Courtney Esser’s passion for theatre began as a young person, dragging her parents’ living room furniture out into the street to perform self “written” plays for the neighbors. She has acted professionally all over the United States, landing in Denver where she received her MFA from the National Theatre Conservatory with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. As a teaching artist, she uses theatre training and technique to crack open our imaginations and our humanity, allowing for a deeper connection to ourselves and our world. During her time with the DCPA and the Theatre Development Fund in NYC, Courtney has seen how access to theatre can positively impact young people and adults by facilitating community, critical thinking, and conversation. The arts create different points of entry into traditional learning experiences, taking anything – from a math problem to a social issue – and bringing it from a head space to a heart space. Courtney is committed to bringing this kind of visceral engagement to students of all abilities and backgrounds.
Courtney has taught with the DCPA and the Theatre Development Fund in New York, working with young people and adults to discover their voices through the art of storytelling. At the Denver Center she has taught numerous voice, movement, and acting classes, coached and led workshops, and facilitated the creation of scratch-made plays, musicals, and trapeze movement projects.