Photos by DJ Corey
About Me...
Hi, I'm Shana! I am a director, dramaturg, choreographer, and performer with a passion for new works, rich texts with socio-political relevance, and stories with a little grit. I believe that theatre is a place to build collective care for humanity, highlighting people that are multi-dimensional, complex, and difficult to define. I care deeply about my communities and have found that theatre is unique in its power to open the ears, hearts, and minds of those who engage with it. That is why I focus my energy on work brought to life by the incredible artists that surround us now who have been underrepresented and present a fresh perspective to share with the world.
I was born and raised in Chicago and currently live in the beautiful city of Washington, DC. I have had the pleasure of working with many theaters in this community such as Arena Stage, Round House, Mosaic, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Theater J, and many more. I graduated from Wesleyan University with majors in Theatre and American Studies, and a minor in African American Studies.
My Artistic Values...
ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE
I am committed to creating art that will last in the minds and hearts of viewers for its powerful imagery, language, and conceit.
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT AND ACTIVE CONVERSATION
I am determined to teach as much as I learn, sending the audience home not only with a valuable communal experience, but insight to a new worldview, perspective, or concept they hadn’t considered before.
SOCIAL RELEVANCE AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY
I am fiercely passionate about creating discourse between my work, the audience, and the world around us. I approach every story with reverence, respect, and an effort to learn as much as possible from those around me.
UNFLINCHING INTEGRITY AND HONESTY
In a country falling deeper into the grips of censorship and fascism, stifling the voices of its opposition, I am loudly proud to be a megaphone for the stories of resilience, perseverance, and triumph of the 99%.
Recently...
FOUAD OF NAZARETH by Fouad Dakwar, dir. Sivan Battat at NAMT Festival of New Works
I recently returned from New York City after serving as one of the National Alliance of Musical Theatre's Emerging Artists Creative Assistantships where I worked with director Sivan Battat and Larson Grant winning composer, lyricist, and bookwriter Fouad Dakwar on the pop-punk, Palestinian, dark comedy, coming of age story, Fouad of Nazareth. I was able to work hands on with the team to rehearse and set their industry presentation of this brand new musical for the 38th Annual New Works Festival attached to their Fall Conference. I was so proud to champion this piece to producers, artistic directors, and other artists from around the nation and the world at New World Stages. To learn more about the piece and what's to come in its undoubtably bright future, visit their website to listen to the concept album and support this important piece of musical theatre history!
Announcement: Literary Director at Theatre Prometheus
I am so honored and proud to announce that I have been promoted to the role of Literary Director with Theatre Prometheus! After 3 years with the company as an Artistic Associate and honing my craft as an administrator, I am taking on the labor of love of focusing on new work development and leading our season planning and script acquisition processes. I have finally created the Open Flame Initiative-- an open submission policy, expanding our network of local playwrights involved in our Firecracker Fest, and redefining what makes a Prometheus show. Playwrights, follow this link to share your work with me! Firecracker Festival applications are due November 1st, 2026.
Tamilla Woodard, director and educator
"Shana gets in where she fits in, always. That is a most invaluable super-
power for an assistant on any production."
Robin Berl,
playwright and director
"When Shana develops new work, she makes sure that conversations in developing the play bring it fully into three dimensions. Shana works to ensure that a playwright is creating a script to become a living breathing entity; the stage picture is ever present in Shana’s mind and she is constantly seeing the characters in space. Her close reading of the text and her ability to experience the interiority of each character and their unique emotional journey allow her to help a playwright fully develop the world their characters must inhabit. She works not only to prepare the playwright and the play for the current reading, presentation, or production, but values the future of both play and playwright as well."
Margot Bordelon,
director
"Shana became very useful very quickly and with little instruction, which was convenient in the high-speed processes we were a part of. She entered two spaces that had rhythms of their own and was able to match her energy and