Danika Sudik is an Ovation nominated director/actor, theatre maker, and arts educator who splits her time between northern and southern California. Her latest endeavor is co-founding and directing the Ground & Field Theatre Festival with Mindy Cooper, Tom Burmester, and Lisa Quoresimo. This event is a partnership between the University of California, Davis Department of Theatre and Dance, Theatre & Dance Ensemble and, new producing partner, Bike City Theatre Company. This new sandbox for play development melds her passions as it is committed to sustainable production practices, and spotlighting urgent new narratives that engage problems of social, economic, and environmental justice.
Her rigorous actor training practice uses the concepts of relationship, compassion, and play as the foundation for artistic growth and well-being. Dedicated to sharing the practice of sustainable artistry Ms. Sudik weaves technique, health, exploratory narrative, and social justice into a tapestry that is the foundation for empowered storytelling. Her education programs and curriculum have been used by The Broad Stage, Center Theatre Group, and Bonnie Franklin’s Classic & Contemporary American Plays, amongst others.
Ms. Sudik's work with the Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble on the critically acclaimed War Cycle by Tom Burmester earned a special citation from the LA Weekly for “Excellence in Technical Accomplishments and Breadth of Vision.” A project still unfolding, the War Cycle currently contains three plays that concentrate on those effected by America’s unending wars…in short, all of us. Each process begins with extensive interviews with veterans and the families of service people, in-depth exploration with actors, and culminates in performance. She holds an M.F.A. in Dramatic Arts from University of California, Davis and a B.A. in Theatre, Film, and Television from UCLA.