Esther M. Cohen • Curriculum Vitae
DIRECTING
Full Productions
(Upcoming) LITTLE WOMEN by Dickstein, Howland, and Knee - Drexel University
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME by Simon Stephens - Drexel University
SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS by Bess Wohl - The University of Pennsylvania
+THE WOLVES by Sarah Delappe - University of Pennsylvania
+DRY LAND by Ruby Rae Spiegel - The Penn Women's Center
FROM UP HERE by Liz Flahive - The University of Pennsylvania
Short Plays
BECKY KNOWS WHAT SEX IS by Emery Schaffer - Hamilton Family Arts Center
HAR JEHUDA by Noah Schoenberg - Hamilton Family Arts Center
24 HOUR PLAYS, by LM Feldman - Interact Theatre Company
+*JUST A PAP by Jenna Kraynak - Brunch Theatre Company
+*STACY & MIA by SMJ - The Tank
*OUT by Nicholas Vasilios Pappas - The Tank
THE DARK by Serena Berman - Williamstown Theatre Festival, Directing Labs
*SEE ANOTHER SPRING by Nicholas Vasilios Pappas - Williamstown Theatre Festival, Directing Labs
*MIRROR, MIRROR by Miller Shor - Williamstown Theatre Festival, Directing Labs
+*HALF THE STORY by Haley Jakobson - Brunch Theatre Company
POST-ITS by Paul Dooley - The University of Pennsylvania
Readings & Workshops
ACUTE EXPOSURE by August Hakvaag - Media Arts Council
THE GETT by Liba Vaynberg - Theatre Ariel
TO REACH ACROSS A RIVER by Marshall Botvinick - Theatre Ariel
LEV OF LENINGRAD by Noah Schoenberg - The Weitzman National of American Jewish History
VACATIONS by Greg Nanni - The Balcony
STACY & MIA - Williamstown Theatre Festival, National Theatre Institute Residency
THE COMMAND CENTER by SMJ - National Theater Institute Residency, ANDTheatre Company
ASSISTANT DIRECTING
New York & Regional
THE PLOT by Will Eno (dir. Oliver Butler) - Yale Repertory Theatre
^THE UNDERLYING CHRIS by Will Eno (dir. Kenny Leon) - Second Stage Theater
SUMMER'S SOLDIER by Boo Killebrew (dir. Jenna Worsham) - Williamstown Theatre Festival
UNRAVELED by Jennifer Blackmer (dir. Kathryn MacMillan) - Theatre Row
TEETH by Michael R. Jackson & Anna Jacobs (dir. Portia Krieger) - The O'Neill Center
GROUP by Alex Rubin (dir. Ilana Ransom Toeplitz) - The Drama League
NORMATIVITY by Jaime Jarrett (dir. Mia Walker) - New York Musical Festival
Philadelphia
CORIOLANUS by William Shakespeare (dir. Kittson O'Neill) - Shakespeare in Clark Park
HOW TO USE A KNIFE by Will Snider (dir. Seth Rozin) - InterAct Theatre Company
GROUNDED by George Brandt (dir. Kathryn MacMillan) - InterAct Theatre Company
TEACHING & EDUCATIONAL THEATRE
Adjunct Professor of Theatre at Drexel University, Spring 2023-Present
Courses include New Play Development, Script Analysis, Season Selection, Viewpoints, and mentoring Senior Projects
Directing Mentor & Teaching Artist at NYU Steinhardt Vocal Performance Program
Director & Devising Instructor at Park Avenue Youth Theatre
Senior Thesis Mentor at Brandeis University
AFFILIATIONS & FELLOWSHIPS
Artist-in-Residence, Theatre Ariel, 2023-Present
Reader, the Jewish Plays Project 2023-Present
Barrymore Nominator, 2025/26
Roundabout Directors Group - Inaugural Member, 2019/20
Williamstown Theatre Festival Directing Corps 2019
Directors Gathering Philadelphia 2019/20
Second Stage Theatre Company - Literary Intern 2016
Signature Theatre Company - Artistic Intern 2015
EDUCATION
BA in Politics, Philosophy & Economics, Theatre Arts minor (cum laude) - The University of Pennsylvania
Advanced Directing Semester at The National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
KEY
* indicates world premiere
+ indicates dramaturgy