ABOUT

Sydney Marie Hughes (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based director, educator, and theatre-maker who believes in the power of storytelling to bring people together. She recently earned her MA in Theatre from Villanova University, where her thesis—an Appalachian-inspired adaptation of Aeschylus’s The Suppliants—received distinction for its focus on community, embodied performance, and the enduring impact of myth. Her research interests include feminist theory, adaptation, and the blending of classical texts with American folk traditions.
 

Originally from the Southern U.S., Sydney grew up primarily in Kentucky before earning her Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from Oklahoma City University and later working as a performer at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. Along the way, she discovered a love of teaching and directing, working as a high school theatre director and technical director, while also freelancing as a scenic artist, sound designer, and performer.
 

Sydney has directed everything from Shakespeare to contemporary devised work, with favorite directing credits including Sweeney Todd, Macbeth, Aunt Leaf, and The Importance of Being Earnest. She is currently the Education Coordinator at Theatre Horizon, where she helps create inclusive, joyful theatre programs for students of all ages.
 

As a performer, she’s appeared in productions like Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife), Far Away (Harper), and Oklahoma! (Laurey). Her academic work has been recognized with the 2025 Villanova Graduate Research Prize and publication in CONCEPT: The Villanova Journal of Graduate Research. She’s also a proud alum of the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, YoungArts, and Springboard NYC.
 

Sydney is especially passionate about making theatre that is accessible, engaging, and socially conscious—whether in the classroom, rehearsal room, or scene shop. Outside of theatre, she’s happiest in the mountains or on a hiking trail, often found in front of a campfire telling a good ghost story.