to schools and communities across the state. My time at the Arts Council was followed by twenty-five years in higher education, much of it devoted to grant development and research administration.

Three months in London


In 2015, I had the unexpected opportunity to spend three wonderful months in England. I lived like a local in southeast London, volunteered two days a week at Benjamin Franklin House near Trafalgar Square, explored as many historic sites as possible, and enjoyed far too many cream teas.

While it’s not always possible to spend three months wandering the British Isles, I know from personal experience that the British Isles can be found all over America. When I returned from England, I set out to write a book about the best places to find England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Shakespeare in the United States, no passport or plane ticket required. What began as one book quickly turned into a series, and I spent more than four years conducting research and visiting museums, historic sites, gardens, libraries, theaters, and festivals across the country, looking for the best of the British Isles.The first book in the series, Finding Shakespeare in America, was published in 2020. I’m hard at work on Finding Scotland in America and Finding Ireland in America, which will be followed by Finding England in America. I also write a monthly column called Eating British in America for Anglotopia that highlights great places to find English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish food in the United States.

Colleen Sehy: Writer, Speaker, Traveler, Anglophile in America

Finding Shakespeare
in America

Finding Shakespeare in America by Colleen Sehy

A Guide to Festivals, Theaters, Gardens, Museums, and Other Places Across the United States Where You Can Connect with the Bard

Americans have embraced William Shakespeare for more than 250 years. He influenced our founding fathers, the philanthropists who created some of our greatest cultural institutions, the pioneers who crossed the vast prairies, and millions of others. The themes of his plays still resonate with audiences today, and his influence can still be felt in the books we read, the movies and TV shows we watch, our cultural references, and the language we use every day.Finding Shakespeare in America celebrates this long-standing love affair with the Bard by bringing together hundreds of Shakespeare-related attractions across the United States in a single guidebook that makes it easy to explore and celebrate Shakespeare’s American legacy.NOTE: It's also a great book for armchair travelers, and many of the theater companies, museums, libraries, and other organizations in the book have websites filled with great online Shakespeare resources!

You'll Find:

  • More than 200 festivals and theater companies devoted to the Bard

  • More than 100 places to enjoy outdoor Shakespeare performances

  • More than 40 Shakespeare and Elizabethan gardens

  • Precious First Folios and other rare copies of the Bard’s works

  • Striking replicas of Elizabethan theaters

  • Buildings in America that stood in England during Shakespeare’s lifetime

  • Statues, stained glass, and other artwork featuring the Bard and his characters

  • Resources to help educators and parents introduce young people to the Bard

  • Online resources and much more!

Finding Shakespeare in America is the perfect traveling companion and the perfect way to add more Shakespeare to your life, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and everywhere in between. It's also a fantastic way to discover lots of online Shakespeare resources and it's a great read for armchair travelers!A note to readers: I spent hundreds of hours conducting research for Finding Shakespeare in America. Nevertheless, I’m sure I missed some theater companies, festivals, museums, and other sites that would have been great additions to the book. And since the world is a dynamic place, information in the book is subject to change. Please feel free to contact me with suggestions and updates for the next edition.


More Shakespeare:

  • Visit my Pinterest page to explore boards on finding Shakespeare in America, including American Shakespeare gardens.

  • Read Finding Shakespeare in Central Park, my exclusive Shakespeare tour of New York's Central Park.

  • On Sundays, you’ll often find me enjoying #ShakespeareSunday on Twitter. Everyone is welcome to participate, and it’s a great way to connect with other Shakespeare fans.

Colleen Sehy: Writer, Speaker, Traveler, Anglophile in America

Writing

Finding Shakespeare in America was released in 2020 and I’m hard at work on Finding Scotland in America and Finding Ireland in America. Finding England in America won’t be far behind.

Here’s a look at some of my other writing


Eating British in America

My monthly Anglotopia column, Eating British in America, highlights restaurants, pubs, shops, and other places across the United States where readers can enjoy authentic English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish food.Some column highlights include:

You’ll also find seasonal food celebrations, such as my columns on cider, British baking tips, hearty autumn fare, and favorite British Christmas foods.You can read all my Eating British in America columns at Anglotopia.net. Anglotopia is a great source for articles on British history and culture, travel information, and news from Great Britain. It reaches a global audience of thousands of readers each month, many of them based in the US.

British & American flags

More Articles

Colleen Sehy: Writer, Speaker, Traveler, Anglophile in America

Speaking

Are you looking for programs that bring the history and culture of the British Isles to life? Are you interested in learning how to explore England, Scotland, Ireland, and Shakespeare right here in the United States, no passport or plane ticket required? You’ve come to the right place!

