Elena Holy ’90, shown with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, founded The New York International Fringe Festival. New York magazine called FringeNYC “Sundance for the theater crowd” when it named the SMU alumna to its list of “The Influentials” in theater. Photo by Dixie Sheridan.
Former Program Council president Elena Holy’s story is the stuff of Broadway musicals. During spring break of her senior year, she went to New York and landed a job with Roundabout Theatre Company. Just three years after graduating in 1990, with a Bachelor’s degree in radio-television communications, she teamed up with husband-and-wife John Clancy and Nancy Walsh ’90 to create The Present Company. She’s now the company’s producing artistic director.
“While my classroom experience was invaluable, in my particular case, what I learned about management, budgeting, long-term planning, marketing, press relations and so many of the skills I use every day at The Present Company derive almost entirely from my student leadership experience.”
In 1996 she established The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC). For 16 days each August more than 200 companies from around the world perform in more than 20 venues during FringeNYC, the largest multi-arts festival in North America.
“What I’m most proud of is the fact that FringeNYC is still run almost entirely by volunteers – an extraordinary community of artists, volunteers and audience members who willingly give their time, talent and energy to make it happen.
“When I think about it, it’s pretty much just like SMU Program Council.”