Writer, Director, and Marketer

Abigail Barr ’15 says she decided to major in theater because it was the only thing she could picture herself doing and minored in sociology to help her think critically. The New York native says the variety of theater classes the major requires, including arts management and technical theater, gave her skills that she still uses today. Those skills, combined with a killer sense of humor and an interest in comedy, led her to the many positions she currently juggles in the New York theater scene.

Those positions currently include: writing comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade; serving as the marketing assistant at the Peoples Improv Theater in New York; freelancing for Full Frontal With Samantha Bee; and serving as the artistic associate for Dark Matter Productions, a theater company dedicated to social justice and developing the next generation of philanthropists. As the artistic associate, her responsibilities include reading and developing new plays and coordinating meetings and events. She also directs plays on a freelance basis, which is fulfilling because “I get to make the art that I want to see in the world,” she says.

She says her time at Oberlin helped her clarify what she wanted to do and why. While at Oberlin, she ran the publicity unit of the Oberlin Theater and Dance Departments, cochaired the Oberlin Student Theater Association, and directed plays in the theater department and for student theater. She was also in a co-op for three years.

Looking ahead, she says she is passionate about comedy writing, directing plays, and working at organizations she loves, but does not want to narrow down any possibilities yet. Instead she would like to enjoy the journey. “I think my life could go in so many ways, which is really exciting,” she says.