About

Laura Sturm is a professional actor, director, teacher, movement and acting coach, and intimacy director. She received an MFA from Northern Illinois University and has been working professionally in the Chicago area for over 20 years.

Laura teaches a variety of different classes and workshops, but specializes in Movement for Actors (Williamson/Laban), and Meisner Technique. She also teaches Period Style, Audition Skills, Scene Study, Monologue, Intimacy and Voice classes, as well as classes combining different elements. Laura is on the Adjunct Faculty at Columbia College Chicago, and has also taught at Northern Illinois University, North Central College. Governors State University, Oakton Community College, and for many years at Chicago’s professional studios The Actors’ Center and Act One Studios.

Check out her Saturday morning Movement and Meisner classes!

Hate finding and performing monologues? Talk to Laura about her proven (and fun!) methods for finding and loving a monologue.

As an actor, Laura has been performing in the Chicago area for over 20 years. She most recently appeared as Emma in Bluebird Arts’ production of Stupid Fucking Bird. Laura has been seen with Organic Theater Company in such roles as Emilie in Lauren Gunderson’s Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight and as Marie Antoinette in Gunderson’s The Revolutionists. Other roles include Blanche in Streetcar, Titania, Getrude, and many others. She has had the privilege of working with many Chicago other companies, including Northlight, New Colony, Victory Gardens, Remy Bumppo, Promethean, Mary Arrchie, Bailiwick, Signal, Raven, Quest, Chicago Danztheatre, and Polarity, as well as with the Texas Shakespeare Festival. Laura has also directed in Chicago for many years. With Organic, she directed the Jeff Recommended production of Sarah Ruhl’s Melancholy Play and the world premiere of Chicago playwright Barbara Lhota’s Phantom Pain. She has also directed Sheridan’s 18th Century period piece The Rivals, as well as the musical I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. In the last few years Laura has become an Intimacy Choreographer, working in Chicago and with the Constructivists, a few years ago named the Best New Theater Company in Milwaukee by Milwaukee Magazine.

CURRENT PROJECTS:

Intimacy Director/Vocal Coaching for Proof with BlueBird Arts.

Proof is the story of an enigmatic young woman, Catherine, her manipulative sister, their brilliant father, and an unexpected suitor. They are all pieces of the puzzle in the search for the truth behind a mysterious mathematical proof.

March 2–April 6, 2024

Thursdays – Saturdays @ 7:30pm, Sundays @ 3:00pm

LOCATION | Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave, Chicago, Studio 3

Intimacy Director/Movement/Acting Coach for A Cappocalypse! OR Oconomocapella’s A Capella Practice Has Been Canceled with the constructivists in Milwaukee. MARCH 23 - APRIL 6, 2024

Brace yourselves for the impending A Cappocalypse! The eve of the 11th Annual Upper Midwest Regional A Cappella Championships is upon us. The final practice is tonight. And everyone is late! As the ensemble scrambles to get started, their world turns upside down when one of their own bursts in, declaring the apocalypse has begun! Are they witnessing the end of the world? Have they been saved? Did anyone remember the pitch pipe?!? Find out in this whirlwind 60-minute absurdist satire that will have you laughing, thinking, singing, and questioning every headline you see!

LOCATION | Zao Mke Church, 2319 E Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53211

UPCOMING PROJECTS:

PRELUDE TO A KISS with Theatre Above the Law (May 3 - May 26)

At Peter and Rita’s wedding a mysterious Old Man kisses the bride. This kiss causes Rita’s soul and the Old Man’s to change places. Peter must track down the Old Man and free his young bride from the aging and diseased body before it’s too late.

1439 W. Jarvis, Chicago, IL 60626

Laura will be spending a week this summer at Kent State University in June for Mod 3 (final Mod!) of her Michael Chekhov Teacher Training with the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium! Thanks to a grant from the Columbia College Chicago Part-time Faculty Union grant program.