now, Let’s Try

p l a y

((and ))

Resume

Abby Pierce    abbypierce1@gmail.com

MISSION AND BACKGROUND

I have been a teaching artist and theater creator for 15 years. For the last 8 years I have had a focus on teaching with incarcerated and at-risk communities in Chicago and New York City. Places I have taught include: Riker’s Island, Cook County Jail, various Juvenile Detention Centers, and foster centers. I have also worked in schools alongside teachers to incorporate improv into their lessons. I am also interested in exploring themes that arise with my students in professional spaces to spread awareness and empathy into different communities.

TEACHING ARTIST EXPERIENCE

Drama Club, NYC — Teaching Artist

September 2019 - Current

Riker’s Island, Department of Education, Crossroads and Horizon Juvenile Detention Centers, Belmont School, and The Door 

• Develop the “Apprentice Program” created as a re-entry professional development program for youths post release of jail to train them to become teaching artists and develop their confidence in being credible messengers

• Teaching Artist to young men and women 17-25 who are incarcerated, court affected, or at risk

EPICC (Ensemble Play In Cook County), Chicago — Teaching Artist

June 2016 - November 2019

Cook County Jail

• Assisted in founding the program to bring theater, meditation, and poetry to maximum security inmate women at Cook County Jail

• Weekly classes that culminated in a performance shared with staff and other incarcerated individuals

• Produced Doorway, a show performed at Piven Theater that included recordings from within  the jail and also live performances of women who had been released

• Continue professional support for alumni 

Piven Theater Workshop, Chicago — Teaching Artist

January 2009 - September 2019

• Students ranging from ages 8 years to adult 

• Beginner levels to advanced (with Performance Project)

• Classes taught: monologue, on camera, story theater, improvisation, theater games, and  scene study

• Responsible for lesson planning & scaffolding, student recommendation & review, and apprentice teacher training program

Beacon Academy High School, Chicago — Teaching Artist

August 2014 - May 2018

• Theater teacher at a Montessori High School

• Commissioned playwrights to write short plays for specific students

• Explored different entry-points and types of theater including viewpoints, story theater, improv, and scene study

Various Institutions and Schools, Chicago — Teaching Artist

August 2010-2019

• Rice Foster Care Center - 2 years

• Cove School (school for neurologically diverse students) - 2 years

• Children’s Theater of Chicago

• Kids Rank with Citibank (working with Veterans and their children)

• Court Theater Initiative

• Stage School of Australia

• Evanstan Leadership Council

• Viyo, Inc

• Girl Scouts of America

RELEVANT EXPERIENCES  -   Longer Directing Resume Available

Directing — Theater

“Hopelessly Devoted” - 2019

3.5/4 stars from Chicago Tribune, Best Actress Nomination - Jeff Awards, Jeff Recommended - Review

US Premiere at Piven Theater Workshop with special performances at Cook County Jail

Directing/Writing — Film

“Go Ahead, Grab Time by the Throat” - 2019 Best Director nominee, Best of the Midwest - Review

“Eat Your Heart Out” - 2019 Best Comedy Winner (NY International Fest), Best Screenplay (Deep Focus Films), Audience Choice Winner (Elevated Film Fest) 

EDUCATION

School at Steppenwolf, Steppenwolf Theater — Conservatory

2015 - Intensive conservatory setting training in: Feldenkreis, Viewpoints, Improvisation, Scene Study, Meisner, Acting for the Camera, and Text Analysis

Piven Theater Workshop — Story Theater Pedagogy and Practice

(1997-2022) - Student to apprentice to teacher trajectory over 24 years

Improvisation Schools

Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Second City, & The Groundlings

Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles — BA Theater Arts

2010 - Graduated Magna Cum Laude