Clara Kundin was raised in good ol’ Kansas where she started acting at the ripe age of 7. She received her B.A. in Theatre and Women’s Studies from St. Olaf College and then traveled across the ocean to train in physical theater at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. From Paris, she moved to Brooklyn where she worked for 8 years. She is now an MFA Candidate in Theater for Youth & Communities at Arizona State University.
Background
Clara has performed regionally at The Guthrie Theater, the Lawrence Arts Center, the Capital Fringe, and the Chicago Fringe Festival. In Paris she performed regularly with Moving Parts and as a voice over artist. In New York, she was seen onstage at Rattlestick Theater, Metropolitan Playhouse, Torn Out Theater, The GYM at Judson, Creative Time, The Irondale Center, spit&vigor, and more. In Phoenix she performs as part of the original cast of the Off-Broadway hit Drunk Shakespeare. She has directed in NYC and beyond for Rebel Playhouse, Permafrost Theatre Collective, The Ume Group, Thought Bubble Theatre Festival, and Arizona State University, and has worked as a deviser with various companies and for her own work. She is an ensemble member of spit&vigor, a company member of Brass Jar Productions, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
In addition to her training at Arizona State University, St. Olaf College, and the École Jacques Lecoq, Clara has studied Shakespeare and devising with Ryan Quinn & Bedlam Theater, Shakespeare performance with Doug Scholz-Carlson of the Great River Shakespeare Festival, physical theater and Viewpoints at Studio 206 under Robert Rosen, mask with Mariana Araoz and butoh with Yumi Fujitani at the École du Jeu in Paris. In NYC she was a company member with The Ume Group for 2 years, training in butoh and commedia dell’arte. She studied voice with David McCarthy and is committed to continuing Anti-Racist Theater training.
Clara has taught and directed ages 3 - 93. She specializes in teaching devising and Lecoq technique and working with youth with disabilities. She has worked as an instructor, guest artist, and guest speaker at Arizona State University, Hamilton College, Wittenberg University, Hunter College, St. Olaf College, and the Lawrence Arts Center, and has taught for Childsplay, Mesa Arts Center, Rebel Playhouse, Mainstages, Woodlawn Conservancy, E.P.I.C. Players, and more. She additionally worked as the Afterschool Creative Coordinator and an Associate Teacher at the Mary McDowell Friends School.
In 2016 she founded Rebel Playhouse, a theater for young audiences, with Sarah Sutliff and Greer Samuels. She served as Executive Director and producer for all of their shows from 2016-2019. Their shows have been seen at the 14th Street Y, The Tank, the Chicago Kids Fringe, Troy Arts Center, Access Theater, and more.