Bullpen Sessions Episode 40: Melissa Friedman

MELISSA FRIEDMAN is co-Artistic Director of Epic Theatre Ensemble and has performed in numerous Epic Off-Broadway productions including Hannah and Martin with David Strathairn, Einstein’s Gift with Aasif Mandvi, A Hard Heart with Kathleen Chalfant as well as Habitat, A More Perfect Union, Time and The Conways, Othello, Little Eyolf, Macbeth, and Born with Teeth. Other Off-Broadway & Regional credits include An Ideal Husband (Tennessee Rep), Last Night of Ballyhoo (Fulton Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing and Degenerate Art (Irondale), and Substance of Fire, Macbeth, and Henry IV directed by Jack O’Brien (Old Globe). MFA in Acting from the University of San Diego.  Other credits include AN IDEAL HUSBAND at Tennessee Rep, LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO at Fulton Opera, Beatrice in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING with Irondale, a witch to Victor Garber’s MACBETH and Lady Mortimer in Jack O’Brien’s production of HENRY IV at the Old Globe. Melissa has directed 13 Shakespeare Remix productions for which, on behalf of Epic, she received the 2009 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House. Before co-founding Epic, Melissa worked as a Lead Teaching Artist with many NYC theatres including Roundabout, BAM’s Shakespeare Teaches program, and Theatre for a New Audience. She co-developed Epic’s Citizen Artist curriculum and currently acts as a Lead Teaching Artist in Epic’s partner schools and outreach programs. Melissa received her BA from Oberlin College and MFA from the Old Globe University of San Diego.