Practice
I continue to practice theatre as a director, playwright, and actor. As a director, I value the collaborative experience first and foremost, choosing scripts that encourage actors to be an essential component to the development of a production and in sharing artistic vision with designers. This has included devising movement pieces and text-centered pieces with actors and asking for their input and interpretations. I always strive to broaden the representations through casting and seeking plays and playwrights that represent the diverse world we live in. I greatly enjoy collaborating with designers on every production, and have worked with professional, graduate student, and undergraduate designers. In 2023-2024 I directed poet Éireann Lorsung's poem "An Archaeology" in collaboration with her and a cast of undergraduate actors in the fall at UCD Classical Musuem and at the brand new Trapdoor theatre space at UCD in spring.
I directed the musical Working October 3-6, 2019 at Susquehanna University, and adapted and directed a production of The Three Sisters for fall 2020 on Zoom. I also created an original script around 1920s public domain music and the history of radio called The Golden Hour that was performed in April 2021 in a hybrid format. A link to both shows are below. I also helped curate the 2021-2022 climate change season at Susquehanna Univeristy, including guiding student dramaturgs and selecting new plays to appear on stage. At Wayne State College I directed a TYA production of The Jungle Book, which was seen by over 2,000 thousand area children. In fall 2018 I directed R. N. Sandberg's Frankenstein and directed A Midsummer Night's Dream in March 2019.
As an actor I continue to perform when possible, building on the training I have acquired that emphasizes Stanislavskian and Michael Chekhov technique. I have had the fortunate opportunity to teach Acting for years at Susquehanna, WSC, and University of Kansas, which enabled me to impart my knowledge to younger actors and to continue to develop my own skill set. While at KU, I had the opportunity to perform Sue Bayliss in All My Sons under the direction of Lei Guo-Hua. The play was restaged at the Shanghai International Contemporary Theatre Festival, allowing the cast and crew to travel to Shanghai.
I directed the musical Working October 3-6, 2019 at Susquehanna University, and adapted and directed a production of The Three Sisters for fall 2020 on Zoom. I also created an original script around 1920s public domain music and the history of radio called The Golden Hour that was performed in April 2021 in a hybrid format. A link to both shows are below. I also helped curate the 2021-2022 climate change season at Susquehanna Univeristy, including guiding student dramaturgs and selecting new plays to appear on stage. At Wayne State College I directed a TYA production of The Jungle Book, which was seen by over 2,000 thousand area children. In fall 2018 I directed R. N. Sandberg's Frankenstein and directed A Midsummer Night's Dream in March 2019.
As an actor I continue to perform when possible, building on the training I have acquired that emphasizes Stanislavskian and Michael Chekhov technique. I have had the fortunate opportunity to teach Acting for years at Susquehanna, WSC, and University of Kansas, which enabled me to impart my knowledge to younger actors and to continue to develop my own skill set. While at KU, I had the opportunity to perform Sue Bayliss in All My Sons under the direction of Lei Guo-Hua. The play was restaged at the Shanghai International Contemporary Theatre Festival, allowing the cast and crew to travel to Shanghai.
Playwriting
I currently have several one-acts and full lengths plays completed and near completion. My playwriting is often inspired by real life events and news stories that I like to re-contextualize as imaginative scenarios.
In November 2018 my play "Anniversary" was included in the Paragon Theatre Festival at the Otherworld Theatre in Chicago. The festival is dedicated to sci fi and fantasy short plays. The play was produced at Otherworld in February 2020 as part of their Second Stage series. The synopsis of the play:
Directed by Maria Burnham, performed by Christopher Mueller and Jean Burr
I currently have several one-acts and full lengths plays completed and near completion. My playwriting is often inspired by real life events and news stories that I like to re-contextualize as imaginative scenarios.
- My play Unsaid was shortlisted for the Alpine Theatre Fellowship Prize in 2024.
In November 2018 my play "Anniversary" was included in the Paragon Theatre Festival at the Otherworld Theatre in Chicago. The festival is dedicated to sci fi and fantasy short plays. The play was produced at Otherworld in February 2020 as part of their Second Stage series. The synopsis of the play:
- Laney and Peter are celebrating their three-year anniversary, when a surprising guest visits Peter. It’s Laney, from five years in the future, uncertain of why she’s there, and more importantly, full of questions about why they broke up shortly after their three-year anniversary. As the two catch up on their present, past, and future, they learn that when love and time travel meet, decisions made have many unexpected consequences.
