This document is Amber Kusching's directing portfolio, which includes experience directing plays, assistant directing experience, playwriting experience, dramaturgy experience, and choreography experience from her time at Montclair State University. It provides details on several productions she directed, assistant directed, or was otherwise involved in, including The Winter's Tale, Wintertime, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Henry V. It also includes excerpts from two original plays she wrote. The portfolio is meant to showcase her theatrical skills and experience to potential employers or collaborators.

1. Amber Kusching
Directing Portfolio &
Theatrical Experience

2. Table of Contents
Statement of Originality…………………………………….….3
My Mission………………………………………………….......4
Directing Experience…………………………………………...5
Readings & Workshops………………………………....6
Self-Produced Works…………………………………...7
Assistant Directing Experience………………………………..8
The Winter’s Tale.......................................................................9
Wintertime………………………………………………13
A Streetcar Named Desire..........................................................18
Henry V....................................................................................23
Other Theatrical Highlights…………………………………..25
Playwriting Experience………………………………...28
Excerpt from “When I Fell in Love”……….27
Excerpt from “Misfortune”………………...30
Dramaturgy Experience……………………………….33
Choreography Experience……………………………..34
Resume…………………………………………………………35
Letters of Recommendation and References………………..38
Letter from Carole Healey……………………………39
Letter from Michael Bloom…………………………...40
Letter from Debbie Saivetz…………………………...41
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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
I attest that all of the documents in this portfolio
are true and accurately reflect the knowledge,
skills, and abilities I have acquired.
Amber M. Kusching

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MY MISSION
I come to directing from a literary and
dramaturgical perspective. I believe that
every choice made must be justified by the
text and while I work with a text I invest
myself into discovering the intentions of
the playwright.
I have challenged myself, over the years, to
work with a variety of texts from traditional
to contemporary and from classics to
original works.
But, no matter what script I work with I use
the text as my compass and I attempt to
create something that is more than a
beautifully staged piece: I want to create
something visceral, something important,
and something that stirs the imagination.

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DIRECTING EXPERIENCE
The following pages are devoted to plays
that I have directed. Some of these have
been readings, some workshops and some
fully mounted productions.
Amongst these are originals scripts, plays
written by myself as well as plays with
pre-existing texts.
All of these plays were produced while I
was a student at Montclair State University.

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Montclair State University | Fall 2012Montclair State University | Spring 2014
Montclair State University | Spring 2013
Montclair State University | Fall 2013
Readings & Workshops

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Self-Produced Works
Plays Written & Directed by Amber Kusching
Montclair State University | Spring 2015Montclair State University | Spring 2013
Montclair State University | Spring 2014 Montclair State University | Spring 2014

8. ASSISTANT DIRECTING EXPERIENCE
At Montclair State University, I had the
privilege to assistant direct four productions
for the Department of Theatre and Dance
alongside some noted professional directors.
The following pages explain each project and
my responsibilities on each show.
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The Winter’s Tale
by William Shakespeare
Michael Bloom, Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2015

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PRODUCTION PROFILE
A major focus of this production was to create a noticeable difference
between Bohemia and Sicilia by utilizing movement techniques and
dialect as well as giving production elements a cooler color scheme in
Sicilia and warmer in Bohemia. We worked with the actors in Bohemia
to make them “country” and eccentric while the actors in Sicilia were
more formal and royal.

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RESPONSIBILITIES
My responsibilities assistant directing included but was not limited to:
 Taking notes on actors’ performance, vocal technique, and blocking
 Understudying scenes for actors who were not present and teaching
blocking and changes to actors when they returned
 Running scenes with actors both in and outside of rehearsals
 Working with actors to analyze the text and discover new things to
share with the director
 Acting as an assistant choreographer for movement sequences and
choreographed dances
 Attending production meetings

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13. Wintertime
by Charles Mee
Heather Benton, Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2014
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PRODUCTION PROFILE
Charles Mee’s play is a beautiful patchwork combining Shakespeare’s
plays and other classical texts with movement sequences and
emotionally volatile characters. Mee’s Wintertime, much like his other
work, is an ensemble piece. For our production, it was not only an
ensemble of actors, but a collaboration between stage management,
crew, designers, direction and the performers.
An article describing the production can be found at:
http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-
entertainment/theater/wintertime-of-their-content-
1.1147522?page=all

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MY ROLE
On this production, I was the
official dramaturg as well as the
assistant director. So, I had the
responsibilities of a dramaturg—
creating actor packets and working
with the director and actors on the
text and meaning—but I had the
opportunity to have a strong impact
on the show by working very closely
with the director. Therefore, some
of my work on this show expanded
beyond traditional duties of an
assistant director.

