Leadership

President, Founding Member

Adam Konowe began learning stage combat more than two decades ago when he served as an assistant director and minor actor in a Reston, Virginia production of “that Scottish play which goes unnamed.” He emerged unharmed, but hooked on stage combat. As a founding member of the Noble Blades, Adam has studied numerous weapon styles under a variety of fight masters, fight directors and certified teachers from the Society of American Fight Directors. Beginning in 1995 and continuing through the mid-2000s, he passed a series of SAFD skills proficiency tests and renewals, topping out at five disciplines (unarmed combat, broadsword, rapier and dagger, small sword and quarterstaff). Along the way, Adam has choreographed the fights for more than 20 professional, community and educational-level productions, as well as conducted stage combat workshops throughout the Washington, D.C. area and as far afield as England and New Zealand. Beyond stage combat, Adam is also an award-winning director and lighting designer. He holds multiple “real world” jobs to subsidize his addiction to theatre.

Vice President

Karen Schlumpf is a recognized Actor/Combatant, proficient in eight weapon styles by the Society of American Fight Directors. Her acting experience has included Isobel Bridie in An Experiment with an Air Pump (RCP), Maria Rainer in The Sound of Music (SP), Julia in Two Gentlemen of Verona (RCP), Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible (SP), and Det. Sgt. Troughton in Run for Your Wife (RCP). Karen on occasion also sits in the director’s chair. She has directed several productions including Laughing Stock (RCP), Forever Plaid (RCP), A Midsummer’s Night Dream (SP) and Murder in the News (SP).

Managing Director

Ian Claar is a fight choreographer, intimacy choreographer, lighting designer, and teaching artist based in Northern Virginia. He has been actively involved in the performing arts community for the past 17 years throughout Virginia’s educational, community, regional theatres. He has studied the art of stage combat since 2013, and continues to train, choreograph and educate. In addition to being part of the Noble Blades leadership, he has a degree in Design and Technical Theatre from Christopher Newport University, is an Advanced Actor/Combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors, a 2024 Fight Director Workshop Candidate, and is a proud member of I.A.T.S.E., Local 22 and Associate Member of SDC.

Fight directions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream [NextStop Theatre], The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) [StageCoach Theatre], Einstein’s Wife [ExPats Theater DC], She Kills Monsters [DCI Dragon Theatre], and The Game’s Afoot [Reston Players] (WATCH Award Winner for outstanding Stage Combat Choreography).

Photo Credit: FightGuy Photography

Armourer, Secretary/Treasurer

Kaitlyn De Litta is excited to explore her passion for safety, stage combat, and stage weaponry with the Noble Blades, while bringing her experience as a props artisan and stage manager to the troupe. Raised as a Loudoun County local, Kaitlyn began her theatrical career with the theatre department at Woodgrove High School, but didn’t realize theatre was her passion until working on ‘The 39 Steps’ with Run Rabbit Run Theatre in 2013. It was then that she decided to pursue live entertainment as a career, and graduated in 2018 with a BFA in Theatre Design and Production with an emphasis in Stage Management from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Va. After graduation, Kaitlyn began working as the over-hire Props Runner at Signature Theatre, and has since accepted the position full time. Between shows at Signature, Kaitlyn has been able to work at multiple venues in the DC area, and has various production credits from Studio Theatre, Synetic Theatre, DC Capital Fringe Festival, Georgetown Preparatory School, and Adventure Theatre. She is also proud to be a new member of IATSE Local 22. Her debut with Reston Community Players came when she served as the Weapons Master on ‘The Game’s Afoot’ in February 2020. Kaitlyn hopes that her position on the board of directors lends unique perspective and experience to a noble and exciting mission.

Senior Adviser

Robb Hunter is a Fight Master and Theatrical Firearms Instructor for the Society of American Fight Directors, as well as a long-time member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. He is an award winning movement and fight director in the DC Metro Area and has choreographed violence/movement for theatres all along the East Coast including The Shakespeare Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Arena Stage, The Studio Theatre, The Public Theatre, Theatre Harlem, Washington National Opera, The Cape Playhouse, Olney Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Signature Theatre, Theatre J. and many others. Robb holds an MFA in theatre pedagogy from the Virginia Commonwealth University and is currently the combat instructor for STC's Academy and Catholic University, artist in Residence at American University and teaching artist for The Studio Theatre Conservatory. When he is not teaching or directing violence he is “enabling” it through his theatrical weapons rental company, Preferred Arms, which supplies prop weapons to theatres and universities nationwide.

www.preferredarms.com, #DCfightdirector, www.robbhunter.org