Background
Lisa Rothe is a New York-based freelance theater director, educator, acting and vocal coach. She has workshopped, developed and directed hundreds of new works with multiple award-winning writers.
Currently, Rothe is a "usual suspect" with New York Theatre Workshop, an ambassador for the National New Play Network and on the Director's Council for the Drama League, as well as a member of the International Director's Summit (Drama League), the Artistic Advisory Council of Epic Theatre Ensemble, and the Advisory Boards of Houses on the Moon and the Detroit Public Theatre. She is also an artistic affiliate and Audrey Fellow with New Georges, a member of the National Theater Conference, a member of the Stage Director's and Choreographer's Union and SAG/AFTRA, and an adjunct assistant professor of theatre at Columbia University.
Previously, Rothe was the director of new works at Kansas City Repertory Theatre; co-artistic director of The Actor's Center; co-president of the League of Professional Theatre Women; a Drama League alum and a Fox Fellow. She was also director of global exchange at The Lark in New York City, where she provided expanded opportunities for playwrights aimed at advancing new work to production both nationally and globally, including facilitating reciprocal global translation programs with Mexico, Romania, China and Russia.
Recent directing work includes Steel Magnolias (Guthrie Theatre); Fun Home and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Kansas City Repertory Theatre); As You Like It (The Juilliard School); Indecent (Chautauqua Theatre); Another Revolution (Gulfshore Playhouse); Pericles (translated by Ellen McLaughlin for Next Chapter Podcasts/PlayOn!); Amber Waves (Indiana Repertory Theatre); In My Chair (Virginia Repertory Theatre/Cadence Theatre); Wild Abandon (Irish Repertory Theatre); Shared Sentences (Houses on the Moon); Sooner/Later (Cincinnati Playhouse); and Confederates (Theatreworks, nominated for eight Bay Area Critics Circle Awards).
Rothe also directed the award-winning Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata, performed by actor Joel de la Fuente, which has been produced all over the country over the past 12 years. She was nominated for SDC's Joe A. Callaway Award for Direction for Hold These Truths and won three Theatre Bay Area Awards for Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Performer and Outstanding Production at the Tony Award winning TheatreWorks/Silicon Valley.
Rothe received her MFA in acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and was invited by mentor and teacher Zelda Fichandler to study as a director in the inaugural year of NYU's directing program. She also studied with the legendary Joseph Chaikin in his workshop for actors and directors.
Research Interests
- Acting
- Directing
- Voice
- Embodied and somatic practices
- New play development
- Global theatre
