Christina Traister

Visiting Assistant Professor of Acting and Voice

Prior to relocating back to her home state of Michigan, Christina was a San Francisco based actor for twelve years. She has professionally acted at such theatres as the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Carmel Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare at Stinson, Center Repertory Company, and BoarsHead Theatre; she also enjoyed a 6 month stint in Taiwan as a stunt performer.

Some of Shakespeare’s famous ladies that she has been fortunate enough to play include Juliet, Ophelia, Hermia, Bianca, Lavinia, Silvia, Jessica, Beatrice, Adriana, and Mistress Ford. A few other favorite roles have been Louka in Arms and the Man, Ismene in Antigone, Leontine in The Triumph of Love, and Cinderella.

Additional teaching and professional fight directing venues include the American Conservatory Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Purple Rose Theatre Company, BoarsHead Theatre, North Carolina School of the Arts, University of San Diego, University of California-Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Albion College. She has also taught stage combat courses at numerous workshops across the country.

Christina holds an MFA in acting from the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and a BFA in acting from the University of Michigan. She is a Certified Teacher and one of four female Fight Directors with the SAFD (Society of American Fight Directors), as well as a member of AEA (Actor’s Equity Association), AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), and VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association).

Hippolyta-A Midsummer Night's Dream, ASF
Hippolyta-A Midsummer Night's Dream, ASF
Louka-Arms and the Man, ASF
Louka-Arms and the Man, ASF
Cinderella-Cinderella, ASF
Cinderella-Cinderella, ASF
Juliet-Romeo & Juliet, SFSF
Juliet-Romeo & Juliet, SFSF