Bio:

Alyssa Rivera is a Mexican-American stage director, arts educator, and creative from Houston, Texas. They are a staunch believer in the power of theatre as a transformative medium for the creators, audience members, and students alike. Recently, she has directed Put Your House in Order (Ike Holter), a genre-shifting rom-com/apocalyptic thriller. Previously, she has directed the world premiere performance of Amber Alert (Jesus Feliciano), a new work dissecting the impact of disappeared young women and girls in Puerto Rico, and organized the Latine Student Cabaret for the Latin affinity space at School of Drama. Alyssa has assisted Scout Davis on their production of Cinzano (Ludmilla P.) where her democratic approach to directing first took shape. 

They are passionate about fostering community and belonging for students from marginalized communities. She has worked closely with the Houston Independent School District and the Houston Public Library. Currently, she is a student mentor for EMERGE HISD, a nationally-syndicated organization that prepares high-performing Houston youth from underserved communities for higher education. She has worked as an Artistic and Community Engagement Intern with City Theatre Company, assisting the operation of the Young Playwright’s Festival. 

Alyssa seeks artistic and educational spaces that center community engagement and accessible experiences for all.