Michelle is a passionate educator, director, and playwright who loves to create and tell stories on stage and in the classroom with people of all ages. Michelle graduated from the University of Central Florida with her MFA, specializing in Theatre for Young Audiences, and she received her Bachelor’s in Theatre, specializing in Musical Theatre, at Palm Beach Atlantic University. She has developed curriculum and worked in the education departments at the American Repertory Theatre, The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Christ Fellowship, and Children’s Impact Network. As a teaching artist, Michelle has taught students of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and varying abilities in the Central Florida community in projects like EYEPLAY, a dual-language program developed by Childsplay in Arizona to take drama in preschool classrooms to develop literacy in English and Spanish.
Michelle worked as the Artistic Resident for the Orlando Repertory Theatre, with directing credits like Willy Wonka Jr., Just Like Us, When Pigs Fly, Voice Your Choice, Does My Head Look Big in This?, Tut Tut!, and The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet. Michelle was also the Associate Artistic Director for the inaugural season of UCF’s Pegasus Playlab 2018, a play development showcase of new work by emerging playwrights.
As a playwright, Michelle has developed plays for The REP’s Writes of Spring program, a writing competition which takes creative writings from K-12 students to create a play. Her play When Coquis Sing was produced as a part of The REP’s celebration of International Women’s Voices Day 2018, and she is currently working on a commission from Endstation Theatre Company and Kids’ Haven. On the weekends, you will catch this Florida native hiking this new Virginian landscape with her husband Pat and dog, Kibi. MichelleLoRicco.com
