ABOUT ME!

My name is Amanda Samuelson, I am an accomplished and award-winning playwright, producer, dramaturg, educator, and actor currently based in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) on Treaty 6 Territory. I was born and raised in Grande Prairie, Alberta, where my passion for theatre began. I am a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts BFA program, with a major in Theatre and a minor in Creative Writing. During my time at NYU, I spent the majority of my studies at the Playwrights Horizons Theatre School. 

My ten-minute and one-act plays have been read and staged at theatres in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. My full-length play, Pressure, premiered at the 2022 Edmonton Fringe Festival, presented by Nextfest and self-produced. My new full-length play, A Visit, is currently in development and has received funding support from Edmonton Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts.

I have worked with various theatre companies and arts organizations across Edmonton, in a variety of roles ranging from Associate Producer to Front of House Representative. I created the Thousand Faces Festival's New Mythic Works Series, supporting new work by Edmonton playwrights in 2022 and 2024. Currently, I work as the Assistant Managing Director and Aflame Playwright in Residence Co-Coordinator for SkirtsAfire, a theatre and multidisciplinary arts festival that supports the work of women and non-binary artists. I also teach playwriting to teens at the Citadel's Foote Theatre School and Free Arts Society, taking great pride in inspiring the next generation of writers.

I am a 2023 recipient of Fringe Theatre’s Nordic & Cloutier Family Innovation Award, and have received numerous other accolades for my work.

Some non-theatre-related fun facts about me:
— I am a big book lover (I have over 700 books/plays in my home library)
— I love playing piano; I completed my Grade 10 RCM in high school and continue to play regularly (for myself)
— I also used to play guitar, trumpet, and violin (and could probably quickly pick them up again if I wanted to)
— I Ukrainian danced for 11 years (and miss it!)
— I love to travel and have visited 13 countries (some of my favourites include Egypt, Jordan, Greece, and Italy)
— I have red hair, am left-handed, and was born on Friday the 13th (spooky!)
— I have two cats who I absolutely adore (Gemma and Tony)!