About Me

Payten Romig is a theatre director and collaborator based in Columbus, Ohio. Moving from the Midwest to “out west”, Payten explored her early creative curiosities by studying at the Chicago Academy for the Arts and ultimately graduating from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts with a focus in musical theatre performance. While attending LVA, she was able to actively engage with other production aspects of theatre, namely directing. Through this early engagement with the craft, she was inspired to attend Ball State University as a directing student in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

 

Through collegiate practicum and extracurricular experiences, Payten better understood what theatrical leadership looks like to her. While she firmly believes that staying flexible and adaptable are crucial components to being a successful director, a few key values remain unwavering to her in any artistic undertaking…

• Curiosity

• Humor

• Collaboration

• Humility

• Connection

Guided by these values, Payten prides herself on leading rehearsal rooms with empathy and guiding production processes with grace. 

 

Payten has spent the majority of her time post-graduation collaborating with a variety of different theaters and organizations, placing an emphasis on lifelong learning through her work with other artists and administrators at these institutions. Recently, she directed On the Exhale with Peppermint Creek Theatre Company and served as a seasonal teaching artist with All The World’s A Stage and the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts’ Summer Workshop Series, where she assisted both Beetlejuice Jr. and Frozen KIDS.

 

Currently, Payten serves as the Associate Director of Arts Management at All The World's A Stage, while also thriving as a freelance director. While she knows the value in being in continual creative practice and collaborating on a wide array of productions, the opportunities that truly excite Payten include pieces that…

• Aren’t necessarily interested in a fourth wall.

• Focus on or uplift the stories of all kinds of women. The more perplexing, bold, messy, and badass, the better.

• Evoke that same childlike wonder from the first time you experienced a moment of theatre magic. Think less technical spectacle on stage, and more making unexpected and exciting character discoveries or finding innovative ways to work around practical and pesky production limitations. The moments when an artist’s craft shines brightly and leaves you thinking, “I can’t believe we did that.”

 

Driven by a passion for the transformative power of the theatre, she remains eager to explore new opportunities and enriching learning experiences, particularly in directing, producing, philanthropy and development, and event management, as she continues to cultivate community through theatrical creation.