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 work has 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 second full-length play, A Visit, is currently in development and has received funding support from Edmonton Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. My new full-length play, Mount Obelus Sanctuary for Creatives, was recently developed at the 2026 Banff Playwrights Lab, and has received funding support from Edmonton Arts Council and Alberta Foundation 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)!