Photo credit: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Tisch Drama proudly celebrates alumna Heather Christian (’04), who has been named one of this year’s MacArthur “Genius” Grant Fellows. A composer, lyricist, playwright, and vocalist, Christian is acclaimed for fusing spirituality, science, and theatrical innovation to create transformative musical experiences.
Her works—including the intimate Animal Wisdom, the cosmic Oratorio for Living Things, and the recent Terce: A Practical Breviary—blend choral traditions with personal storytelling to explore profound questions of existence, ritual, and the sacred in modern life. Drawing on influences from Southern jazz and liturgical music to medieval mysticism, Christian’s interdisciplinary approach was sparked during her time at Tisch Drama and NYU, where she paired experimental theatre studies with courses in physics, astronomy, and quantum mechanics.
“I think I’ve always been chasing mystery—looking into questions that are not built to be answered,” Christian said. “And that just tickles me. I think that’s part of being alive.”
With numerous new projects underway, Christian’s MacArthur Fellowship recognizes her groundbreaking contributions and offers her the opportunity to continue expanding the possibilities of contemporary music theater.
Read more about Heather here.