Q: What initially drew you to the world of directing, and how did you begin your journey into the field? Would you say there are unique challenges to being a woman in this industry?

I grew up obsessed with theater, mostly participating as a performer—which I think is a pretty common path. Once I got to college, I started to realize how much I loved being in rehearsal— I loved the big-picture conversations, not just performing, but analyzing text, thinking about design and storytelling, and collaborating with others to shape a world. And I came to the realization that I didn’t actually love being on stage (it didn’t help that I had pretty intense stage fright). When I first tried directing, it clicked—I could engage in all the parts of theater I loved, and none of the ones that gave me anxiety.

As for being a woman in this field: yes, I’ve been in rooms where I had to work extra hard to be taken seriously, or where I noticed a difference in how authority and leadership were perceived based on gender or age. But I also think the landscape is shifting, and I’ve had the privilege of working with incredible people who continue to carve out space for different ways of leading.

Q: As the Associate Director of & JULIET, what are some of the unique challenges and rewards of working on a Tony-nominated musical? How is the directing process different when you’re on tour versus when you’re in one place?

As Associate Director of & JULIET, I’m responsible for maintaining the creative vision across the Broadway, US National Tour, and Toronto companies (which launches this fall). That means overseeing casting, running rehearsals for all new company members, training our amazing understudies and swings, watching the show multiple times a week and giving notes, leading the launch of each new company, helping execute the vision of press performances—all while ensuring the artistic heart of the show stays intact and true to the intentions of the original creative team.

It’s incredibly fulfilling because I love this show deeply. It’s a joyful, passionate story about second chances, self-acceptance, and finding the power to write your own story. I believe in the message of self-love to my core, so being able to help spread that message through this work feels like a true gift and an honor.

The biggest challenge is managing the needs of three different companies—each with its own personality and rhythm—while keeping everything aligned. Theater is ever-evolving, and part of the job is figuring out how to keep the work feeling fresh and alive while staying true to its original intentions.

We’re extraordinarily lucky that & JULIET has been running for almost three years on Broadway, and we’re about to complete our first year with the tour. With so much change both in the company and in the world, a huge part of my job is helping the company navigate whatever’s going on in the building or on the road and come together to keep the quality of the show high and the heart of the story beating, no matter the circumstances. Even if there’s chaos happening backstage, multiple people out sick, or a technical glitch, we still have to deliver something joyful, polished, and full of heart for our audiences who have invested significant time and resources into a special night out. 

On the flip side, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is watching my colleagues evolve and grow within the show. You meet these folks in auditions, and then they book their dream job performing on Broadway or on a National Tour. I get to be the person who teaches them the show from start to finish, guides them through tech, and supports them through their debut. Seeing them come into their own on stage is an absolute joy. I live for that moment when they take their first bow. And then if they understudy, I help them step into multiple roles, so I watch them evolve further over the course of that process. There are company members on and off stage who have now been with the show for years, and it’s amazing to see how we've all grown together.

Touring adds another layer: we spend weeks in the rehearsal room crafting every detail of the show together, but once it opens, the road team takes over. Of course, I’m in constant touch with them, but I only get to visit every few weeks. On one hand, that distance gives me a helpful outside perspective. On the other, I miss being in the room with the people who are pouring their hearts into the work every night. That’s why strong communication with the road team is absolutely essential.

Q: Could you share some insights into your experience and the process of developing new plays and musicals? What aspects of that work are particularly fulfilling for you?

What I love about developing musicals is the collaboration. With music, lyrics, design, and book, choreography, there are so many tools for storytelling—and so many voices in the room. The director’s job becomes one of synthesis: filtering all the exciting ideas and feedback through the lens of the directorial vision. That process of shaping a world with a team of brilliant minds is exhilarating. I love figuring out how to hold the big picture while making space for creative discovery and expansion.

Q: How did your time at Harvard prepare you for where you are now? Were there connections, classes, or lessons that helped you?

Harvard was hugely formative for me. Most importantly, it’s where I met my closest friends—people who are still my support system today. This industry has so many ups and downs, and having that community forged in the fire of college theater has been absolutely vital.

Being part of the HRDC (Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club) was also incredibly impactful. It felt like the Wild West: you assembled your team, applied for space, and figured out how to mount a show with very little oversight. It taught me to be scrappy, resourceful, and collaborative—skills that translated directly to working in indie theater in New York, where you often have to invent the rules as you go. Some of the work I’m most proud of to this day came out of those scrappy, bold productions. There’s something special about creating art in a space where nothing is handed to you—and where pure creativity drives the process.

I also had the chance to work at the American Repertory Theater, which was an incredible education in high-level professional theater. I got to witness new musicals being developed and work alongside artists creating work that eventually made its way to Broadway. That experience made me fall in love with the process of making large, commercial musicals at scale and shaped a lot of my artistic vocabulary.

Q: Your work spans a variety of venues and formats, from off-Broadway to short films. How do you adapt your directing approach to different settings and mediums?

Every project is different, but I always come back to a few core values that guide me no matter the medium:

• Set clear expectations – clear is kind

• Treat everyone with kindness and respect

• What is the most simple, honest, heartfelt version of each choice? That one is usually the best. 

As I mentioned, I truly love being in rehearsal – I love that it’s a space of infinite possibility. It’s almost meditative for me because it’s a space that forces you to be completely present. You have to listen like crazy: you’re listening to the work your colleagues are doing on stage so you can respond and shape it, but you’re also listening to the needs of all of your collaborators in the room, from the performers, to the stage managers, to the rehearsal pianist, etc. I think everyone wants to walk into a space and feel valued, respected, and safe to take risks. That means different things to different people, so I try to create a room where people feel supported enough to fail, explore, and push themselves.

I hope that the joy that I take in this process trickles down to the people I work with – I think that kind of environment leads to the most honest, exciting, and sustainable work.

Q: What’s a piece of advice a mentor gave you when you were first starting out that has stayed with you?

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” It’s simple, but it’s something I come back to often—especially in an industry where it’s easy to get caught up in what other people are doing.

Q: What would your dream production be to work on—whether it’s a specific show, a team, or a space?

So many! I would love to do nearly any of Sondheim’s musicals, but especially A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. I have a passion project about the American Girl Dolls that I’m dying to do. Basically, anything that traffics in joy, heart, imagination, and has juicy roles for women and nonbinary performers is my dream show.