Dr. Brianna Borger

Biography

Brianna Borger is an Assistant Professor in Instruction at Northwestern University's School of Communication, specializing in Theatre. She serves as an Undergraduate Academic Advisor, where she advises and supports Theatre majors in identifying their interests and aspirations to help them create paths toward their goals. With over 20 years of professional singing and acting experience, Brianna has toured internationally and performed on stages across the country, relocating to Chicago in 2008. She received a Jeff Award nomination for her performance in 'King' and has been part of acclaimed Chicagoland productions such as 'Night Music,' 'Parade,' 'Southern Gothic,' 'Billy Elliot,' and 'Woods.' Since 2019, Brianna has shifted her focus to directing, actively working to enhance inclusivity on Chicago’s stages and to create engaging productions that challenge traditional norms. Her academic interests lie in music theatre and voice pedagogy, particularly in crafting a marriage between healthy singing techniques and dramatic contexts to foster fully realized performances. She has maintained a private voice studio in Evanston, IL, inspiring students to explore and celebrate their unique vocal talents. As a director and educator, Brianna aims to create a safe space that allows artists the freedom to challenge themselves and produce grounded, honest performances. She leads masterclasses on Musical Theatre Audition Techniques and Song Interpretation and is the founder of The Success Project, which redefines and reframes success for performing arts majors post-graduation.

Research Interests