Lizzy May

Lizzy May is a Chicago-native artist and educator. As a full-time teacher in Chicago Public Schools Lizzy developed a trauma-responsive curriculum that guided students through the process of devising original theater pieces. As a playwright and founder of the nonprofit Backyard Chicago Ensemble she has devised several theater pieces in an intergenerational ensemble. Notable work includes Backyard’s The Angels Will Let You Fall, performed throughout Chicago and by invitation at the Midtown International Theatre Festival, The Between, Lizzy’s original play that received a staged reading with The Woolgatherers in NYC, Next Stop, a queer dance film that premiered at NYC’s Jump/Cut: A Dance on Film Festival, and Honey Child, an original ecofeminist play. She has directed with Ghostlight Theatre, Inglenook Theater Project and Dear Stone Theater. She collaborates frequently with dance artists and hosts online dance parties on the regular as an expression of embodiment and joy. In her work with the Chicago Children’s Theatre she has developed curricula, assessment materials and trauma-responsive workshops as a part of the Education and Artistic Departments and taught camps and classes as a Teaching Artist. She has a passion for young people creating and telling their own stories and is delighted to participate in the innovative and joyful work at the Chicago Children’s Theatre. (Bio as of 2020)