Devon Allen is head of Acting and resident artist. Before coming to PSU, Ms. Allen taught at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Duke University, U.C.S.D., and Muhlenberg College. A professional actor and director, Ms. Allen has acted leading roles in premieres by Lee Blessing, Charles Mee, Romulus Linney, and Naomi Izuka in such theatres as La Jolla Playhouse (CA), Manbites Dog (NC), Corpus Theatre (Scotland, and Cornerstone (LA). She was a full member of The Brecht Company for five years, acting leads in Churchill, Brecht, Shakespeare, and Brenton. She is an NEA recipient, a member of the Lincoln Center Director's Lab, and Actor's Equity. She has directed in professional houses for the last ten years and is the founder and artistic director of OUR SHOES ARE RED/THE PERFORMANCE LAB. The lab is a part of Ms. Allen's research as a theatre artist: excavating fine writers and plays rarely produced, performing rigorous and exceptional plays, developing new work, examining the process of making art, and making art with research and time as primary components. She holds and MFA from University of California at San Diego, a Certificate in Acting from Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (London), and a B.F.A. from Syracuse University.