olivia newell | director & intimacy choreographer

about

i’m olivia, it’s nice to meet you!

As an emerging director and intimacy choreographer, I center community, activism, and interdisciplinarity in my work. Five years of experience in collegiate student-led theatre has taught me the value of versatility, and I always aim to infuse my experience in acting, writing, music, hair & makeup design, clowning, and improvisation into creative spaces whenever relevant. I am most drawn to character-driven pieces, verbatim and episodic theatre, and to stories that explore the experiences of women and queer folks.

Recent credits include Raise the Vibration: Through the Cracks (V-Day SDSU), Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Skull & Dagger Dramatic Society), and Beyond Prison Walls at SDSU (Playwright’s Project).

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability from San Diego State University, with an minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies with SDSU’s Weber Honors College. Other education includes 6 hours of training with Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE), through the Best Practices workshop for beginner intimacy choreography & coordination.

directing philosophy: collaborative creativity

I lead creative spaces with laughter, compassion, humility, and excitement because I strongly believe that our best work blossoms in human-centric spaces.