DIRECTOR
PERFORMER
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Cordelia Seil (they/them) is a director, performer, and lighting designer based in Tacoma, Washington currently finishing their BFAs in theatre design and musical theatre performance at Pacific Lutheran University. Cordelia realized during their time at Pacific Lutheran University that directing was their passion and a perfect culmination of their interest in various disciplines of theatre production, organizational skills, and inclination towards leadership. They have continued to refine their skills as a director through co-directing Pop Goes the Musical: A Musical Revue, and choreographing a dance piece for the Fall Dance Concert 2026. Cordelia will be lead directing their first full production with Wolf Play this April.
Statement of Professional Goals
To me, producing theatre is one of the most human things one can do. Since we started walking, humans have used their voices, bodies, and environments to tell stories and pass on a message. It is intrinsic to our humanity and I find it to be my calling in this world. These ideals have been further illustrated by my directing work on Pop Goes the Musical: A Musical Revue at PLU, and by beginning work on my first full production as lead director, Wolf Play by Hansol Jung. Directing is what I want to focus on in my career. I still have a desire to explore my other passions of performance and lighting design and I intend to do that, but directing finds itself at the center of everything.
When I began my training in undergrad, my objective was to grow a well-rounded set of skills as a theatre practitioner reaching beyond performance, which until that point had been my niche. I became a lighting designer and electrician, a scenic carpenter, a fight director. I began taking every opportunity I could to direct work at PLU, and after assistant-directing a production of Frankenstein at PLU, I found a calling in the creative process and collaborative nature of directing. I work to create active, inclusive, and meaningful spaces for the theatre company producing the show. My background as a more well-rounded artist allows me to foster environments where every voice can be heard and understood. In addition, an ideal career for me involves creating art that not only entertains but affects audiences and makes them feel something about themselves and the world they live in.
Coming out of undergrad, I hope to continue my education in a graduate program and earn my MFA in theatre directing. I believe this additional training would grant me the full set of tools that I need to make a strong debut in the Seattle area as a director, as well as the skills to tell the active, inclusive and meaningful stories with a clear perspective and a foundation of strong direction. I aim to work with companies in Seattle like Reboot Theatre Company, Lakewood Playhouse, and Taproot Theatre Company who produce this kind of work every season. Once I have built a strong foundation in the Seattle area, I am excited to see where else that might take me!