Kimberly Senior, an adjunct lecturer and interim program head for directing in the Theater Department, has published her first book, What Would a Person Do? Thoughts on Directing and Living.
An award-winning theater director, Senior has written a sharp, spirited collection of reflections brimming with heart and wisdom that bridge the gap between life and art. She offers a practical guide to effective theater-making, leadership, teaching, and personhood. From Chekhov to tennis, she shares profound and playful insights that inspire you to think deeply, act boldly, and create with purpose—onstage and off.
In other news, Senior’s directorial project Every Brilliant Thing has begun its performances, while two others will open next year: English (March 2025) and One of the Good Ones (May 2025).
Senior directed the 2013 Pulitzer Prize–winning play Disgraced, by Ayad Akhtar. She made her HBO debut with Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She is also a 2013 finalist for the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s Joe A. Callaway Award. Senior received the prestigious Alan Schneider Director Award at the 2016 Theatre Communications Group Conference as well as the 2016 Non-Equity Jeff Award for her Chicago career achievements as a trailblazer, champion, and role model for emerging artists.