Directed by Maria Burnham, performed by Christopher Mueller and Jean Burr
A two-minute original play, Laika's Thought in Space, was published with Mini Plays Magazine in September 2023.
DirectingAn ArchaeologyOn November 9th, 2023, I directed a production of Éireann Lorsung's poem "An Archaeology" at the UCD Classical Museum. Performed by 7 UCD students, the piece explores themes of migration, oppression, power, time, leaving worlds behind and encountering new, unfamiliar lands and people. (Slideshow on Top)
Costumes and Props designed by Éireann Lorsung. The poem was restaged, with new and returning cast members and included a new chorus, in the new Trapdoor theatre space on UCD's campus April 11 and 12, 2024. (Slideshow below) The Golden Hour: A Musical Revue of 1920s Radio
Written and directed by Jeanne Tiehen. Choreographed by Jeanne Tiehen, Meredith Felix, and Alexis Jefferson. Musical Direction by Tyler Shadle and Chloe Acquaviva. Stage Managed by Emily Dellinger. Digital Production Design/Lighting Design by Professor Caleb Stroman. Costume Design by Artist in Costumes Elizabeth Ennis. Performed April 22-25, 2021 in Degenstein Center Theatre, Susquehanna University and Live-streamed on Youtube. Working
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The Three Sisters: On Zoom Script available on New Play Exchange -https://newplayexchange.org/users/58174/jeanne-tiehen Adapted by Jeanne Tiehen, based on the script by Anton Chekhov. Digital Production Design by Professor Caleb Stroman. Costumes by Artist in Costumes, Elizabeth Ennis. Stage Managed by Emily Dellinger. Performed and recorded November 12, 2020. Available on Youtube at SU Theatre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVQTPUvcRSo Archival materials from this production included in the Harry Ransom Center Theatre 2020 Collection. The Jungle Book Written by Monica Flory Based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling Ramsey Theatre, Wayne State College Set and Lighting Design by Professor Brian Begley. Costume Design by Anna Krueger. March 21-25, 2018. Including 6 school matinees for area school children in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. Frankenstein
Written by R. N. Sandberg Based on the novel by Mary Shelley Black Box Theatre, Wayne State College Set and Lighting Design by Brian Begley. Costume Design by Anna Krueger. October 3-7, 2018 |
The Maderati
Written by Richard Greenberg.
William Inge Theatre, University of Kansas. Dec. 6th-12th, 2014. |
The Dick and Jane Hamlet
Story by Larry Siegel. Adapted by Jeanne Tiehen.
Black Box Productions, William Inge Theatre, University of Kansas. Feb. 14th-20th 2014. |
A Midsummer's Night Dream
Written by William Shakespeare.
Mabee Theatre, Benedictine College. Oct. 7th-12th, 2015. |
Acting
Played Mona in Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.
Directed by Cynthia Evans. Orange Mouse Theatricals, Lawrence Percolator. Aug. 28th-29th and Sept. 4th-5th, 2015. |
Played Sue Bayliss in All My Sons.
Directed by Lei Guo-Hua Crafton-Preyer Theatre, University of Kansas. Nov. 12th-20th, 2011. Restaged at the Shanghai International Contemporary Theatre Festival, Nov. 2012. Photo courtesy of Elahe Marjovi. |
Acting Highlights
- Earned my BFA in Theatre Performance at Creighton. My thesis project was playing and writing about performing Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking and the political impact of being in a play about capital punishment. During my time at Creighton, I also performed as Marlene in Top Girls, Lenny in Crimes of the Heart, and Claire in The Maids.
- I spent a year in Detroit as part of Wayne State University's Hilberry Repertory Theatre. I performed Aline in The Master Builder and understudied Rosalind in As You Like It.
- Performed in Clarence Coo's People Sitting in Darkness at the Great Plains Theatre Conference for Arthur Kopit and Edward Albee.
- Performed as Beatrice in Bellevue Little Theatre's A Servant to Two Masters, which won the Theatre Arts Guild "Outstanding Comedy Award."
