Lauren is the Associate Professor of Theatre Directing at MTSU and is a working freelance director and dramturg. She has directed 10 productions with Nashville Repertory Theatre (our region’s flagship professional theatre) including Waitress, POTUS, The Cake, Every Brilliant Thing, Avenue Q; Rapture, Blister, Burn; Superior Donuts, and A Christmas Story. She currently serves as Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Advisor and has served as director and dramaturg for their Ingram New Works Program. She recently devised and directed the world premiere of Nate Eppler’s highly acclaimed Human Resources with Nashville Story Garden and Oz Arts Nashville. She has been nominated for best director of a play or musical multiple times by Broadway World Nashville. She has also directed The Wolves (upcoming), Our Town, The Ruminants (part of the national College Collaboration Project), Sense and Sensibility, Fun Home, Ride the Cyclone, and Everybody for MTSU’s Center Stage Series. In 2021, she co-created Play Space—a URECA and TAC grant supported new play development workshop which commissioned The Willows by playwright Sharyn Rothstein. Prior to joining MTSU faulty, Shouse was the Associate Artistic Director at Chicago's Northlight Theatre and directed over 15 productions in the Chicago area including Something Clean, a Sideshow and Rivendell Theatre co-production, What We’re Up Against at Compass Theatre, The Cake at Rivendell Theatre, The Legend of Georgia McBride at Northlight Theatre, A Doll’s House, Nice Girl and Betrayal at Raven Theatre. She was nominated for the Joseph Jefferson Award for best director for her work on The Cake at Rivendell Theatre. She has also worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Route 66, The Gift Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, and Raven Theatre. More of her work can be viewed at www.LaurenShouseDirects.com. 

Shouse has advised multiple URECA grant student projects in directing and new play development. She serves as an advisor to the Department of Theatre and Dance’s Student Success Series. She serves on Faculty Senate and is the Theatre Division Chair for Governor’s School for the Arts. Shouse is an associate member of the Stage Director’s and Choreographer’s Society. 

Shouse holds an MA in Performance Studies from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and an MFA in Theatre Directing from Northwestern University. She is the 2024 recipient of the MTSU CLA Faculty Creative Activity Award.

 (Photo credit: Joe Mazza, Brave Lux, inc.)

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