“Swain’s exceptional direction focuses rightfully on clarity, serving the text of the play and beautifully exploring its complexities of theme and tone. Her pacing is swift but scants no important detail and her staging keeps things visually dynamic. The idea to place Hamlet’s dead father’s sword center stage, a symbol of the vengeful past ever present, to drive the action towards its grim conclusion is very clever and appropriate.”
“Badass, nail-biting event akin to a celebrity death match of iambic pentameter gone wild”
“Two seasoned stage pros delivering powerhouse, letter-perfect performances under Elizabeth Swain’s assured direction.”
“A truly triumphant piece of work. Effortless and masterful direction”
“Swain’s direction reminds us that despite the deaths grief, intrigue, and tragedy of this play, there are also comedic moments and touches of wonder.”
“Director Elizabeth Swain keeps the action crisp.”
Directing Credits
2024
Romeo and Juliet Kingsmen Shakespeare Company
Twelfth Night a jazz version with The Sixth Act at the Ebell
A Woman of No Importance Classical Theatre Lab
The Winter’s Tale Antaeus
2023
Tartuffe Classical Theatre Lab
2022
King Lear The Southwest Shakespeare Company
Hamlet Antaeus
2021
The Comedy of Errors Classical Theatre Lab
2020
Measure for Measure Antaeus, co-directed with Armin Shimerman
2019
Early Birds Moving Arts
What We Owe Our Lies Comedia Slam at UCLA
The Relapse Classical Theatre Lab
2018
Two Noble Kinsmen Kingsman Shakespeare Co.
An Evening of Betrayal, by Pinter & Shakespeare
The Sixth Act: May opening
The School for Scandal Reading series Classical Theatre lab
2017
Hay Fever Reading series Classical Theatre Lab
A Lesson From Aloes Staged reading Sierra Madre PH
The King’s Face New script) Staged reading Skylight Theatre
Julius Caesar Staged reading The Sixth Act Co.
2016
Forever House by Tony Abatemarco The Skylight Theatre
The Winters Tale Antaeus Classicfest
2015
Shakespeare in the Raw: Macbeth CSU Long Beach
2013
The Master Builder Antaeus Classicsfest
2012
King John Antaeus Classicsfest
Our Country’s Good Antaeus Classicsfest
The Love of the Nightingale AMDA LA
2011
The Lucky Chance Antaeus Classicsfest
Lovers & Madmen AMDA
The Malcontent Antaeus
2010
The Malcontent Antaeus Classicsfest
2009
Master Harold and the Boys Cape May Stage, Cape May NJ
A Midsummer Night’s Dream CSU Long Beach
2008
Ah Samolo by Noel Coward Antaeus, Coward Young Idea Festival
Medea Antaeus Classicsfest
Macbeth NYS Theatre Institute, Troy NY
2007
Camille by Pam Gems Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, NYC
Hamlet TWAS Theatre, NYC
Ordeal By Innocence by Agatha Christie, premiere, NYS Theatre Institute, Troy NY
2006
The Old Law by Middleton & Rowley Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, NYC
2005
Airborn by Rob Ackerman EST Octoberfest, NYC
Airborn by Rob Ackerman, premiere NYS Theatre Institute, Troy NY
2004
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, NYC
2003
The Winter’s Tale Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, NYC
The Rover by Aphra Behn Juggernaut Theatre (reading)
2002
Four by Pixerecourt Martin E. Segal Theatre—staged readings Gloria Maddox Theatre, NYC
2001
The Executioner’s Daughter by Wendy Kesselman Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, NYC
2000
The Lucky Chance by Aphra Behn Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, NYC
1998
Hanjo by Mishima for Threshold Theatre Co.H.E.R.E. NYC
1998
The Executioner’s Daughter by Wendy Kesselman, premiere, Theatre @ Sewanee
1994
Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker Minor Latham Playhouse
1992
The Love of the Nightingale byTimberlake Wertenbaker Minor Latham Playhouse
1990
Hamlet (cast of 16 women and 4 men as The Players) Minor Latham Playhouse
1989
The Rover by Aphra Behn Minor Latham Playhouse
1995
The Lunatic, the Lover and the Poet Minor Latham Playhouse
1994
Cupids, Kings and Greasy Knights Minor Latham Playhouse
1993
Trespass Sweetly Urged Minor Latham Playhouse
1992
Love and War Minor Latham Playhouse
1991
Shakespeare Minor Latham Playhouse
1990
In Pursuit of Love Minor Latham Playhouse
1989
Heigh, Ho, the Wind and the Rain Minor Latham Playhouse
1988
Sigh No More Ladies Minor Latham Playhouse (90 minutes pastiches of scenes and monologues from Shakespeare, fully staged)
1980
The Ribadier System by Feydeau (also as translator) Hudson Guild Theatre
