Shannon Coltrane is a performer and theatre maker from the west coast. She holds degrees in acting and drama therapy and is proud to produce therapeutic and educational programming as well as perform and direct for artistic productions. 

 

A recent graduate of NIU’s MFA Acting program, Shannon has been lucky enough to appear at NIU in The Revolutionists (Marie Antoinette), Intentions (Lou), The Glass Menagerie (Amanda Wingfield), and Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet). In the winter she directed and produced the passion project, Lungs by Duncan MacMillan. In addition to acting and directing at NIU, Shannon also taught acting, theatre history, and developed her own curriculum for a Theatre for Change class exploring methods of theatre for social justice and drama therapy.

 

Previous to NIU Shannon was based in New York City, immersing herself in the city’s rich drama therapy and theatre performance communities appearing as Amanda in Private Lives and Shelley in Must/Can’t - a piece of Therapeutic Theatre. She has had the pleasure of teaching acting, drama therapy, and applied theatre in schools, summer camps, and volunteer organizations, and utilizing drama therapy in group and individual work with at-risk youth.

 

She also holds an MA in Drama Therapy from NYU and a BFA in Acting from USC. Favorite performance credits include: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Lorelei Lee), Camelot (Guinevere), Avenue Q (Kate Monster),Great Gatsby (Daisy Buchanan), Ordinary Days (Claire), God of Carnage (Annette), and Maidens Prayer (Cynthia).

 

Thank you to everyone who supports the theatre and the incredible value of the arts for the future of our global community.