NATALIE MURRAY
Actor | Director | Writer
My goal as a director is always to instill agency in my actors; I strive to maintain a rehearsal room open to playing, to vulnerability, and to curiosity. I put ideas in my actors' heads just as they put ideas into mine. The wonderful thing about theatre is that no one play can look the same--giving my actors the chance to make a play their own is the most rewarding part of directing for me.
The House at Pooh Corner
To cap off our careers as Marquette theatre students, Kelsie Paige Kasky and I co-produced The House at Pooh Corner, a show for young audiences written by Bettye Knapp as an adaption of A.A. Milne’s characters. With a story like this one, play is imperative, and exploration leads to discoveries
right up until opening night—and even mid-performance! I’m most proud of my actors for rolling with the metaphorical punches and trusting me to lead them in the right direction even as I ask them to take agency and make bold choices of their own!
See Playbill for Cast & Crew Credits.
Words Words Words
I had the privilege of directing "Words Words Words" in Marquette's production of All in the Timing by David Ives. The explicit physical humor mixed with the subtle literary wit of the script made for a challenging and fulfilling process. Monkey-ing it up with my actors was a joy and an honor.
Cast: Brandon Engel (Milton), Ben Shields (Swift), Naomi Kriege (Kafka), Grayson Buesing (Male U/S), Sophia Albano (Kafka U/S)
Stage Manager: Kelsie Paige Kasky | Assistant Stage Manager: Margaret Pabst
Scenic Design: Stephen Hudson-Mairet | Light Design: Dave Krajec | Sound Design: Ethan Jacoby-Henrickson | Properties: Bailee Barton
Artistic Director/Producer: Deb Krajec