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Susan Chase
Member since: March 30, 2012
A Little About Me
Susan Chase
Actress/Playwright/ Dancer/Educator
I have spent my life making and teaching theatre to adults, children, people with a range of physical, cognitive and psychiatric issues. I use theatre to build self-esteem and confidence. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, and just needs a gentle, nurturing mentor to find and tell his or her story. Susan's Undoing is my very personal story. But it is my hope and my goal to use this play as a template for others to tell their stories of triumph over life chalenges.
Playwriting Experience (All Plays Produced Regionally) (includes)
Susan's Undoing: One-woman show explores the challenges of surviving breast cancer. Touchstone Theatre, Bethlehem, PA, Littlepond Arts Center, Bethlehem, PA, Moravian Academy, Bethlehem, PA. (2007-2011)
Snow Over Bethlehem: Large-cast musical chronicles the first Christmas celebrated by Bethlehem's founding Moravian settlers. Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, Bethlehem, PA. (2000-2005)
Lost and Found: Small-cast drama, based on the history and evolution of Kidspeace, a nationally recognized center for children with psychiatric, cognitive and behavioral disorders. Written by Susan Chase, the play was performed by Kidspeace patients, in Orefield, Pennsylvania. (2007)
Bustin' Out All Over: Two-person play examines eating disorders and the role of media gurus, advertising images, and gender stereotypes in the emotional lives of women. Selected as one of the year's outstanding cultural events by Geoff Gehman of The Morning Call. Touchstone Theatre, Bethlehem, PA (1995)
The Monster of the Labyrinth: Touring show for grades 2-12, based on the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Toured Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region. 1998-2001)
On the Wild Frontier: Touring show for grades K-12. Features American legendary figures, including Davy Crockett, Calamity Jane and Johnny Appleseed. Toured throughout Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region. (1995-1999)
The Canterbury Tales: Large-cast musical, based on Chaucer's best-known work. Touchstone Theatre, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (1994, 1990, 1987)
The Icarus Complex, created and performed by Susan Chase in collaboration with architect Christine Ussler-Trumbull and composer Tim Frey. Awarded a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellowship. Performed at Mayfair, Allen High School, Touchstone Theatre. (1993)
Yankee Doodle & Friends: Large-cast musical for children and families, featuring American myths and heroes. Cedar Crest College, Allentown, Pennsylvania. (1989)
Professional Acting Experience (includes)
MacBeth: Lady MacBeth
The Crucible: Elizabeth Proctor
Under Milkwood: Second Voice, Rosie & others
Grimm Tales: Queen, Witch, Mother
Daedalus In the Belly of the Beast: Pasiphae
Sideways Stories: Mrs. Gorf, Ms. Valoosh, Mr. Gorf
The Hobbit: Gollum, Troll, Old woman of Lakeside
And Then They Came for Me: Mutti, Mrs. Silberberg
The Lion, The Witch &
The Wardrobe: White Witch of Narnia
Theseus and the Minotaur: Ariadne
Bustin' Out All Over: Kathy, Greta
Don't Drop Grandma: Lucinda
School Alley: Annie Gettler
Make We Merry: Melissa
Drama/Dance Instructor
Created and developed The Child’s Imagination, a two-hour training for teachers and clinicians, to provide them the tools and background to use drama therapy in educational and clinical settings. (1999-present)
Created and developed The Pegasus Project, a drama program initiative for children with disabilities for Pennsylvania Youth Theatre. Weekly classes culminated in public performances. (1999-2003)
Developed a campus-wide performing arts group, The Kidspeace Performing Arts Ensemble. Group was composed of students, aged 12-19 from all the Kidspeace residential facilities. Students performed for corporate events and outside organizations such as nursing homes and daycare centers. (1998-2007)
Ballet Instructor, Muhlenberg College: Taught intermediate and advanced ballet, pointe classes, and pas de deux classes. (2005-2007)
Drama Instructor, Muhlenberg College: Taught courses in acting, musical theater and clowning. (1996-2007)
Drama Instructor, Lehigh University: Taught course entitled “The Actor As Creator,” to undergraduate students in theater program. (1994-1995)
College Instruction: Includes numerous brief (one-day - two-week) seminars at area schools, including Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, Shippensberg University, Kutztown University, Cedar Crest College, Saint Julia’s College. (1990-present)
Awards and Honors
*Special Class cited by Geoff Gehman of The Morning Call as one of the outstanding cultural events of 1997.
*Bustin' Out All Over cited by Geoff Gehman of The Morning Call as one of the outstanding cultural events of 1995.
*Selected to perform Daedalus In the Belly of the Beast at the International Theatre Festival in Santiago, Chile, 1993.
*Received Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellowship to create The Icarus Complex, a solo movement piece in 1990.
*The Canterbury Tales chosen by John Flautz of The Morning Call as the year's best production, 1987.
*Theatre criticism samples included in The Critic’s Canon, by Richard H. Palmer. (Greenwood Press, 1988)
Creative Arts Therapy Experience
Drama Therapist, Kidspeace National Hospital, Orefield, PA (1998-2007)
Accomplishments:
Wrote and directed Lost And Found: Stories of Hope Reawakened, a play which chronicled the genesis of Kidspeace in the 1880s. Play was performed by members of The Kidspeace Performing Arts Ensemble. Morning Call Theater Critic Tina Bradford wrote that the piece was "touching" and "inspiring."
Developed therapeutic programs for a diverse population, including children and adolescents with developmental delay, autism, learning disabilities and a range of psychiatric disorders, including psychosis, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, eating disorders, depression, and aggressive and self-harming behaviors.