Brett Olsen
Adjunct Instructor, Dramatic Literature
bolson@stephens.edu
Education
M.F.A Western Illinois; M.A. University of North Dakota; B.A. Minot State University
About Brett Olsen
Brett (he/him) grew up on a family farm in North Dakota a short drive from the Canadian border, and now resides in New York City. His work blends Meisner Technique, Psychological Gesture, and First Folio Technique to connect physical metaphor with contemporary audiences. He has performed in over 50 roles across stage, TV, and film, and directed more than twenty productions regionally and in higher education.
Recent acting credits include a series regular on the pilot Loopers (Deli-Fresh Media), a co-star on Think Like a Killer Season 1 (ID Network), voiceover work for a national ad campaign for Defenders of the Realm (Greater Than Games), and lead roles in Ties That Choke (Triborough Film Festival) and The Veil (Reelworks Film Festival). He has directed productions at Okoboji Summer Theatre, Minot State Summer Theatre, Starry Night Repertory Theatre, Empire Theatre Company, and more. In 2022, he was nominated for the Teacher of the Year Award at Stephens College. He has received multiple Regional KC/ACTF Meritorious Awards for his direction, choreography, and ensemble work, and in 2017, he was a National Acting Fellow at the Kennedy Center.
Brett has served as Associate Artistic Director with North Dakota Shakespeare and Minot State Summer Theatre. He holds an MFA in Acting from Western Illinois University (2017), an MA in Theatre Arts with a thesis in direction from the University of North Dakota (2014), and a BA in Theatre Arts from Minot State (2012). He is a member of AEA, SDC, IDC, and SAFD.