ABOUT ME

Shawna Franks most recently played the role of Nell in Endgame (dir. Yasen Payenkov) at Facility Theatre (Chicago).

Her performance as Juliette in Facility Theatre’s Chicago premiere of Right Now won her the 2024 Non-Equity Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor — Play.

Other Facility Theatre productions include Phoebe in Winter, where she played the role of Boggett.

Shawna originated the role of Dottie in Next Lab’s production of Killer Joe, by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright Tracy Letts. She performed this role at The Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, The Bush Theatre in London, and The Vaudeville Theatre on London’s West End. She has also appeared in various productions in Dublin, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Steppenwolf Theatre roles include Grand Concourse, where she was honored to cover performances for Mariann Mayberry. More recently she was understudy for the role of Miz Martha in The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington.

Shawna is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she began her acting career.

She is a founder and ensemble member of Facility Theatre (Chicago), and founding Artistic Director of Space 55 Theatre (Phoenix, AZ).

In addition to her Jeff Award, she was named Best Actress in the Phoenix New Times “Best Of” for the role of Elena in Uncle Vanya and nominated for Arizona’s Governor’s Arts Award.

Space 55 Theatre also won Phoenix New Times “Best Of” Black Box Theatre the same year.

She lives in Evanston with her sons Jackson and Samson.