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People - Alumni

Alumni from the University of Washington School of Drama are advancing the artistic conversation through their innovative and diverse work both regionally and across the globe. Our graduates, many who have gone on to become highly successful, represent the best of what the School of Drama has to offer. Whether they went on to become television stars, acclaimed film producers, exceptional costume designers, artistic directors, or theatrical entrepreneurs, the UW School of Drama was the foundation for their growth as artists.

Format: 2024
  • a photo of Barzin_Akhavan
    MFA, Acting, Class of 2007
  • a photo of Samer Al-Saber
    Assistant Professor, Stanford University, PhD, Theater History and Criticism, Class of 2013
  • John Aylward
    BFA, Drama (PATP) , Class of 1971
  • Tim Bond
    Artistic Director, TheatreWorks, Silicon Valley, MFA, Directing, Class of 1983
  • Linsey Bostwick headshot
    Director of Artistic Planning, The Arts Center at NYUAD, BA, Drama, Class of 2000
  • Production Designer, MFA Scenic Design, Class of 1999
  • Melanie Burgess
    Costume Designer, MFA, Costume Design, Class of 2002
  • a photo of Ken Cerniglia
    Broadway Dramaturg, Scholar & Writer, PhD, Theater History and Criticism, Class of 2001
  • a photo of Christina Chang
    MFA, Acting, Class of 1996
  • Desdemona Chiang by Steve Korn
    Stage Director, Seattle Rep, ACT, South Coast Rep, Guthrie Theater, MFA, Directing, Class of 2009
  • Mairi Chisholm
    Costume Designer and Commercial Stylist, MFA, Costume Design, Class of 2007
  • a photo of Josh Costello
    Director, 59E59, Aurora Theatre Company, San Francisco Playhouse, MFA, Directing, Class of 2003
  • Tré Cotten
    Part-time Lecturer, Screen Acting, Hollywood Dialect Coach, Director, Actor, MFA, Acting, Class of 2017
  • Linda Emond
    MFA, Acting (PATP), Class of 1986
  • a photo of Trish Harnetiaux
    Playwright, Filmmaker and Podcast Creator, BA, Drama, Class of 1998
  • a photo of Bria Henderson
    MFA, Acting, Class of 2018
  • Gregg Henry Headshot
    BFA, Drama (PATP), Class of 1975
  • Marya Sea Kaminski
    Artistic Director, Pittsburgh Public Theater, MFA, Acting, Class of 2004
  • Richard Karn
    BFA, Drama (PATP), Class of 1979
  • Carl Kennedy
    MFA, Acting, Class of 2010
  • Mariana Klaveno
    BA, Drama, Class of 2009
  • a picture of Lenne Klingaman
    MFA, Acting, Class of 2007
  • Anna Lamadrid (Photo: Joanne DeGeneres)
    Playwright and Performer, MFA, Acting, Class of 2015
  • Andrew Layton
    Set Designer and member of the Art Directors Guild, Local 800, MFA, Set Design, Class of 2005
  • Allison Leach Headshot
    Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer, BA, Drama, Class of 2000
  • Andrew Lieberman Headshot
    Set Designer, MFA, Scenic Design, Class of 1998
  • Ada Limon Headshot
    Author, Guggenheim Fellow (2020), 24th U.S. Poet Laureate (2022), BA, Drama, Class of 1998
  • Kyle Maclachlan
    BFA, Acting (PATP), Class of 1982
  • Andrew Mannion
    Scene Designer/Lecturer, Union College, MFA, Scenic Design, Class of 2012
  • a woman in glasses against a multi-textured background
    Vice President, Acquisitions and Artistic Development, Concord Theatricals, BA, Drama, Class of 2005
  • Associate Professor, University of Oregon, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Ecodrama Playwrights Festival, PhD, Class of 2000
  • Joel McHale
    Actor, Comedian, Producer, Television Host, MFA, Acting, Class of 2000
  • Bridget McKevitt
    Actor, MFA. Acting, Class of 2018
