Amy McKenzie

Amy McKenzie (born August 2, 1959 in Appleton, Wisconsin) is an American producer, director, and actress. She is one of the founders of the New Age Vaudeville theatre company and the Third Avenue Playhouse.

Biography

Career

Amy McKenzie has worked and lived in Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago where she has produced and performed for the stage and television. McKenzie co-founded the New Age Vaudeville theater company as well as co-producing and directing their biggest cult hits An Evening with Elmore and Gwendolyn Putts and The TV Dinner Hour, both written by Richard O’Donnell and featuring herself, O’Donnell, Megan Cavanagh, Todd Erickson, Bobby McGuire, Peter Neville, Michael Dempsey, Lisa Keefe, Caroline Schless, Tom Purcell (writer The Colbert Report) and Del Close. Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune hailed both productions as "Among the most polished and clever productions of the season, a pair of devilishly inventive shows that won over critics and audiences alike."

She has directed and acted in numerous productions at the Peninsula Players, America’s oldest residential summer theater, as well as founding and producing their fall season in the early 1980s. McKenzie was on the board of directors for the Peninsula Players (before, during, and after its restoration) for over a decade, and was Artistic Founding Director of the Third Avenue Playhouse in Sturgeon Bay, WI whereby she helped to convert an old movie house into a state-of-the-art performing arts theater.

In 1998, Amy McKenzie produced and directed the new musical comedy entitled Wish Wisconsin, written by Richard O’Donnell to celebrate the state's 150th birthday. It opened Friday January 2, in the Fish Creek Town Hall Auditorium. Songs of merit included Wish, So Blessed, and the show-stopper Oh!, Wisconsin.

Notable Works

All credits are as Producer/Director, unless otherwise specified:

• An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts, The Neighbors Next Door
• The TV Dinner Hour
• Dr. FunnyBones’ Carnival of Life
• Just Visiting (also co-writer)
• Wish Wisconsin
• History Bites (writer/actress)

Personal

Amy is the daughter of award-winning Broadway theatrical producer James B. McKenzie.