E D U C A T O R
D I R E C T O R
A C T I N G C O A C H
& C O L L E G E P R E P
“Morgan showed me how to appreciate my work, discipline myself, know my worth, and be a leader that others would want to look up to.”
- Madeleine Norton, BFA Acting ‘21, Otterbein University
I’ve been a theatre kid nearly all my life. From my first time onstage as the Ostrich in the 3rd grade play, I knew telling stories would be intrinsically linked to my journey. As a young person I always felt a little different, and theatre immediately felt like home—a safe spot for a goofy girl to fail big. In high school I was privileged to have gifted theatre educators who instilled in me early the value of a strong artistic community paired with a solid foundation of stagecraft and acting technique. I built on this during undergraduate training at the University of Evansville, where I was able to learn skills in many facets of theatre while also understanding what it means to be part of a healthy and thriving creative culture. After finishing with honors at UE, I immediately entered the graduate program at Southern Methodist University, where I earned my MFA in Acting in 2010. While undergraduate training was a more general theatre education, grad school was more immersive, and taught me the importance of fine tuning my skills as an actor, educator, and theatre artist. I am forever grateful to those teachers, directors, and mentors who poured into me during this pivotal time as a young adult actor, and carry many of their valuable lessons with me to this day.
After graduating in 2010, I had the fortune to perform professionally in a dozen Dallas-Fort Worth productions over the next three years, earning my EMC weeks during this time. I made the pivot to theatre education in 2013 when I accepted a job as an instructor at what is now known as North Texas Performing Arts (NTPA), the state’s largest non-profit youth theatre. It was here that I discovered a true passion for directing and teaching young actors. As the organization grew, I grew with it, moving into the roles of Director of Education then Creative Director, respectively. In the eight years I spent with NTPA I’ve taught and developed curriculum for multiple classes, directed upwards of 50 productions, helped to codify and manage artistic best practices for staff, and formed mentorships with dozens of young artists. In the spirit of wearing many hats I have also become more familiar with other facets of theatre, finding new fulfillment in online teaching, music direction, choreography, stage management, development, and design.
Practically speaking, I am a detail-oriented leader who believes in the basics: action-based acting technique, good habits, repetition, classic text work, and solid stagecraft. On a deeper level, I appreciate and incorporate a disciplined but positive process of collaboration—one in which we have fun, but we don’t play. I challenge my students to lead with empathy and curiosity, while simultaneously bolstering them with confidence to take ownership over their individual artistic journeys. I am honest and direct; but for all of my frankness, it is always my goal to temper it equally with compassion and love. I believe in striving for the exceptional, and thrive when pushing myself and my students to be at our personal best. I believe in leaning in and failing big, for it is only through learning from our mistakes that we can truly grow into the highest version of ourselves.
Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet. I’m glad you’re here!
xo, Morgan
T e s t i m o n i a l s
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The most valuable takeaway from my time with Morgan was the idea that I deserve to believe in myself and have someone believe in me. That's not something that is easily taught.
— Natalie Connelly, BFA Acting
University of Colorado (Boulder) -
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Morgan gave me the confidence in myself I always needed to chase my goals. Her faith in me taught me that I was deserving of having faith in myself.
— Ariana Kelly, BM Musical Theatre,
Oklahoma City University -
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Morgan's shows were iconic in our little North Texas community. If you were a theatre kid doing shows outside of school, you were doing them with Morgan. It always seemed like a privilege to work with her, and after several shows with Morgan, I know it is.
— Jessi Delfino, BA Advertising
University of Texas -
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Morgan is known for her ability to challenge her students to find the untapped potential and talent within themselves. Every show I did with Morgan encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and to try something new. I knew I would always be pushed to do something unbelievable.
— Ashleigh Smith, Alumni
Southern Methodist University, ‘21 -
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Morgan's shows were what started me on my journey of deliberately seeking out new and challenging experiences, since those are where the most growth is found.— Kelemen Szabo, BA Music Education
University of North Texas -
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I can now say I’ve played many a dream role with Morgan—partially because she gave me the chance to take on such a character, and partially because through working with her the experience itself became many a favorite of mine; an almost dream-like experience each time the show was completed.
— Madeleine Norton, BFA Acting
Otterbein University, ‘21 -
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I have always said that I learn more as the smallest role in one of Morgan's productions than I would as the largest in any other production.
— Violet Forbes, BS Physics/Math
University of North Texas -
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Morgan teaches her students to FAIL BIG! It is better to go big and have to get up and try again than to never reach your fullest potential. Morgan applauds creativity and effort, and will use that "failure" as a positive learning opportunity.
— Hayley Stone, BA Communications
Collin College -
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In a classroom setting with Morgan, she taught me how to approach a new monologue or song when I didn't know where to start, how to connect with my character no matter the similarities or differences, how to get out of my own head and into character's head, how to apply techniques such as Meisner and Stanislavski, and how to be a more dynamic actor overall.
— Natalie Dickerson, former student
NTPA Academy -
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Morgan is known for making magic.
- Alec Welhouse, BFA Theatre
Lawrence University -
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Morgan changed my artistic practices by making my overall mindset more healthy. She taught me better ways to take care of my body and opened my mind to new ways to look at difficult circumstances.
— Danielle Miracle
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
University of California San Diego -
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Morgan is above all an incredible mentor. She is my friend, vocal coach, acting coach and someone that inspires me! She teaches you how to embrace the character, understanding every detail and how the storyline should flow.
- Karsen Clarabut, current student
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Once during a show, Morgan said that "It's a play, not a work." I learned in that moment to enjoy being onstage instead of worrying about getting everything perfect.
— Alex Duva, former student
NTPA Academy
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