Actor

Vanessa
Claire Stewart

Vanessa started co-writing and starring as Keely Smith in Louis & Keely: ‘Live’ at the Sahara at her home base, 99-seat Sacred Fools Theater Company (Ovation Award for Best Actress and Best Musical, LA Weekly Award for Best Musical). Afterwards, Louis & Keely moved on to successful runs at the Matrix, the Geffen Playhouse and (with the help of new producer Hershey Felder) the Royal George Theater in Chicago. Proving lightning can strike twice, she also wrote Stoneface starring French Stewart first for Sacred Fools and then moved it to the Pasadena Playhouse. Currently, Vanessa is writing book and lyrics for an original musical entitled Deadly about serial killer HH Holmes, which was recently workshopped at Sacred Fools and Chance Theater. She recently hosted the L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Awards with her husband French Stewart, and is thrilled to be returning to the Geffen Playhouse where their love was first kindled. Favorite stage roles: Alex, A Clockwork Orange (LA Weekly Award for Best Actress); Olivia, Twelfth Night; Louise, Gypsy; Beth, Little Women; Hodel, Fiddler on the Roof; Laura, A Glass Menagerie, (Peter Bennett, director).