I’ve made numerous visits to Great Britain and Ireland and I’ve spent more than 30 years traveling across the United States and Canada seeking out places with links to the British Isles. My presentations draw on this rich body of knowledge to help audiences learn more about the British Isles and discover the many rewarding encounters they can have with England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Shakespeare here in America.I’ve given presentations for dozens of non-profit and civic organizations, professional associations, and educational organizations over the past 30 years. The public speaking experience I’m most proud of is the architectural and historical tours I gave as a volunteer at Benjamin Franklin House in London in 2015.

Here’s a small sample of responses to my presentations:

  • “Very informative and interesting presentation”

  • “You were a joy to work with”

  • “The insights you shared with us are most valuable and appreciated”

  • “The experience was a true learning one”

  • “I came away knowing some new and interesting things”

  • “Thank you again for all your ideas”

I book in-person presentations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin year-round.
I also book Zoom presentations year-round.

Please feel free to contact me about giving a presentation in another part of the US. My research often takes me to other parts of the country, and I’m happy to schedule talks during those trips.A typical presentation lasts about 45 minutes, but I can modify it to meet your needs. In addition to the programs listed below, I also have a 15-20 minute Short Shakespeare program that’s perfect for pre-show talks at theaters and festivals.Please contact me for more information on my presentations and availability.

British & American flags

Contact me to inquire about speaking.


Programs:

Finding the British Isles in America

This program highlights attractions and activities that will help your audience enrich their lives with English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish experiences in the US, no passport or plane ticket required.I can showcase the “best of British” across America or in a specific region of the country. I can also tailor this program to focus specifically on English, Scottish, or Irish sites in the US.

This talk is great for Anglophiles, travel enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone interested in exploring their cultural heritage.

Finding Shakespeare in America (Talk #1)

You don’t have to go all the way to England to enjoy the Bard. I'll give your audience great insider tips on finding Shakespeare across the United States.They’ll learn about fabulous festivals, Elizabethan-style theaters, authentic Tudor buildings, beautiful Shakespeare gardens, libraries with precious copies of the rare First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays, and much more.

This talk is great for Shakespeare and theater fans, history buffs, Anglophiles, and travel enthusiasts.

Finding Shakespeare in America (Talk #2)

America’s relationship with the Bard stretches back to colonial times, when his works influenced our founding fathers. As the country grew, we brought Shakespeare to the prairies of Illinois and Nebraska, the cow towns of Texas and Kansas, and the gold fields of California and Alaska.During the 19th and early 20th century, theater troupes crossed the country performing Shakespeare’s plays, and hundreds of clubs and societies sprang up to study his works, many of them started by women. The Bard continues to influence America today, often in surprising ways. This program shares highlights from our longstanding love affair with Shakespeare.

This program is great for Shakespeare and theater fans, history buffs, travel enthusiasts, and educators.

Finding Shakespeare in the Garden

Shakespeare mentioned more than 180 types of flowers, trees, fruits, vegetables, and herbs in his plays and sonnets, and Shakespeare gardens have been created all over the world to honor his love of nature.This program looks at the typical elements of a Shakespeare garden and explores some of the more than three dozen Shakespeare gardens in America. I also share ideas for adding a bit of the Bard to your own backyard.

This talk is great for Shakespeare fans, gardeners, and travel enthusiasts.

Gilded Age Buccaneers:
How America’s Heiresses Stormed the British Aristocracy

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, hundreds of American heiresses crossed the Atlantic in search of titled husbands. These daughters of self-made millionaires didn’t have blue blood, but they did have parents who were willing to pay huge dowries to aristocratic British families that desperately needed cash to maintain their crumbling estates and privileged lifestyles.This talk introduces the headstrong young women who married into a third of Great Britain’s most aristocratic families, pumped the equivalent of $1.5 billion dollars into its economy, and left an indelible mark on the British landscape.

This talk is great for history buffs, Anglophiles, and Downton Abbey fans.

At Home in the Country:
The American Country Place Era

Fabulous Italian villas, elaborate French châteaux, and stately Tudor manor houses – in America? In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the self-made millionaires of America’s Industrial Age showed off their new-found wealth by building magnificent country estates. They scoured Europe for antiques, artwork, and inspiration, and returned home determined to create stately homes that were grounded in historic architecture and filled with carefully hidden modern conveniences.The result was a series of opulent mansions from coast to coast. This program explores the lavish lifestyles of the families that built them and highlights some stunning mansions that are open to the public.

This talk is great for history and architecture buffs, Downton Abbey fans, and travel enthusiasts.


In addition to these programs I also have a 15 minute Short Shakespeare program that’s perfect for pre-show talks at theaters and festivals.


British & American flags

Contact me to inquire about speaking.

Colleen Sehy: Writer, Speaker, Traveler, Anglophile in America

Contact Me

Please contact me about my writing and speaking, about interviews and podcast appearances, or to request a media kit:

Detail from Finding Shakespeare in America by Colleen Sehy

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for updates and tips.My Pinterest page is overflowing with Anglophile inspiration, including boards dedicated to Anglophile America, Shakespeare in America, classic British foods, and English cottage gardens.