Professor Dr. Nancy Smithner

Biography

Nancy Smithner is a Clinical Professor at NYU Steinhardt in the Department of Educational Theatre and Music within the Performing Arts Professions. With a focus on physical, devised, community-engaged theatre, she has directed and performed in a wide range of works, exploring multiple genres and large casts. Notable productions include 'Good Soul Szechuan,' 'The Tempest,' 'Like Macbeth,' and 'Love's Labours Lost,' among others. Dr. Smithner's work emphasizes the voices of women and their cultural identities, particularly through community collaboration. Her devised pieces like 'Sonder: Dreams Carry' and 'Chance Shadow' have garnered recognition and awards, including the Grand Prize for Original Play at the Lalka Też Człowiek Festival in Warsaw, Poland. An advocate for education through theatre, she has taught internationally and directed numerous study abroad programs. Dr. Smithner also focuses on applied theatre practices, working with male and female inmates in maximum security prisons. She has been recognized for her excellence in teaching with the Steinhardt Teaching Excellence Award in 2005, revitalizing courses in educational theatre, directing, and acting.

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