Amy Seham

Amy Seham came to Gustavus in 1997 with a Ph.D. in Theatre from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.F.A. from Northwestern University and years of experience as Artistic Director of Performance Studio and Free Shakespeare on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut. She has directed a wide variety of shows in the Anderson Theatre from musicals to Shakespeare to original works. In the last six summers, Amy's work as a playwright has also been presented at the Minnesota Fringe Festival in products featuring Gustavus students and alumni. Amy's research and teaching specialties include improvisation and theatre for social justice. Her book,Whose Improv Is It Any?Beyond Second City,exploring power and process in Chicago improv-comedy was published in 2001. She has created and conducted workshops on race, gender and resisting stereotypes in improv at universities, theatres and conferences across the United States, as well as in Ireland and India. At Gustavus Amy has intensified her commitment to theatre for social justice, developing a new course in Creative Social Justice Theatre and mentoring the student social justice theatre troupeI Am, We Are. She lives in Saint Peter with her wonderful daughter, Miranda.

Experience

• Teacher/Director at Gustavus Adolphus College: 1997-present
• Artistic Director of theatres in Michigan and Connecticut
• Author: Whose Improv Is It Anyway?, published 2001

Teaching Areas

• Social Justice Theatre
• Performance Theory
• Directing 
• Theatre and society
• Improvisation
• Devised Theatre
• FTS

Courses Taught