معرفی
Assistant Professor of Acting and Movement at Michigan State University's Department of Theatre within the College of Arts & Letters. Certified Intimacy Director with IDC, certified teacher in Michael Chekhov Physical Acting Technique, and level one certified in Margolis Method. Extensive professional experience including Broadway productions (Fool for Love and Macbeth), regional theaters, and international work in Europe and South Korea.
Her research focuses on innovative approaches to movement direction, intimacy coordination, and inclusive actor training. She has pioneered work in neurodiversity in theatre education and developed specialized techniques for actors with aphantasia. Her scholarship bridges practical theatre work with academic research, particularly in creating safe spaces for intimate scenes and reimagining traditional actor training methodologies.
Her publications reveal a strong trend toward practical applications of theoretical frameworks in theatre education, with emphasis on safety, inclusivity, and innovative pedagogical approaches. The articles demonstrate interdisciplinary connections between theatre, cognitive science, and disability studies.
- 2022 Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement
- Co-author of 'Supporting Staged Intimacy: A Practical Guide for Theatre Creatives' (Routledge, 2022)
- Author of 'Acting without Imagery: Aphantasia in the Theatre Classroom' (Routledge, 2021)
As an educator and professional director, she has mentored numerous students through MSU's theatre programs and professional workshops across the United States. Her grant work focuses on developing intimacy direction as an academic discipline, with MSU taking leadership in this emerging field. She has served as resident fight and intimacy director for Hope Repertory Theatre for five seasons and worked with multiple Michigan theatres including The Purple Rose Theatre and Detroit Repertory Theatre.
Black leads innovative theatre initiatives at MSU including the development of intimacy direction curriculum and specialized actor training programs. She co-created MSU's actor warm-up podcast 'The Moment Before' and has developed virtual teaching methods for theatre education during the pandemic.
