Susann Suprenant, Ph.D. has been directing, performing, playwriting, songwriting, teaching, and facilitating ensemble-based performance for the past 30 years. Her work includes original scripted plays, stage adaptations, devised theatre, and site-specific performance. Based in Omaha for the past 16 years, Susann has recently returned to San Francisco.
Susann’s physical theatre work as a director and teacher grows out of the tradition of Meyerhold, Grotowski, Laban, and Michael Chekhov influenced by postmodern dance improvisation. Over nearly 20 years, Susann has developed collaborative techniques from the movement training approach of Viewpoints and the Critical Response Process. She has trained with a variety of theatre and movement artists including Kevin Kuhlke (NYU Experimental Theatre Wing), Leon Ingulsrud (SITI Co.), Liz Lerman (Dance Exchange), and Shinichi Iova-Koga (InkBoat).
She has been a frequent guest director, playwright, and dramaturg at Omaha area theatres including The Rose, Blue Barn, Brownville, The Shelterbelt and Metropolitan Community College. Her works have been performed at University of Nebraska at Omaha, The Kaneko, The Bemis, Omaha Healing Arts Center, and have toured Omaha area schools. She has received awards and nominations from TAG and OEAA for Best Ensemble, Best Director, Best Dramatic Play, Best Dance Performance, Best Performance for a Young Audience, and Best Original Script.
Susann Suprenant came to Omaha in 2000 to serve as Head of Directing for the Theatre Department, University of Nebraska at Omaha. She developed the Education and Community Involvement programs for the newly formed Omaha Performing Arts, served as the Dean of Communications and Humanities at Metropolitan Community College through 2012-13, and currently resides in San Francisco while working as a vocal coach and finishing a four-year training in the Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education (expected 2017). She holds a B.A. in Communications from San Francisco State University, an M.A. in English from University of Nevada, Reno and a Ph.D. in Theatre from University of Oregon.
Susann has served as a catalyst for devised theatre and cross-disciplinary arts collaboration in Omaha, as the founder/ advisor for Blue Barn’s Witching Hour and as Artistic Director of ætherplough: a tool for cultivating performance. Working with the newly arrived president of MCC and Edward Albee, Suprenant developed the nationally recognized Great Plains Theatre Conference to honor outstanding American playwrights and foster the work of new playwrights.
In addition to her professional stage work, Susann teaches Viewpoints workshops (currently at the pre-professional training program Broadway at The Rose, Omaha) as well as movement-based wellness, creativity and mindfulness classes at The Center for Mindful Living (Omaha). At the University level, she teaches a wide range of Theatre and Humanities course including directing, theatre history, script analysis, Shakespeare, and many acting courses (Movement for the Actor, Voice for the Actor, Acting I & II, Acting in Post-Realism).