Allison Lingren McGuire
Co-Creator, Stage Director, Community-Arts Development Specialist, Music/Theatre Educator, Musician
Photo courtesy of Grace Richardson and Graceful Photography
Allison Lingren McGuire is a stage director, music/theatre educator, and community arts practitioner based in Iowa. She has presented productions at the George Daily Auditorium, the Des Moines Playhouse, Central College Opera, Opera North in Lebanon, NH, and Knoxville Area Community Theatre.
As an assistant director, Ms. McGuire has worked with Catherine Doherty and Louis Burkot at Opera North and Andrew Eggert at Opera Omaha.
Allison was Artistic Director and a co-founder of Opera Eight, a Des Moines-based opera collective that ran from 2012 to 2015.
Ms. McGuire directed the Des Moines Playhouse's production of Sarah, Plain and Tall, which was one of three Des Moines metro-area shows nominated for "Best Ensemble" in the Family Division of the 2016 Cloris Leachman Awards for Excellence in Theatre.
Allison has been involved with the George Daily Auditorium Auditorium since 2014, starting as a Lead Teacher with the Auditorium’s summer theatre camps. She went on to coordinate and run the George Daily Music Studio and work as the part-time Development Director. Allison is now the full-time Community Engagement and Education Director.
Allison is the current Board Chair of Oskaloosa Main Street, leading the Promotions and Art on the Square committees. She is an Oskaloosa Community Theatre board member, Arts and Culture Roundtable member, and sits on the City of Oskaloosa’s Arts & Entertainment Placemaking subcommittee. She worked as an adjunct music instructor and opera stage director at Central College and William Penn University between 2013 and 2017 and as the Oskaloosa High School Drama Director from 2017 to 2021.
Before relocating to Oskaloosa, Allison was a Teaching Artist at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She was a Young Artist Stage Director at Opera North in Lebanon, NH, and an Assistant Director at Opera Omaha. Allison earned her M.M. and B.M. degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Millikin University.
Allison enjoys singing, reading, and cooking. She has plans to reignite her love for tap dance.