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RESPONSIBILITIES
My experience assistant directing included but was not limited to:
 Providing a safe place for the actors to share and take risks
 Taking notes on actor’s performances, vocal technique, blocking
and changes
 Helping the director make blocking choices
 Running scenes with actors both in and outside of rehearsals
 Working with actors and the director to delve into the text
 Assisting in creating and teaching choreography and movement
sequences
 Attending production meetings

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A Streetcar Named Desire
by Tennessee Williams
Kari Margolis, Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2013

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PRODUCTION PROFILE
This production of Tennessee Williams’ classic was all but
traditional when director Kari Margolis decided from the
beginning to cast 5 Stanleys and 4 Blanches. Only one Stanley
and one Blanche spoke the text while the others physicalized
the inner turmoil of the characters utilizing movement and the
Margolis Method (a set of movement training discovered and
taught by Kari Margolis and her company members)

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RESPONSIBILITIES
My experience assistant directing included but was not limited to:
 Working with the director and actors on blocking choices
 Taking detailed notes on actor performances as well as
production elements
 Assisting in scheduling rehearsal
 Assisting in creating and teaching choreography and movement
sequences
 Learning the Margolis Method and training with the actors
 Attending production meetings

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Photos of The Winter’s Tale, Wintertime, and A Streetcar Named Desire by Mike Peters

23. Henry V
by William Shakespeare
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Carole Healey, Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2014

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PRODUCTION PROFILE
This production of Shakespeare’s Henry V focused on vocal technique, so in
this show the director and I worked with actors on verse and prose. We also
utilized dialects for some of the characters.
MY ROLE
A few weeks before our tech-week, our stage manager was taken from the
production. Because of this, and since I was already doing much of the work
of a stage manager, I was asked, and I agreed, to step up into the role. So, for
this production, I was both the assistant director and stage manager.
ASSITANT DIRECTING RESPONSIBILITIES
My experience assistant directing included but was not limited to:
 Assisting stage combat rehearsal with the actors and stage combat coordinator
 Taking notes on actor’s performances, vocal technique, blocking and changes
 Helping actors run scenes and memorize lines
 Working with dramaturg and director on historical research for the production
 Understudying scenes for actors who were not present and teaching blocking
and changes to actors when they returned
STAGE MANAGING RESPONSIBILITIES
My experience stage managing included but was not limited to:
 Creating cue sheets for projections, live and prerecorded sound, and lighting
 Coordinating props and set pieces and creating running sheets
 Operating the projections
 Coordinating rehearsal times and locations

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OTHER THEATRICAL HIGHLIGHTS
During my time at Montclair State
University I was involved in over 45
productions. The following are
highlights including playwriting
experience, dramaturgy experience and
choreography experience

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When I Fell in Love
Saturn Rising Theatre Festival
Esteban Carmona, Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2015
The Maryland Women
Saturn Rising Theatre Festival &
Thursdays at Three Reading Series
Montclair State University | Spring 2015
The Drive for Victory
Featured in
Chipotle for the Theatrical Soul
Taylor Del Rossi, Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2014
Misfortune
Thursdays at Three Reading Series
Taylor Del Rossi, Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2014
The Hourglass
Montclair State University Players
One Act Play Festival
Jeremy Landes, Co-Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2014
Speak No Evil
Thursdays at Three Reading Series
Montclair State University | Spring 2014
Do You Remember?
Featured in
The Coming Out Monologues
David Grice, Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2013
Crazy
Montclair State University Players
One Act Play Festival
Montclair State University | Spring 2013
Playwriting Experience

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Montclair State University | Spring 2015
Excerpt from “When I Fell in Love”
This play follows the story of a man’s suicide not
only through his own narrative, but through the
eyes of the wife he left behind and his
emotionally instable daughter who both witness
his metaphorical and physical fall.

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Montclair State University | Fall 2014
Two brothers go looking in the woods for a tree that
supposedly reveals fate. Neither of them knows if this
tree really exists and they know their future depends
on it, but history has never been kind to those who
have attempted to mess with Fate.
Excerpt from “Misfortune”

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Dramaturgy Experience
Wintertime
By Charles Mee
Heather Benton, Dir.
Department of Theatre and Dance
Montclair State University | Fall 2014
Our Town
By Thornton Wilder
Michael Joel, Dir.
Montclair State University Players Organization
Montclair State University | Fall 2012
Their Own Good
By Dave Osmundsen
Dave Osmundsen & Amber Kusching Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2012
Spring Awakening
Musical by Steven Sater
Carey Gsell, Dir.
Montclair State University Players Organization
Montclair State University | Spring 2014

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Euripides’ Bacchae
“See How the Fire Leaps Up,” Ribbon Dance
“Dance Like a Fawn/Live Day by Day”
“We Dance to the Glory of Bacchus/Happy Was the Hunting”
“The Gods Have Many Shapes”
Jerise Fogel, Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2015
Chipotle for the Theatrical Soul
“Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran, Contemporary
Taylor Del Rossi, Dir.
Montclair State University | Fall 2014
Believe Dance Showcase
“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson, Tap
“We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off” by Elle Eyre, Contemporary
Armando Rodriguez & Gabrielle Rivera, Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2015
The Vagina Monologues
“Army of Me” by Christina Aguilera
Liz Macintosh, Dir.
Montclair State University | Spring 2013
Choreography Experience

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RESUME
The following is my professional resume
of theatrical experience.

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LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
& REFERENCES
The next few pages contain letters from directors
and professors I have worked with at Montclair
State University The letters are from:
Carole Healey
Adjunct Professor and Visiting Specialist
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ 07043
Telephone: (646)339-7314
Email: carolehealey@mac.com
Debbie Saivetz
Associate Professor, Department of Theatre and Dance
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ 07043
Telephone: (646)418-1491
Email: saivetzd@mail.montclair.edu
Michael Bloom
Director/Teacher
Email: michael.bloom.mail@gmail.com

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