Education
Biography
Monica Payne (she/her) is a theatre and film director, whose work intersects bold physicality, deep emotion, and collective ritual.
As the daughter of an immigrant, her projects often focus on global concerns and she attempts to highlight marginalized voices in both the content and the teams that she assembles. She has directed throughout the U.S., including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, and Pittsburgh and her devised piece on global displacement, Song of Home, toured to Eastern Europe.
She is a member of SDC, The Lincoln Center Director' Lab, Directors' Lab West, and the National Alliance of Acting Teachers. As a former actress, she has worked with many prestigious ensembles, including Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
Payne holds an MFA in Directing from the UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television, and has been a Meisner-based acting teacher for over 20 years. She has taught for UCLA, Point Park, and Carnegie Mellon, as well as at independent studios/programs throughout the country, including the School at Steppenwolf.
She is an Associate Professor/Head of Directing in the Theatre and Dance Department, and Practicing Faculty in Digital Media Practices.