Shanda Sawyer
- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Sawyer's work as a director, choreographer and producer has garnered numerous awards including two Emmys, a Gracie, and six American Choreography Awards and World Choreography Awards nominations. Her work spans media, live theatrical shows, and interactive mixed reality projects.
Sawyer began her entertainment career at age 13, as a street performer in San Francisco, learning early how to to survive by creating engaging entertainment. While earning a degree in Theater Arts from Lone Mountain/USF, she formed a hybrid Comedy/theater/dance company that became a cult hit in SF nightclubs.
Sawyer transitioned into media directing through music videos and commercials, which soon led her to directing comedy and docu-reality shows for FOX, ABC, Disney, and Comedy Central. Her work has fueled the success of shows such as Queer Eye, The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show, The Man Show, and World's Greatest Stunts. Sawyer also developed, executive produced and directed the critically acclaimed docu/comedy series Who Needs Hollywood? for Oxygen, winning the Gracie Allen Award for best Reality show, and was very honored to create and direct the Michael Kidd Tribute for the 69th Academy Awards.
Live entertainment credits include creating the popular Marvel Universe Live! arena show franchise - writing the original concept that brought Marvel, Disney Theatricals and Feld Entertainment together, and serving as Director and Co-Writer for the first global tour. Sawyer collaborated with multiple stakeholders and a world-class creative team, combining cutting-edge media and technology, innovative stunts, and an action-driven narrative, to create an immersive, theatrical experience for Marvel fans around the world.
Sawyer also was tapped to re-imagine the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus - transforming the performance space, incorporating media, storylines, and fresh musical scores. During her tenure, ticket sales and profits were revitalized. Sawyer's first Ringling show Circus of Dreams was lauded as the biggest change in 50 years. The NY Times praised her next show Zing Zang Zoom as "an artful eyeful, liberally spiced with mystifying magic." Sawyer's 3rd circus; Dragons! earned Ringling's highest profits in a decade. Sawyer's next circus-based project, China Goes Pop - created in collaboration with Broadway Asia and China's CPAA, played to sold out crowds at the Edinburgh Fringe and throughout China. She has also served as a creative consultant for Cirque Du Soleil, Universal Studios and Disney.
As choreographer and creative director, Sawyer's projects include six music videos for Blake Shelton's Texoma Shore album, performances for Beyonce, Michael Bolton & Andre Bocelli, and numerous television shows, commercials, and fashion projects. She's also served as creative director and choreographer for top Asian music company Thuy Nga's, spectacular international productions for over a decade, creating a wide variety of stage shows and music videos for popular Asian music artists.
Sawyer is a member of the DGA and ATAS.
Sawyer began her entertainment career at age 13, as a street performer in San Francisco, learning early how to to survive by creating engaging entertainment. While earning a degree in Theater Arts from Lone Mountain/USF, she formed a hybrid Comedy/theater/dance company that became a cult hit in SF nightclubs.
Sawyer transitioned into media directing through music videos and commercials, which soon led her to directing comedy and docu-reality shows for FOX, ABC, Disney, and Comedy Central. Her work has fueled the success of shows such as Queer Eye, The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show, The Man Show, and World's Greatest Stunts. Sawyer also developed, executive produced and directed the critically acclaimed docu/comedy series Who Needs Hollywood? for Oxygen, winning the Gracie Allen Award for best Reality show, and was very honored to create and direct the Michael Kidd Tribute for the 69th Academy Awards.
Live entertainment credits include creating the popular Marvel Universe Live! arena show franchise - writing the original concept that brought Marvel, Disney Theatricals and Feld Entertainment together, and serving as Director and Co-Writer for the first global tour. Sawyer collaborated with multiple stakeholders and a world-class creative team, combining cutting-edge media and technology, innovative stunts, and an action-driven narrative, to create an immersive, theatrical experience for Marvel fans around the world.
Sawyer also was tapped to re-imagine the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus - transforming the performance space, incorporating media, storylines, and fresh musical scores. During her tenure, ticket sales and profits were revitalized. Sawyer's first Ringling show Circus of Dreams was lauded as the biggest change in 50 years. The NY Times praised her next show Zing Zang Zoom as "an artful eyeful, liberally spiced with mystifying magic." Sawyer's 3rd circus; Dragons! earned Ringling's highest profits in a decade. Sawyer's next circus-based project, China Goes Pop - created in collaboration with Broadway Asia and China's CPAA, played to sold out crowds at the Edinburgh Fringe and throughout China. She has also served as a creative consultant for Cirque Du Soleil, Universal Studios and Disney.
As choreographer and creative director, Sawyer's projects include six music videos for Blake Shelton's Texoma Shore album, performances for Beyonce, Michael Bolton & Andre Bocelli, and numerous television shows, commercials, and fashion projects. She's also served as creative director and choreographer for top Asian music company Thuy Nga's, spectacular international productions for over a decade, creating a wide variety of stage shows and music videos for popular Asian music artists.
Sawyer is a member of the DGA and ATAS.
