Allison Williams

Allison Williams trained in mask and movement theatre and playwriting, and holds an MFA from Western Michigan University. She spent 15 years as the Artistic Director of the circus company Aerial Angels, and has lead the creation of FALLEN (Bible women + circus), SLEEPWALKERS (Grand Guignol + circus) and STAND UP 8 (reality circus). Allison still coaches in the school residency program Starfish Circus, which trains 2000 K-12 students every year in circus arts and 21st-Century Skills.

Her plays include: A musical of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Jenny Wiley Music Theatre, KY), THE TALE OF TSURU (adapted from the Japanese, Western Michigan University and the University of South Florida), as well as commedia dell' arte scripts. Her short play, MISS KENTUCKY was a Heideman award finalist, and HAMLETTE won a Mark Twain Humor Award. Her radio trilogy, DEAD MEN DON'T CARRY HANDBAGS, DEAD MEN DON'T JAYWALK, and DEAD MEN DON'T CATCH BOUQUETS aired on National Public Radio. Her solo show, TRUE STORY, won Best of Show at the London Fringe and is a popular source for female monologues. Allison's most recent play is THE NEXT HORSEMAN, a comedy for Zoom (Coriander Press).

Allison's essays have appeared in The New York Times and Magic Magazine. She has told stories on CBC's Definitely Not The Opera, NPR's The Moth, and PRI's Snap Judgment. Allison's book on writing craft, SEVEN DRAFTS: SELF-EDIT LIKE A PRO FROM BLANK PAGE TO BOOK is forthcoming from Woodhall Press.

Allison is based in Dubai, but at home less than 100 days a year, not all at the same time. Find out where she is by following her on Instagram - if you're doing her play and she's within 200 miles, she'll probably stop by.