Terra Taylor Knudson

First and foremost, I am a performing artist and, like so many others, I need to create to live and to thrive. When there’s no obvious outlet or opportunity, I create one for myself. My urge to express myself artistically became painfully urgent during the pandemic, when the lack of opportunity led to deep depression. When I returned to the stage, I was overcome with joy and understood again just how essential arts are for my mind, body, and spirit.

For over two decades, I’ve worked professionally as an artist in a wide variety of modalities; acting, directing, educational outreach, project management, and producing. I’ve written and staged numerous original pieces that have been showcased in LA and Orange Counties, as well as in northern California, Colorado, and Arizona. I’ve worked in non-profit arts organizations, founded, and run my own theatre company, Olio Theatre Works,  for a decade, and have toured live and virtually with my award- winning, solo-show, Willy’s Lil Virgin Queen, since 2016.

I’m inspired to tell modern allegories about life, interpersonal relationships, and inner journeys through the lens of Classical or period pieces. I have a Classical theatre background, specifically Shakespeare and Greek history and my passion is to write and think about contemporary issues through the guise of languages and cultures from bygone eras. I’m passionate about language, and humor, and the ways they can be used to elevate critical thinking, while making people laugh and feel joy. My art is multivalent, deep and entertaining. I seek to understand people who are driven to be themselves despite social and cultural constraints. I’m interested in the ways older generations expressed or repressed love, because of societal conditioning or emotional dysfunction.

Beyond this, I’m passionate about introducing children to theatre arts. I want to ignite the same passion for various forms of art in youth that I experienced when I was a child. I want to share the magic that I found in the darkness of a room, and the exhilaration I felt the moment a spotight began to glow.

For me, the play has always been “the thing.”

Genres

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Contact Information

Terra Taylor Knudson
(310) 266-3872
olioinfo@hotmail.com

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Artist Work

Willy's Lil Virgin Queen (2019)
Banner art that hung outside The Garage Theatre during the October 2019 run of award-winning solo show, "WIlly's Lil Virgin Queen." Produced by Cat Elrod. Written & performed by Terra Taylor Knudson.

Creative Collaborations with Divine Spirit - Divine Flow Expo (2021)
A talk by award-winning performer and playwright, Terra Taylor Knudson, focusing on the numerous ways in which Spirit interacts with an artist in the creation process. Video written, produced, and performed by Terra Taylor Knudson for the Divine Flow Expo, April 2021 virtual series.

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A 43 minute talk by award-winning performer and playwright, Terra Taylor Knudson, focusing on the numerous ways in which Spirit interacts with an artist in the creation process.

Old Black Magic (2012)
Terra Taylor Knudson as "Jayne Mansfield" in fan-favorite, original musical comedy, "Old Black Magic: A Haunted Musical," written and directed by Terra Taylor Knudson. Book & Lyrics by Terra Taylor Knudson and Lauren Nave. Produced by Olio Theatre Works. Photo Credit: Nancy Hickey. Venue: The Found Theatre.

Intimately Wilde (2013)
Terra Taylor Knudson and Timothy Thorn as Constance and Oscar Wilde in Olio Theatre Works' original piece, "Intimately Wilde," produced as part of the Long Beach Playhouse's Collaborative Series, 2013. Written by Terra Taylor Knudson. Directed by Gigi Fusco Meese. Produced by Olio Theatre Works.