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Ryan J-W Smith - Author/Director/Composer/Producer - bio

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Clarissa Adele - 'Nell' - bio

Pretty, Witty Nell® - Famous Fans!

2026 – Latest Press Releases

April 7, 2026

Rogue Shakespeare® (aka Ryan J-W Smith) – the most prolific sonneteer in world history – releases his first 1,000 sonnets this summer in his new book:

‘Rogue Shakespeare’s Sonnets – Truth in Verse – Part I

The Path to Enlightenment in the Brave New World’

April 7, 2026

PRESS RELEASE

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Rogue Shakespeare’s Sonnets – Part I – front cover

PRETTY, WITTY NELL® – Author/Director/Composer/Producer – Ryan J-W Smith

Ryan J-W Smith winning the OFFIES OffFest Award 2025 for his Pretty, Witty Nell® photo: Piers Allardyce

Ryan J-W Smith with his protege, Clarissa Adele, at a West End after-party event, July 12, 2025 (photo: Fred Mullane)

Ryan J-W Smith aka ‘Rogue Shakespeare®’ (photo Paul Woodcock)

RYAN J-W SMITH

aka

‘ROGUE SHAKESPEARE’

– AUTHOR / DIRECTOR / COMPOSER / PRODUCER –

Rogue Shakespeare® is Ryan J-W Smith’s artistic pseudonym, as well as the name of his critically-acclaimed international theatre company that has been producing his award-winning verse plays since 2001.

Ryan J-W Smith, MA Law (Dist), is a multi-award winning verse playwright and critically-acclaimed poet/director/actor/producer/filmmaker/composer. To date he has written over 3,300 Shakespearean sonnets (that’s 46,200 lines of verse), 7 verse plays, released 5 albums, 1 EP, and 2 verse screenplays.

As a filmmaker, Smith’s films have received 25 international film festival wins, nominations or selections, including a selection for the Cannes Film Festival.

As Rogue Shakespeare®, Smith’s stage accolades include: OFFIES OffFest Award Winner 2025; two-time Hollywood Fringe International Award Winner; two-time Encore Producers’ Award Winner; Hollywood Fringe Comedy Award Nomination; Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award Nomination; Gandhi Foundation Award Recipient; three-time Arts Council England Award Recipient, two-time ‘Pick of the Fringe’ (Edinburgh), The Observer (Newspaper) Fringe Promoter of the Year, and countless professional 4 and 5-star reviews.

A prolific author of verse, Smith’s first 500 sonnets were published to universal acclaim in 2012 in his book ‘500 Shakespearean Sonnets’; his book of 3 award-winning and award-nominated plays ‘Rogue Shakespeare: 3 Plays’ was published in summer 2023, and his latest record-shattering epic poetic trilogy, Rogue Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Truth in Verse – parts I, II & III (available either in 3 separate books, or in one combined book ‘Rogue Shakespeare’s Bible’) containing over 2,700 prophetic/spiritual/political/philosophical sonnets, will be published in 2026/7 – starting with PART ONE (that contains the first 1,000 of Smith’s sonnets) – due for publication in the Summer of 2026.

Rogue Shakespeare (Smith) is also a singer/songwriter, lead guitarist, pianist and composer. To date he has released 5 albums and an EP. His music is distributed worldwide by Virgin Music.

As well as holding a batchelor’s degree in Theatre Studies from Trinity College, Smith graduated from law school with a master’s degree in Law, awarded with distinction.

Smith is the author, director and producer of Pretty, Witty Nell® (Smith’s 7th and most recent verse play), as well as the composer of the music used in the award-winning production.

Ryan J-W Smith winning the OFFIES OffFest Award 2025 for his Pretty, Witty Nell® photo: Piers Allardyce

Smith’s 4th album, IN MEMORIAM MEDITATION, now used as a soundtrack for his PRETTY, WITTY NELL®

PLAYS: (date indicates year of first performance)

Pretty, Witty Nell® (2019)

Romeo & Juliet it Ain’t! (aka Sweet Love Adieu – version II) (2016)

MacDeth! (2016)

New World Order (2008)

Love Labours Won (2006)

Sweet Love Adieu (original version, 2001)

BOOKS:

Rogue Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Truth in Verse – part I (expected – SUMMER, 2026)

Rogue Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Truth in Verse – part II (expected – WINTER, 2026)

Rogue Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Truth in Verse – part III (expected – SUMMER, 2027)

Rogue Shakespeare’s Bible: Truth in Verse – parts I, II & III (expected – SUMMER, 2027)

ROGUE SHAKESPEARE: 3 Plays (published July 4, 2023)

500 Shakespearean Sonnets (published July 4, 2012)

Sweet Love Adieu (published 2003)

Sidewalk Symphony (2025) feat. Conflux Coldwell

Samsara (2006)

Deep in the Shallows (2006)

2025 – PWN Play Poster

2025 – PWN Show Image

PRETTY, WITTY NELL® – 2025 Production photos – Clarissa Adele as ‘Nell’

Portrait of the King’s Mistress, Nell Gwynne, by Mary Beale c.1697

Smith’s critically-acclaimed artistic works include:

For Ryan J-W Smith’s full biography, please visit the ‘Rogue‘ page

CLARISSA ADELE

– ACTRESS –

PRETTY, WITTY NELL® – Clarissa Adele – ‘Nell’

Currently nominated for the Standing Ovation Award 2025 for her solo performance in Rogue Shakespeare’s OFFIE Award-winning tragicomic verse play, Pretty, Witty Nell, Clarissa is an American actress born in Los Angeles, who grew up in France and Beijing, China, where her parents still live. Clarissa has bases around the world including Beijing, Hong Kong and Dubai.

At 18 Clarissa moved to London, where she is currently based, to complete her degree in BA Acting, for which she achieved first class honours.

Due to Clarissa’s international background, she speaks a number of languages including fluent French, intermediate Spanish and Mandarin. She has a passion for travelling and culture, having visited over 30 countries by the age of 22. Clarissa has had experience working in different countries from a young age. This includes work on CBS’ Mike and Molly at age 9, then she took her passion to China by working on musical feature film The Remnant and as the lead in Knowbox Education’s English e-learning videos (online learning platform used by over 50% of Chinese primary schools). Upon moving to the UK Clarissa has been entering the industry by working on projects such as short film A Trip Down Memory Lane, commercial for Veygo Car Insurance and as the lead (Sally) in Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin.

Clarissa also has a passion for fitness and sport, and has a diverse set of skills including horse riding, ice skating, skiing, swimming, weight training, Pilates, and paddleboarding. Clarissa is super excited to be taking over the role of Nell in Rogue Shakespeare’s Pretty, Witty Nell!

PRETTY, WITTY NELL® – Famous Fans!

Clarissa Adele with Broadway musical theatre legend, Melissa Errico (July 12, 2025 – public domain)

Ryan J-W Smith and his friend, the late Emmy-award winner Ed Asner, promote the world premiere of Smith’s Pretty, Witty Nell® to a sea of press photographers at a red carpet event in LA (photo: public domain 2019)