KIRSTEN SHAM Choreographer/Actress/Director/Educator
KIRSTEN SHAM For the past 18 years, Kirsten has served as a professor of movement and dance in Southern Utah University’s Department of Theatre, Dance, & Arts Administration. Her recent choreography includes BTC’s inaugural hit, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and SUU-TDAA productions of The Prom, Legally Blonde: The Musical, Toyland, Chicago: The Musical, and Bat Boy. For nine seasons Kirsten served as director/choreographer of the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespeare Festival’s The Greenshow, creating 27 original 45-minute outdoor, musical pre-shows between 2005-2015. In that span, Kirsten also served as USF’s choreographer and movement coach, staging dances and movement for 20 main-stage, festival productions.
A regional actress for 30 years, Kirsten was a principal member of Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in Hampton, NJ, the largest and most successful theatre of its kind in the northeastern United States, for 12 years, and has performed regionally at such places as the world famous The Egyptian Theatre in Park City, UT, The Neil Simon Festival, Eichelberger Performing Arts Center, and more. Notable roles include, Kate Jerome in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs & Broadway Bound, Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday, Sonia in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Maria in Lend Me A Tenor, Yvonne in Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party (with Clarence Gilyard), Ruth in the World Premiere of I Left My Dignity in My Other Purse, and Mama Lily in Hank Williams: Lost Highway. Kirsten is currently co-producing artistic director for Buffalo Theatre Company, hosted at the world-famous Egyptian Theater in Park City, UT.
Before moving to Cedar City, Kirsten served as director of The Academy at EPAC, a professional training program for dance, music, and acting at the historic Eichelberger Performing Arts Center in Hanover, PA. Before that she served as choreographer and principle dancer for Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in Hampton, NJ, choreographing numerous musicals and revues. Her career as a dance instructor and choreographer spans over 30 years and includes teaching assignments at Broadway Dance Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Steps in New York City; The Eleanor Connell School of Dance in Annandale, NJ; as well as teaching and assisting on various workshops throughout Paris and Morocco. Kirsten has taught a variety of movement techniques on the East Coast and in Utah, including Ashtanga yoga, Pilates, aerobic kick boxing and she is the creator and developer of her own intensive stretch technique. An Interlochen National Music Academy dance scholarship winner at a young age, Kirsten attended Walnut Hill School of the Performing Arts and studied ballet, tap, hip-hop and jazz extensively in New York, NY as the protégé of Cecelia Marta and with such renowned master teachers as Frank Hatchett and Peff Modelski.
AS A CHOREOGRAPHER/DIRECTOR
REPRESENTATIVE VIDEO CLIPS OF CHOREOGRAPHY
“Tonight Belongs to Us” from The Prom – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecUEAI4IHCI
“Vacation” from Pump Boys & Dinettes – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9ULFw383Yw
“Legally Blonde” from Legally Blonde – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2qATMjyjcA
“The Cellblock Tango” from Chicago: The Musical – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDTKYnvtRrc
REPRESENTATIVE REVIEWS
About Bat Boy: The Musical:
“The production was also supported by fantastic choreography by Kirsten Sham. “Another Dead Cow” and “A Joyful Noise” were especially strong and energetic, and both songs established the culture of the town and its many bizarre characters. “
– Johnny Hebda, Utah Theatre Bloggers
About USF’s Pride & Prejudice:
“The sweep of the novel is maintained through quick-changing sets and naturally flowing stage directions; it’s impressive work by director Blake Robison and choreographer Kirsten Sham to move the couple dozen characters around the stage so fluidly.”
– Dan Nailen, Salt Lake City Weekly, A&E
AS AN ACTRESS
REPRESENTATIVE REVIEWS
About Sonia in Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike:
“Holy cow, was that a funny night in the theatre. The performances were superb, every one, especially from what I now gather is one of their featured actresses, Kirsten Sham. What a brilliant performer she is, capturing Sonia's hilarity and pain in every moment.”
– NYPro, Tripadvisor.com
“Kirsten Sham had perfected the depressive and volatile mood of her character, so that when she smashed a second cup of coffee on the floor and stared out at the audience for a beat after, I hurt my sides from laughing.”
– Sara Claverie, Utah Theatre Bloggers
About Kate in Broadway Bound:
“Even though Eugene narrates the play, the real star of the show is his mother Kate, played by Kirsten Sham... just absolutely sparkled. “
– Melanie Parry, Utah Theatre Bloggers
About Yvonne in The Dinner Party:
“The performances overall were excellent. Of particular note was Kirsten Sham as Yvette. Sham delivered her lines with a quirky accent and a somewhat deadpan delivery that heightened the humor of every line.”
– Tony Porter, Utah Theatre Bloggers
About Ruth in I Left My Dignity in My Other Purse:
“As Ruth (Kirsten Sham) carefully recaps all the problems in her life in a way that is both moving and humorous at the same time.”
– Lisa Larson, Utah Theatre Bloggers
About Mama Lily in Hank Williams: Lost Highway:
“Kirsten Sham delivered quirky mannerisms that brought the character of Mama Lilly alive.”
– Andrea Fife, Utah Theatre Bloggers