ABOUT ME

Amy Burgess is a queer writer, composer, teacher, singer, and arts administrator living in Brooklyn, NY. Her latest musical, ON THE LINE (words, music with collaborator Rachel Dean), commissioned by Rubber City Theater Company, received its premiere production in Akron, Ohio in June 2021. Other work includes ELEVATOR HEART, Off-Broadway Premiere Production with THML Theatre Co. and Access Theater (Spring 2019), University of San Francisco production (Fall 2018), NYC concert reading @ the Tank (Fall 2017), NYU Tisch New Musicals Workshop (Fall 2016), Queens Council on the Arts Grant (2016); STIR: Ripe Figs Won’t Keep (music) with Basin Arts (Summer 2017) filmed for PBS; Under My Skin (words and music) with collaborator Joel Waggoner, choreography by Clare Cook, Dance Now NYC @ Joe's Pub (2014); SHOW ME REAL (words and music) with Clare Cook Dance Theatre at the New York Musical Festival (2012) and Tada! Theater (2012). Amy’s work has been seen at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Joe’s Pub, The Tank, Dixon Place, Berkshire Playwright’s Lab, Goodspeed Musicals, among others. As an actor and singer, Amy was most recently a lead in FINDING BEAUTIFUL (Anessa Marie and Danny Bristoll) at NYMF in 2019. 

Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Amy keeps a strong connection to her artistic roots as a choral composer, having been commissioned 9 times by the Portland Symphonic Girlchoir. Commissions include: I Hear Her Story (with lyrics by Morgan Smart, Emily Chiu, Megan Petersen, and Brooke Magalis) Spring 2023; Moon Dance: A Choral Fantasia (Spring 2019); We Will Speak (2017) international premiere @ St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland (Summer 2017); Look To This Day (2016); Dreamer of Dreams (2014) international premiere Beijing, China (Summer 2014). Other commissions: A Day In The Life for the Marian Singers, Portland, OR (2013); She Holds Fire in Her Hands and I Have Come To Cast Fire (for choir and orchestra) commissioned for Oregon's 150th Anniversary Celebration, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR (2009). Composer-in-Residence, Portland Symphonic Girlchoir (2013-2016).

Amy received her BM in Composition from Pacific Lutheran University and MFA from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program where she currently works as a full time administrator, casting director, tech liaison for Tisch, and guest lecturer in bookwriting, SATB vocal writing, casting, and recording music. Amy is a member of Maestra and the Dramatists Guild of America. In her spare time, Amy plays and sings in the indie folk band Two Sheets to the Wind with Joel Waggoner, has too many plants, enjoys cycling in Prospect Park, and is the loving partner of collage/installation artist, Alissa Polan.