melissa mowry
director. theatre maker. storyteller
about
melissa
Melissa Mowry (she/her) is an East Coast based director, performer and theatre maker. From a young age, Melissa found herself drawn to the stories of the people around her. It was common to find her talking with relative strangers and learning about the adventures they had, the heartbreaks they faced, the obstacles they had overcome.
As she grew older, this passion for stories and a love for art set her on a journey as a singer, actor, director and writer, as she sought more and more ways to connect with people and engage with and learn from the people and communities around her.
Earning her BA in Drama from Randolph-Macon College, with a second major in Music Industry, Melissa also found her passion for travel, advocacy and theatre. Spending much of her time at volunteering for local and school-based advocacy groups, Melissa found a desire to uplift communities and voices that often felt silenced or ignored.
In 2018, Melissa graduated with her MFA in Directing from the Actors Studio Drama School (ASDS) at Pace University, where she focused primarily on a Stanislavsky and Method-based approach to theatre technique. Which allowed her to develop an actor-focused directing style that is rooted in collaboration and care.
Since her graduation from ASDS, Melissa has been an active theatre maker in New York, Virginia, and across the US. Creative collaborations have included organizations such as: Ars Nova, JAGFest, The Lower East Side Shakespeare Company, The New Group, New York Fringe Festival, Permafrost Theatre Collective, Project1Voice, The Shed, The Tank, Theatre in Asylum, The Ume Group, and WP Theatre in New York; Cadence Theatre Company and Virginia Repertory Theatre in Virginia; Summit Performance Indianapolis in Indiana; and the Kattaikkuttu Sangam and Gurukulam in Tamil Nadu, India.
Melissa is also an alumni of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship at The New Group and The SDCF Observership Program, where she observed and assisted Patricia McGregor on her production of Lights Out Nat King Cole at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. She was also a finalist for the Drama League’s 2022 Stage Director Fellowship.
Melissa continues to champion respectful collaboration, intentional exploration, and community care in her rehearsal rooms and artistic process. Her hope is that her work will touch the hearts of collaborators and audiences, encourage them to reflect on themselves and their place in the world, and drive them to make sustainable change.
upcoming
projects
Melissa will be directing John Proctor is the Villain at Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Production will run March 3 - 14, 2027
For more information Click Here
past
projects
Directed Constellations at Old Dominion University
Melissa directed Nick Payne's Constellations as part of Old Dominion University's 2025/2026 Season.
Directed Emma at The Rose Theatre
Melissa directed Melissa Leilani Larson's adaptation of Pride & Prejudice at The Rose Theatre with Young Company. The play was featured as part of their "Play In A Week" program, and feature young performers between the ages of 14 and 18.
Associate Director of Emma at The Rose Theatre
Melissa served as the Associate Director to Christopher Hayden on Ava Pickett's World Premier adaptation of Emma at The Rose Theatre in London.
Awarded 2025 Rose Directing Fellow
Melissa was selected as the 2025 Drama League Rose Directing Fellow. She will spend three months in London working as the Associate Director on The Rose Theatre's World Premier Adaptation of Emma by Ava Pickett, director by Christopher Hayden.
While at the Rose, she will also direct Melissa Leilani Larson's adaptation of Pride and Prejudice
"From the Mississippi Delta" by Endesha Ida Mae Holland, Ph.D.
Melissa directed a reading of From the Mississippi Delta by Endesha Ida Mae Holland, Ph.D. The piece is part of Project1Voice's One Play One Day and features: Elain Graham, Brenda Denmark, Lisa Arrindell, and Bernita Robinson
This Pulitzer Prize-nominated play traces the story of one woman's triumphant journey out of a difficult childhood in Mississippi through the civil rights movement and beyond, offering us a gripping tale of resilience and the human spirit.
Click here to watch the live recording here. To learn more about Project1Voice, click here
"Padiddle" by Kevin Renn at JAGFest
Melissa directed a workshop reading of Padiddle by Kevin Renn. The piece, part of JAGFest 6.0, follows two best friends, Toledo and July, recounting the highs and lows of their fifteen-year friendship—from high school teens all the way into adulthood.
Click here to find out more about Kevin and Padiddle