Karen Oughtred is an educator and theater artist, who has developed drama programs, mask and puppetry workshops for museum visitors, disadvantaged youth, the disabled, older adults and indigenous peoples in the US, Australia and Taiwan. As a Teaching Artist she co-created The Memory Project with Spica Wobbe in 2016, programming workshops in storytelling through visual arts, theater and puppetry for older adults at culturally diverse senior centers. Karen also teaches courses online and produces pre-recorded instructional videos.
In addition to her work at Flushing Town Hall and at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum, Karen directs and performs their outreach program "People of our Past" at senior centers across the five boroughs. She leads their schools outreach drama program using museum based characters to create devised theater. At the Jay Heritage Center, Karen directs their interactive museum theater "Striving For Freedom".
As a founder and artistic director of the Australian Aboriginal Theater Initiative (2003-2011), Karen produced annual festivals featuring over 100 indigenous artists from Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Canada and the US.
Karen’s puppetry credits include: Co-Curator for Voice4Vision International Puppetry Festival (NY), teaching artist for The Dream Community (Taipei, Taiwan), teaching artist for IsleWilde (Vashon Island, WA), performer for Bread and Puppet Theater (NY, Glover, VT, Canada), performer for Chinese Theatre Works (Virginia, NY), puppetry construction for Mary Seidman & Dancers (NY), and collaborator with puppetry artist Spica Wobbe (9th International Toy Theater Festival, St. Ann's Warehouse, and Puppet Playlist, Tank, La MaMa Puppet Slam).
Her acting credits include Ridiculous Theatrical Company, Yorick Theatre, and Theatre at St. John’s. Karen is a graduate of New Actors Workshop (Mike Nichols, Paul Sills, George Morrison), and received her M.A. in Theater from Antioch University.
