Development Director

There are few things Amanda loves more than music, theater, and dance, except perhaps mountains, good beer, and her friends and family. Happily, all combine in her work for the Boulder Fringe.

Almost the moment I began my research on the performing arts community in Boulder, I came upon the Boulder Fringe.  One of my first shows to see here in town was a Fringe show, and the first show in which I performed in Boulder upon moving back here in 2009 was lousy with Fringe veterans.  I came quickly to realize that the Fringe is one of the most important loci in the Boulder performing arts scene, and connects so many of the artists here in town, both with each other and with audience. The Fringe’s vitality directly correlates with the vitality of the Boulder performing arts scene.  I say this often–I truly believe the Fringe is Boulder’s best hope for growing a interesting, diverse, vibrant performing arts community.  By both providing local artists an accessible opportunity to produce new work, and by providing out-of-town artists an opportunity to bring work to our beautiful, smart city, the Fringe infuses Boulder with the kind of artistic diversity that is necessary for a performance community to grow and thrive.   Having lived in Chicago for a decade, a city with performance for every kind of audience, I have seen first hand how a much a performance scene can enhance a community, and how a supportive community can be rewarded with invigorated artists making great work.  I intend to contribute in my position as Development Director toward ensuring Boulder nurtures and cultivates its diverse performing arts community.

Amanda’s Noteworthy Achievements

- Current Artistic Director of The Catamounts, a Boulder-based performance group.

- Graduated cum laude from Kenyon College with a BA in English and Drama.

- Executive Artistic Director of Striding Lion, a Chicago-based interdisciplinary performance ensemble, from 2005-2010 and Co-Artistic Director of Striding Lion from 2003-2005.

- Recipient of the 1998 Memphis Theatre award for Best Actress in a Drama.

- Finalist for the Goodman Theatre’s 2005/2006 Michael Maggio Directing Fellowship.

- The production she directed of Emily Schwartz’ The Dastardly Ficus and Other Comedic Tales of Woe and Misery received two Joseph Jefferson nominations.

- Since joining the Fringe senior staff as Development Director in April of 2010, she has quadrupled the number of individual donors through such innovative programs as Running for the Fringe and the new Encore Brunch, garnered the organization several grants from the Boulder Arts Commission, and has been instrumental in increasing the Fringe’s organizational stability and use of best practices.