  • Thorn Michaels
    Gregory Award-winning Lighting Designer, MFA, Lighting Design, Class of 2016
  • Rene Millan
    Actor, Director, Educator, MFA, Acting, Class of 1999
  • Leyla Modrizadeh
    Lecturer in Acting and Public Speaking, UC, Berkeley, MFA, Acting, Class of 1994
  • Michael Navarra
    Actor, Director, Producer, Educator, MFA, Acting, Class of 2002
  • a photo of Joe Ngo
    Actor, Writer, Performer, MFA, Acting, Class of 2015
  • Malika Oyetimein stands facing the camera in a maroon top
    Director and Playwright, Directors Lab at Lincoln Center, MFA, Directing, Class of 2017
  • a photo of Detra Payne
    Lecturer, Northwestern University, School of Communication, BA, Drama, Class of 1990
  • Pamela Reed
    BFA, Drama (PATP), Class of 1975
  • Tlaloc Rivas
    Director, Writer, Producer, Cofounder of Latinx Theatre Commons, MFA Directing, Class of 1999
  • Peggy Shannon Headshot
    Dean, College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at SDSU, MFA, Directing, Class of 1986
  • Lynn Shelton Headshot
    Director, Filmmaker, BA. Drama, Class of 1987
  • Ron Simons
    Tony Award-winning Producer, MFA, Acting, Class of 2001
  • Jean Smart
    BFA, Drama (PATP), Class of 1974
  • Harris Smith
    Dean, University of New Mexico, College of Fine Arts, MFA, Acting, Class of 1991
  • Lois Smith headshot
    BA, Drama, Class of 1951
  • Leslie Swackhamer headshot
    Stage Director, Producer, Executive Director of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, MFA, Directing, Class of 1990
  • Alexandra Tavares
    MFA, Acting, Class of 2005
  • Actor, Entrepreneur, Educator, MFA, Acting, Class of 2014
  • Scott Venters
    Chair of Performing Arts, Dallas College, PhD, Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism, Class of 2021
  • Amy Kim Waschke Headshot
    Actor, BA, Drama, Class of 1997 and MFA, Acting, Class of 2004
  • a photo of Dawn Wells
    BA, Drama, Class of 1960
  • Jennifer Zeyl
    Scenic and Costume Designer, MFA, Scenic Design, Class of 2003

Alumni Websites

BA in Drama
Name Job Title Class Year
Arsenault, Holly Playwright 2001
Buron, Ingrid Sanai Professional Actor 1995
Harnetiaux, Trish Playwright, Filmmaker and Podcast Creator 1998
Limón, Ada Author, Guggenheim Fellow (2020), 24th U.S. Poet Laureate (2022) 1998
Place, Michael Founding Artistic Curator, One Coast Collaboration 2004
Ramsey, Bobbin Theatre and Film Director 2013
Shanthi, Hope Professional Actor 2012
Smith, Devon Co-founder, Measure Creative 2006
MFA in Acting (Professional Actor Training Program)
Name Job Title Class Year
Fort, Claire Professional Actor 2016
Franks, Alyssa Professional Actor 2020
Frear, Amy Actor and Filmmaker 2011
Gilliespie, Brian Director and Educator 2006
Glaser, Tamsen Professional Actor 2018
Hahn, Gretchen Professional Actor Training Program 2022
Henke, Saffron Assistant Professor of Theatre, Colorado State University 2001
Holman, Asialani Professional Actor 2021
Hutchison, Christopher Actor, Director, Member of the Resident Acting Company at The Alley Theatre 1999
Kaminiski, Marya Sea Artistic Director, Pittsburgh Public Theater 2004
Kruse, Phil Partner, Artistic Director, Bandit Filmworks 2012
Lamadrid, Anna Playwright and Performer 2015
Ludwigsen, Jennefer Professional Actor 2009
McHale, Joel Actor, Comedian, Producer, Television Host 2000
McKevitt, Bridget Actor 2018
McLeod, Katharine Professional Actor 2008
Millan, Rene Actor, Director, Educator 1999
Miller, Semaj Actor, Director, Artist 2020
Mitchell, Antonio Professional Actor Training Program 2022
Modrizadeh, Leyla Lecturer in Acting and Public Speaking, UC, Berkeley 1994
