Dr. Lisa Biggs ’93 is interested in the role of the arts, and performance more broadly writ, in movements for social justice. Originally from the Southside of Chicago, after graduating from Amherst she worked as a professional actress, appearing in productions at Lookingglass Theatre, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, the Kennedy Center, ACT-Co., ETA Creative Arts, and many more. The three years that she worked as a teaching artist at the Living Stage Theatre Company in Washington, DC (1999-2001), reignited her love of playwriting. She is the author of seven plays, including most recently After/Life, a story of the ’67 Detroit rebellion. Dr. Biggs currently serves as an assistant professor at Brown University where she teaches African American cultural history and performance studies.
Dr. Lisa Biggs ’93
Q. How have you found value and purpose in your career?
A. I keep asking questions and looking for honest and truly supportive colleagues who I can relate to, ask hard questions, think and work closely with. I chose to be an artist and a scholar. Instead of buying into other people’s binary modes of thinking, I have opted for a “both/and” approach that gives me permission to test existing boundaries and ultimately discover what is real and what is valuable for me.