Erica Nagel

Before joining the Alliance in 2019, Erica Nagel was the Director of Creative Development and Strategy at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, where she served as a senior member of the artistic staff, oversaw a variety of programs for learners of all ages, and lead cross-departmental initiatives such as The Every 28 Hour Plays, The Migration Plays, and sensory-friendly relaxed performances. Erica previously worked as Director of Education and Engagement at McCarter, during which time she significantly expanded educational partnerships with the Trenton Public School District and re-imagined audience engagement offerings to deepen the impact of attending live performance.

Before her time at McCarter, Erica served as the Producing Associate and Resident Dramaturg at Premiere Stages in Union, NJ. She has also consulted as a dramaturg, curriculum developer, grant panelist, and assessment specialist for numerous organizations across the country, and taught at Princeton University, SUNY Brockport, and Texas A&M University. She is a proud recipient of a 2010 TCG New Generations Future Leaders Grant, which “seeks to identify exceptionally talented theatre professionals who will impact the field in a positive way,” and was honored to participate in the second cohort of the TCG Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Institute.

Erica received her MFA in Performance as Public Practice (Theatre and Social Change) at the University of Texas-Austin, where she was a recipient of a Continuing Fellowship Award for her thesis project, Collaboration, Context, and Common Ground: A Model for Community-Engaged Dramaturgy, and regularly wore cowgirl boots to rehearsal.