
Lauren Haughton Gillis
Assistant Professor, Music Theatre
Director, BFA Music Theatre Program
School of Theatre
www.laurenhaughton.com
Instagram: @laurenhaughtongillis
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Lauren Haughton Gillis is an international director and choreographer who is deeply rooted in the tradition of musical theatre but curious about moving the art form forward in a fresh and contemporary way. She has produced, directed, and choreographed shows for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS all over the US and Canada with the Broadway National Touring companies of Hamilton, Wicked, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, and The Book of Mormon. Lauren is currently a director and choreographer for Virgin Voyages International. She made her NYC directing debut at The Cutting Room with a concert version of the new musical, The Magic Hummingbird. Prior to the Lincoln Center run, Lauren worked on The Gardens of Anuncia with Tony award winning director/choreographer Graciela Daniele at The Old Globe in San Diego, CA. Lauren has directed and/or choreographed at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Musical Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Ripley Grier Studios, Constellation Stage & Screen, Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Forestburgh Playhouse, Okoboji Summer Theatre, Festival 56, Cardinal Stage, Indiana University, San Diego State University, Northwestern University, The Jacobs School of Music Opera & Ballet Theater, and The Broadway in San Diego Awards (Jimmy Awards pre-qualifier). As a performer, Lauren appeared on Broadway in Wicked. She was in the original casts of Turn of the Century directed by Tommy Tune at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Sammy with Leslie Bricusse at The Old Globe in San Diego, and Hans Christian Anderson with Maury Yeston at Maine State Music Theatre. On television she appeared in the Annie episode for Encore! on Disney Plus, directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge and choreographed by Melinda Sullivan. She also guest starred as Lori on Guiding Light. Lauren was previously an Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre at the Indiana University Department of Theatre & Dance where she won the 2022 Trustees Teaching Award. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and is the Head of Dance/Vice President of Conferences for Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance International (MTEA).
Contact and Files
Education
MFA San Diego State University
BFA Syracuse University
Teaching Areas
Musical Theatre Dance, Acting the Song, Musical Theatre Workshop, Movement, Tap, Ballet, & Jazz dance.
Research Areas
Direction, Choreography, Musical Theatre Swing & Understudy Pedagogy
Scholarly/Creative Works
As a performer: Wicked on Broadway (Swing, Nessa understudy)
As a Director/Choreographer: It’s a Ship Show for Virgin Voyages International (my work with them takes me all over the world)
The Magic Hummingbird at The Cutting Room in NYC
Cats at Utah Festival Opera Musical Theatre
Beautiful at Forestburgh Playhouse