Early Life
Amanda Przygonska was born and raised in the Chicagoland area in a low-income, immigrant, Polish household. Despite facing adversity, Amanda's passion for the arts, inspired by her mother's love for creativity, has been a driving force throughout her life. Amanda immersed herself in various artistic endeavors from a young age. She received extensive training in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary dance. 

Education and Early Theater Involvement
After a life-changing accident, Amanda shifted her focus from professional dancing to other forms of artistic expression. Her interest in theater blossomed after seeing her sister perform in "In the Heights," which sparked her love for musicals and script reading, especially those telling immigrant and first-generation stories.
At Reavis High School, Amanda joined numerous clubs, including the drama department, where she participated in every season until graduation. As a dance captain for productions like Shrek, Big the Musical, Anything Goes, and Beauty and the Beast, she honed her leadership skills. Amanda received numerous awards in acting, including three state championships and two individual All-State awards in the IHSA Drama and Group Interpretation State Series for her performances in Pygmalion (Eliza Doolittle), Napoli, Brooklyn (Francesca), A Life Extraordinary (Polly), and Electra (crew).

College and Professional Development
Amanda attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she majored in English & Creative Writing and Theater Studies with a concentration in Arts Management. She remained active in theater, participating in Oxford College's productions of Men on Boats (Frank Goodman and Mr. Asa) and Medea (Messenger). Then after the pandemic, at Emory, she engaged with new works workshops and productions such as Lenaia, APO, Dooley's Players Wolves (#13), An American Animal (dramaturg), and Our Town (assistant director and Howie Newsome).

Professional Experience
Following her graduation, Amanda worked as an Artistic Intern with the Alliance Theater during the summer of 2023. She is currently a directing apprentice at Theatrical Outfit through the Tom Key Arts Leadership Program. In this role, she has developed skills in scenic artistry, production, directing, and management. Her assistant directing credits at Theatrical Outfit include A Christmas Story, Remember This, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Additionally, she associate directed Clyde's with Director January LaVoy.

Director
Amanda Przygonska has collaborated on numerous productions alongside a diverse array of distinguished directors. Her directorial approach is deeply rooted in an intricate internal script analysis, which she thoughtfully unveils within the rehearsal space at the appropriate time. Amanda is committed to cultivating a rehearsal environment that is both enjoyable and secure, fostering an atmosphere where vulnerability and creative exploration can thrive. In 2023, Amanda had the privilege of working on Our Town under the guidance of Lydia Fort and Marguerite Hannah at Theater Emory. During her 2023-24 directing apprenticeship at Theatrical Outfit, she has further honed her craft by working with esteemed directors such as Rosemary Newcott on A Christmas Story, Derek Goldman on Remember This, and Matt Torney on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Additionally, her role as associate director for Clyde's with January LaVoy was particularly impactful, allowing her to deeply engage with innovative directorial techniques to bring nuanced storytelling perspectives to the stage.

Acting
Amanda Przygonska began her theater career as an actor, grounded in the belief that empathy is the cornerstone of compelling performance. While technical skills are essential and honed through rigorous training, Amanda views acting as an expression of genuine human experience rather than mere performance. She believes that to authentically portray the rich characters crafted by playwrights, one must embrace and convey their inherent humanity without seeking to overshadow the gifts the playwright has given. Amanda approaches every role with heartfelt dedication, consistently bringing her full emotional presence to the stage. This commitment to authenticity and depth reflects her belief that true acting is about being human and connecting with the audience on a profound level.

Administrator
Amanda Przygonska has accumulated valuable administrative experience in various roles within the theater community. At Theater Emory, she served as an Office Assistant, where her responsibilities included planning and setting up events, creating marketing materials, drafting emails, taking inventory, assisting with season auditions, and hanging posters and signage. Additionally, she actively engaged with aspiring students, providing support and guidance. In this role, Amanda worked closely with Rosalind Staib and Charles Swint.

Complementing her practical experience, Amanda completed a concentration in Arts Management at Emory University during her junior and senior years. This program included business courses and electives at the Goizueta Business School, where she studied Principles of Organization and Management (OAM 330), Marketing Management (MKT 340), and Negotiations (OAM 432).

In the summer of 2023, Amanda expanded her expertise as an Artistic Summer Intern at the Alliance Theatre. Working with both the artistic and engagement departments, she gained insight into season planning and theater operations. Her projects included contributing to productions such as Water for Elephants and English. Under the supervision of Rita Komplemakher and Kay Nilest, Amanda wrote blog posts, crafted play summaries, supported organized engagement events, and recorded inventory. In the summer of 2024, Amanda returned to the Alliance Theatre as an Assistant Camp Coordinator at the Museum School in Decatur, GA. She help maintain and structor relationship between teaching artist, students, and their parents. Despite challeges with construction, she helped devise a new carpool plan and personally directed traffic. She continues to stay involved with administative duties at the Alliance by occasionally working weekend classes and box office shifts. 

Personal Interests
Outside of theater, Amanda cherishes spending time with family and friends, playing board games, cooking new dishes, collecting plants, and enjoying the outdoors. She is an avid reader and writer, particularly of new plays and scripts. Amanda is also slowly learning Farsi and refining her Polish language skills.