Current Students

M.F.A. in Directing

Will Davis

Will Davis is an Austin based theatre artist. Will came to Austin by way of Chicago, where she spent five years directing new work and performing wild acts of dramaturgy. Both kinetic and visceral, you will know Will’s work by the way it moves. 

Will has been recognized by the Chicago Tribune, TimeOut Chicago, The Austin-American Statesmen, and the Austin Chronicle, which listed Davis’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as a highlight of 2011. The play also received Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Direction awards by the Austin Critics Table Awards for the 2011/2012 season and is nominated for a B. Iden Payne award for outstanding direction.

Will is completing an MFA in Directing at UT- Austin and holds a a B.F.A. in Theater Studies from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Will is a graduate of the Literary Apprenticeship Program at Steppenwolf Theater Company, a proud company member of Chicago’s hybrid storytelling series 2nd Story, and served as the producer of The Fresh Eyes Project, a new play series at Red Tape Theatre.

For pictures please visit: wmjdavis.com

Jessica Hutchinson

Jessica Hutchinson creates invigorating, intimate, sometimes immersive theatrical experiences. As Artistic Director of Chicago’s New Leaf Theatre, she directed world premieres, re-imagined classics, and championed the creation of the Treehouse Reading Series, which shepherded new plays through the middle of their development process. Favorite past productions include: Arcadia, The Dining Room (Jeff citation nomination: best director, best ensemble), The Man Who Was Thursday, Burying Miss America, Vox Pandora (New Leaf Theatre), Hideous Progeny (LiveWire Chicago Theatre), Orange Flower Water (BackStage Theatre Company). Play development and other readings: Deb and Debra (Chicago Dramatists), Smashing (Theatre Seven of Chicago), Pure as Water, There Are No Revolutions Here (Goodman Theatre), Untrained in Geometry (Inchworm Reading Series), Red Green (Akvavit Theatre), Burying Miss America, Untrained in Geometry, Lighthousekeeping, Vow, Dandelion Momma (New Leaf’s Treehouse Reading Series). As an assistant director: Wendy Goldberg’s production of The Crowd You’re In With (Goodman Theatre). Teaching: Undergraduate course in Arts in Education – design & teaching (University of Chicago), Guest Director (North Park University), Director & Teaching Artist (National High School Institute “Cherubs” program at Northwestern University), Teaching Artist (Lookingglass Theatre Company). Education: BA in Theatre Performance, University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She is honored to be pursuing her M.F.A. among the inspiring community of brilliant colleagues and faculty at the University of Texas – Austin.

Steven Wilson

Steven Wilson is currently living in Austin, Texas, where he is pursuing his M.F.A. degree in Directing at The University of Texas at Austin. Prior to furthering his education, Steven lived in Chicago for fifteen years and worked as a performer, director and educator with many great organizations including Lookingglass Theatre, The Court Theatre, The Griffin Theatre, Factory Theater, The House Theatre, and LiveWire Chicago Theatre. Steven is a proud company member of The Hypocrites, and he has performed in over fifteen of their productions. Steven was last seen with the Hypocrites performing the title role in Oedipus in 2009. He also served as the company’s casting director for three seasons. Steven is also an artistic associate with A Red Orchid Theatre, where he directed Craig Wright’s original adaptation of Homer’s The Iliad, and is a founder of A Red Orchid Theatre’s Youth Ensemble. Since relocating to Austin, Steven has directed three world premier productions including an original adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter.