The Pen & Sword, LLC
Welcome to The Pen & Sword, LLC!
The Pen & Sword is owned by the husband-wife duo, Pierce and Firen Williams, who teach and choreograph stage combat in the Pacific Northwest and beyond!
Pierce and Firen grew up as rough and tumble kids with a passion for martial arts, swords, and everything in-between, but as they grew older, they found their footing in the world of Theatre. In 2017, they decided to attend the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) National Stage Combat Workshop in North Carolina and found the beautiful marriage between their two halves: Stage Combat.
The path had never been clearer.
Ever since then, they have trained with some of the best in the industry, gathered knowledge from within the theatre world and outside of it, and have always shared the art form with their many students around the USA. They are based out of Tri-Cities, Washington working diligently to foster Stage Combat throughout the Pacific Northwest and commit to a life of learning and growing.
What can we do for you?
Whether you are looking for Stage Combat training or looking to hire fight choreographers for your show, we have you covered.
What are we up to?
Check out our calendar below!
Follow us on social
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![The Pen & Sword Instagram]()
Instagram
Stay up-to-date with our projects, find feedback from directors and students, or just have a fun time following our adventures!
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![SAFD Adventures]()
The SAFD
As Advanced Actor Combatants through the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD), we want to connect you to a wider Stage Combat Community, check out the SAFD page!
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![Blacksmithing Pierce]()
Broken 5 Forge
Our in-house Weaponsmith makes steel and aluminum theatrical knives, check out his page for a more intimate look at process and stock!
Reviews
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"Are you seeking ways to build your confidence, agility and precision? Do you desire to better train your body as an instrument of your impulses and intentions? Are you looking to integrate your live performance and martial skill sets? Look no farther than The Pen & Sword, LLC. Firen and Pierce blend rigorous, practical training methodologies with the playful joy of storytelling and artistry. Come for the training. Stay for the community. You'll be glad you did."
-Adam Noble, Fight Director SAFD
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"The Pen & Sword has everything you need when hiring teachers or choreographers: clear and timely communication, expertise, and enthusiasm. Pierce and Firen are hard-working, diligent practitioners of stage combat. They always strive for greatness while working with kindness on every project."
Ian Bond, AAC SAFD
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"If you're looking to learn fun and creative stage combat skills, these are the people to learn them from! They have in-depth knowledge of their martial arts and a passion for the craft. Whether you're seasoned or just starting out, you will walk away with something new. It would be impossible not to."
Kristopher Jones, Actor with BigFish NW
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"I’ve worked with Pierce of The Pen & Sword multiple times and I am pleased to say that it has been an overwhelmingly positive (and wholesome) experience. Pierce was able to quickly jump into our production with professionalism and an unbridled amount of energy. He taught all of my actors basics in combat while giving encouraging notes and helpful feedback. He makes everyone on the stage feel important and powerful. When choreographing combat, Pierce is able to expertly take the director’s vision and actor’s physicality and limitations into account throughout his process. The choreography itself is clean but holds a certain flair and style that is unmatched in any staged violence I have seen. Anyone who has seen Pierce work, worked with him, or knows him can tell that he lives and breathes combat. He is a joy to work with and will ALWAYS be my go-to Choreographer."
Deven Austin, Drama Teacher at Pasco High School
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"Firen came to our middle school during our Drama club day two weeks in a row. The students ( about 40 6th through 8th grade) ate up everything she taught them! Firen had such a wonderful presence and really knew how to engage these kids. She scaffolded the curriculum, and made sure they were safely demonstrating the content before introducing new content. She had wonderful teacher tricks to teach them how to remember vocabulary, and it absolutely worked! At the end of the second day with Firen the kids were choreographing small fight scenes, and it was AMAZING! I highly recommend hosting Pen and Sword to come to your school and teach a workshop! At the end of the day, she is doing such an awesome thing like this in our arts community. She is making the Tri-Cities and surrounding area a more enjoyable place to be for people who crave more knowledge of the arts."
-Rachel Browning, Drama Teacher and Director at Enterprise Middle School
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"Firen and Pierce are stage combatants made for education. The moment you welcome them into your classroom and production, you will see a pair of professionals that know exactly what is needed to accomplish your goals for delivering believable staged violence that is safe and enjoyable. Their pedagogical delivery will fit right into any unit, their vocabulary will stick to young minds like glue, and they will guide your students through fights ranging from the most basic punch to the most intricate brawl. I cannot recommend them enough!"
Robert Hanson, Drama Teacher at Arlington High School
