Laurel Whitsett returns to Amphibian Stage following previous performances in The Visit, Animals Out of Paper, and Death Tax. She’s worked with additional local theatre companies such as Circle, Stage West, Undermain, Theatre 3, and Dallas Theater Center, and toured internationally with Bob the Builder Live! On-screen, audiences may recognize her as Sheriff Terry Frankel meeting an untimely end in Splinter, as the sharp-witted librarian in Super opposite Rainn Wilson, or from her role in Premonition with Sandra Bullock. Behind the camera, she’s coached dialogue for Alice Braga (Queen of the South) and Chuck Norris (Walker, Texas Ranger). For a full overview of her film and TV work, check out her IMDb page. A lifelong learner, Laurel’s academic achievements include a BA in Theatre Arts (UC San Diego), MA in Drama Text & Performance Studies (University of London & the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), MA in Linguistics (UT Arlington, UTA), and PhD candidacy at UTA where her dissertation focuses on sociolinguistic and pragmatic phenomena in American Sign Language (ASL). She also works full-time at UTA in the Theatre Arts & Dance department, Disability Studies minor, and Modern Languages, blending her passions for performance and learning. Her scholarly work, including publications in journals like Curriculum and Pedagogy, reflects a commitment to accessibility and innovation, earning her the 2024 Experiential Learning Faculty Fellowship to revamp course curricula. As a state-certified ASL interpreter, she combines her interdisciplinary expertise by serving as the sign language consultant to enhance meaning in productions like Clybourne Park (Dallas Theater Center) and Constellations (TheaterWorks Hartford and DTC). She dedicates her work in Rooted to her late father, Dr. David Whitsett, a psychologist and educator who was fascinated by human behavior. Like EMERY, he typically preferred nature to people, rendering his ability to make people feel extraordinary that much more remarkable.