Danya Taymor

Danya Taymor is an acclaimed director, writer, and translator known for her bold, visceral approach to contemporary theater. A recipient of the Obie Award and numerous other honors, Taymor has emerged as one of the most innovative voices in the American stage landscape. Her work frequently engages with urgent political themes and complex human relationships, brought to life through visually arresting and emotionally charged productions.

Taymor’s directing credits include "Heroes of the Fourth Turning" by Will Arbery at Playwrights Horizons (a Pulitzer Prize finalist and Lucille Lortel Award winner for Outstanding Play); "Daddy" by Jeremy O. Harris (Almeida Theatre, London and The New Group/Vineyard Theatre); and Antoinette Nwandu’s "Pass Over" at Lincoln Center and Steppenwolf Theatre, which marked her Broadway debut in 2021. The Broadway production was adapted into a film directed by Spike Lee and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before streaming on Amazon Prime. Her additional credits include "Graveyard Shift" by Khat Knotahaiku (Goodman Theatre), "Familiar" by Danai Gurira (Steppenwolf), "Queens" by Martyna Majok (Lincoln Center Theater), and "The Sensuality Party" by Justin Kuritzkes (The New Group), among others.

In 2024, she won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for "The Outsiders," making her the sixth woman ever to receive that honor. A year later, Taymor received another Tony nod for "John Proctor Is the Villain" -- this time for Best Direction of a Play.

In addition to her directing work, Taymor has translated plays from Spanish and Italian, including "We Are Getting Better at Saying Goodbye" by Alejandro Ricaño, "I Hate Fucking Mexicans" by Luis Enrique Gutiérrez Ortiz Monasterio, and "Working on a Special Day" by Ettore Scola.

Taymor has been recognized with fellowships and awards from the Lincoln Center Theater, the Time Warner Foundation, New York Theatre Workshop, and the Drama League. She is also a former participant of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab and has taught theater internationally in Ecuador and Slovakia. A graduate of Duke University, Taymor continues to shape the future of American theater with her fearless vision and deep commitment to storytelling.