Biography
Wendi is an Associate Director and Associate Professor of Instruction in the School of Theatre and Dance with a focus on Acting for Theatre, On Camera Work, Auditioning, Realism, Shakespeare, and Foundations. A practicing member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA, Wendi is represented by Grossman Jack Talent. Favorite Theatre credits include The Audience (Timeline), Ten Chimneys (Milwaukee Rep), Brett Neveu's 4 Murders (A Red Orchid), Keith Huff's Prosperity (Riverside) Improvanov (Free Associates), Tina Fey's 15 Minutes in the Age of Reason (Chicago Dramatists), Yeast Nation (American Theatre Company), Lisa Dillman's My Yeti Dreams (Collaboration), Stars in the Morning Sky (European Rep), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Court), Hannah Tinti's Reasonable Terms (WBEZ's Stories on Stage), Macbeth and Measure for Measure with Riverside Shakespeare Festival. On-Camera credits include Captive State, Sirens, Utopia, Chicago Med, Shining Girls, The Big Leap, 61st ST. Directing credits include Cavan Hallman's premiere of Prufock, The Fifth of July, Getting Out, and most recently, two rotating casts of As You Like It.
Wendi believes in the practice of being present, and that the exploration of play and open-heartedness are foundational in being a creative. She continues to learn and activate her own anti-racist work in personal and creative spaces. She is grateful to her colleagues and the students for the push for accountability, growth and evolution in building a more inclusive and equitable culture.
She received her M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Iowa and her B.F.A. in Drama from Illinois Wesleyan University.Instructional Areas
Meisner Technique, Viewpoints Technique, On-Camera Work, New Play Development, Auditioning, Realism, Shakespeare
Degrees
B.F.A., Drama Illinois Wesleyan University 1991
M.F.A., Theatre Arts University of Iowa 1994