Navarra, Michael Actor, Director, Producer, Educator 2002
Ngo, Joe Actor, Writer, Performer 2015
Pavela, Tatiana Actor and Theatre Artist 2017
Raney, Colleen Traditional Irish Singer 2001
Shue, Jonathan Actor and Education Director for Dusty Strings Music Store & School 2014
Simons, Ron Tony Award-winning Producer 2001
Sweeney, Joellen Professional Actor Training Program 2022
Telesmar, Christian Actor, Entrepreneur, Educator 2014
Thorne, Jessica Director of Customer Success, Funnel Gorgeous 2020
Vetter, Erika Actor and Educator 2021
Virden, Zach Actor and Production Assistant, Blindlight 2016
von Fliss, Montana Public Speaking Trainer and Actor 2008
Waschke, Amy Kim Actor 2004
Young, Jack Head of Professional Actor Training Program, University of Houston 1986
MFA in Design
Name Job Title Class Year
Apatoff, Rachel Costume Designer 2012
Arnold, Paul Lighting Designer 2014
Bartek, Ann Scenic Designer and Assistant Art Director 2004
Bernard, John Lighting and Projection Designer 2015
Brown, Amiya Lighting and Scenic Designer, Visual Artist, Educator (Seattle U) 2010
Brown, Christopher Production Designer 1999
Buckstaff, Meleta Costume Designer and Artist 2017
Burgess, Melanie Costume Designer 2002
Chisholm, Mairi Costume Designer and Commercial Stylist 2007
Cumings, Marnie Lighting Designer 2012
Fischer, Kenrick Lighting Designer 2017
Hogue, Emily Woods Costume Designer 2018
Huang, Chun Yen Lighting Designer 2020
Layton, Andrew Set Designer and member of the Art Directors Guild, Local 800 2005
Lee, Kuan Ying Costume Designer 2021
Legate, Joshua Lighting, Projection and Scenic Designer 2021
Lieberman, Andrew Set Designer 1998
Lim, Czerton Associate Professor of Theatre, Scenic Design at SUNY Fredonia 2006
Mannion, Andrew Scene Designer/Lecturer, Union College 2012
Marcos, Lex Scenic designer and Visual storyteller 2017
Michaels, Thorn Gregory Award-winning Lighting Designer 2016
Minahan, Michael Studio and Scenic Painter/Designer 2011
Moreno Caycho, Jessica Costume Designer 2021
Ogasawara, Maya Costume and Scenic Designer 2015
Parker, Amber Lighting Designer 2018
Petrovich, Michaela Associate Professor of Theatre, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 2014
Riel, Brandon MFA in Scenic Design 2023
Roberts, Jared Scenic Designer and Technical Director 2015
Sanchez, Martin Costume Designer, Theater Educator, Director 2021
Shao, Chih-Hung Lighting Designer 2021
Short, Melinda Lighting Designer 2007
Sipila, Jennifer Scenic Designer and Software Engineer 2014
Smucker, Matthew Professor of Scenic Design, Cornish College of the Arts 2002
TenEyck, Steve Lighting and Scenic Designer, Lighting Design Professor at Ithaca College, New York 2001
Webb, Matthew Lighting Designer and Visual Artist 2018
Weinzatl, Pamela Costume Designer 2018
Winterle, Alex Scenic Designer 2018
Zeyl, Jennifer Scenic and Costume Designer 2003
Zibello, Deanna Scenic Designer and Receiver of the Gregory Award for Outstanding Set Design 2009
MFA in Directing (Professional Director Training Program)
Name Job Title Class Year
Chiang, Desdemona Stage Director, Seattle Rep, ACT, South Coast Rep, Guthrie Theater 2009
Coopman, Andrew Director, Choreographer, Teaching Artist 2021
Costello, Josh Director, 59E59, Aurora Theatre Company, San Francisco Playhouse 2003
Domski, Jude Director and Professional Photographer 2000
Haefner, Cody Holliday Director, Teaching Artist, Devised Theatre-Maker 2019
Oyetimein, Malika Director and Playwright, Directors Lab at Lincoln Center 2017
Polzin, Tina Director 2015
Post Wallace, Kristie Director, Filmmaker, Writer, Teaching Artist 2021
