Morven Higgins

Morven Higgins began taking classes at Piven in 6th grade and was immediately captivated by the Workshop’s focus on ensemble, play, and storytelling. She remained involved at Piven throughout her teen years and went on to become a member of its prestigious high school performance ensemble, the Young People’s Company (YPC), which she now directs.

Morven began training as a Piven teacher while she was an undergraduate at the University of Chicago where she earned a BA in English. She has developed and taught classes in improvisation, scene study, sketch comedy, writing, and directing, always working to help each student develop their own creative voice within a collaborative, ensemble setting. Her background in writing and communication informs her work as YPC Director which focuses on producing contemporary student-driven adaptations of stories, myths, fairy tales, and literary works that speak to relevant themes of social justice, resilience, and identity.

She is also committed to Piven’s mission of theatre education and training and enjoys mentoring new teachers and directors.

In addition to her teaching and directing work, Morven served as Piven’s Director of Education for four years helping to develop new courses, residencies, and community collaborations. Beyond her theatre work, Morven is a fundraising and development consultant working with nonprofits throughout Chicago and Illinois.