Caity-Shea Violette

“Taking part in The Stories We Tell testimonial writing workshop validated my pain and resilience and connected me to a community of survivors and allies, many of whom have become my chosen family,” says Caity-Shea. “It created the possibility for me to never feel alone in my story again.”

As an advocate who has led narrative justice trainings for our organization, and a writer who co-adapted Anne Ream’s Lived Through This for the stage, Caity-Shea views all of her work through an intersectional lens. An advocate for accessibility and equality in the theatrical community and society at large, she worked for years at a nonprofit devoted to the healthcare and housing needs of Illinois residents struggling with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

A graduate of the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, she holds an MFA from Boston University. Her award-winning drama, which has been staged in Washington D.C., New York, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Toronto, and Chicago, often explores trauma, invisible disabilities, and gender-based violence.

For Caity-Shea, our words matter, and art is a lens inviting us to see the world through the eyes of others.