Rivas, Tlaloc Director, Writer, Producer, Cofounder of Latinx Theatre Commons 1999
Rountree, Amanda MFA in Directing 2023
Shannon, Peggy Dean, College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts at SDSU 1986
Swackhamer, Leslie Stage Director, Producer, Executive Director of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 1990
PhD Program
Name Job Title Class Year
Al-Saber, Samer Assistant Professor, Stanford University 2013
Anderson, Lisa Associate Professor, Arizona State University 1995
Barnett, Dennis Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, Coe College 1998
Browne, Jyana Assistant Professor, University of Maryland 2017
Canning, Charlotte Professor of Theatre and Dance, University of Texas at Austin, Received Regent's Outstanding Teaching Award 1991
Cerniglia, Ken Broadway Dramaturg, Scholar & Writer 2001
Cheek O'Donnell, Sydney Associate Professor of Theatre, Associate Dean, University of Utah 2004
Chemers, Michael Professor of Play and Design, UC Santa Cruz, Chair, Department of Performance 2001
Cima, Gibson Assistant Professor of Theatre History, Head of Theatre Studies, Northern Illinois University 2012
Coen, Elizabeth Assistant Professor and Head of the M.A. in Theatre Studies, University of Houston 2016
Cross, Lezlie Assistant Professor of Performing and Fine Arts, University of Portland 2013
Donkin, Ellen Professor Emerita of Theatre, Hampshire College, Chairs the Barnard Hewitt Award 1982
Douthit, Lue Director of Literary Dev. & Dramaturgy, Oregon Shakespeare Festival 1995
Finque, Susan Teaching Artist 2017
Goodson, Christopher Instructor, Seattle Academy 2017
Granshaw, Michelle Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh 2012
Higgins, Jeanmarie Head, Theatre Studies, Associate Professor, Penn State School of Theatre 2011
Holland, Dorothy Associate Professor of Theatre and WGSS, University of Richmond 1999
Jackson-Schebetta, Lisa Associate Professor, Skidmore College, Chair, Theatre Department 2010
Johnson, Katie Professor, Miami University 1996
Jones Cavanaugh, Jennifer Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, Rollins College, Received Arthur Vining Davis Award 1995
Kammer, Mimi Associate Professor of Theatre, Simpson College 2011
Karlidag, Bahar Assistant Professor, Yeditepe University 2017
Lunderman, Shelby Assistant Professor of Theatre, Seattle Pacific University 2020
Lutterbie, John Professor of Theatre Arts, Chair, Theatre Arts, Stony Brook University, Co-Director of the Center for Embodied Cognition 1983
Marsh Krauter, Sarah Company Dramaturg, Founding Core Member, Bike City Theatre Company 2017
May, Theresa Associate Professor, University of Oregon, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Ecodrama Playwrights Festival 2000
Monson, Duygu Professor, Shoreline Community College 2021
Polster, Joshua Associate Professor of Theatre, Emerson College 2006
Read, Alan Professor of Theatre, King's College London 1989
Reilly, Kara Senior Lecturer of Drama, University of Exeter, UK 2006
Russell, Susan Associate Professor of Theatre, Gettysburg College 1993
Sieg, Katrin Professor and Director, Georgetown University 1991
Smith, Terry Donovan Department Chair, Professor of Theatre, California State University, San Bernardino 1996
Sullivan, Esther Beth Professor Emerita, Alaska Pacific University 1989
Underiner, Tamara Associate Dean, Arizona State University 1997
Warner, Vessela Associate Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham 2002
Wilcox, Dean Professor, University of North Carolina School of the Arts 1994
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