Desirée Leverenz

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream

Building HW 421

Program

Theatre and Performance

Biography

desirée is an artist: she is a thinker and a doer. her brain dreams of ways to create art that shows how we can live together in a way that is filled with more depth, more fullness, and more spirit. her hands facilitate, teach, learn, and lead others to be dreamers too: whatever their dreams may be. desirée studies theatre institutionally and spirit personally. theatre can be so many things. desirée’s particularly absorbed with theatre that is decolonized, theatre that is embodied, and theatre that is epic.

Teaching Interests

Decolonizing theatre; devising; theatre creation; acting; directing

Research Interests

Decolonizing theatre; postdramatic theatre; spirituality & theatre; shakespeare

Performance

A group of people sitting around a round table having a meal in the middle of a kitchen

Five people looking at a theatre stage with Christmas trees with starry lights and moon projection.

“Niizh” (director) written by Joelle Peters, produced by Native Earth Performing Arts. photos by: Kaytee Dalton

A woman sitting on a coach, staring far away while holding a mug

A performer opened their hands wide apart embracing the energy while looking afar. They are wearing a theatrical costume with colorful streamers flowing down their sleeves and chest.

“Lovesong for the Thunderbirds” (director) written by Summer Bressette, produced by The Grand Theatre. photos by: Dahlia Katz

Public installation of a cage structure with loose paper and balloon around the exterior. The led strips on the inside illuminated installation at night

A white cage like installation with a couple wearing all black sitting in front of each other while six people wearing body protection suit seemingly busy in the exterior of the installation

“Where’d We Go?” (director/creator) devised with The Orange Girls for nuit blanche. photos by: Mitch Dexter

Setting in the outside of the back of the building and a commercial waste bin in the daytime. There are 4 people laying on the ground in their under clothes. In the center two people leaning against an inflatable blue plastic floaty while a man sitting and holding his knees close to his body. They are all wearing heels

“sugar bath” (director/creator) devised with The Orange Girls for Found Fest. photos by: Mat Simpson.

A person pouring milk and overspilling it over another person opening their mouth wide receiving it while having their eyes closed.

A performer on stage wearing a gown with extravagant head piece speaking to the audience while having starry lighting strings and balloons in the background

“TRASH GALA” (director/curator) devised with The Orange Girls for Nextfest. photos by: Mat Simpson.