IDA CUTTLER
idacuttler.com //ida.cutt@gmail.com
Ida Cuttler is a theater artist with an MFA in Playwriting from The Yale School of Drama (Class of ‘25). From 2015 to 2022, Ida was an ensemble member of the Chicago Neo-Futurists and Playmakers Laboratory Theater. Her original plays have appeared at The Neofuturists, Links Hall, Wooly Mammoth Theater Festival (DC), and Theater On The Lake. Ida’s play Moe is a Dick won the 2026 Blue Ink Award and was a finalist for the Kendeda Festival at the Alliance Theater in 2026. Ida’s solo show Comfortable Shoes was developed and produced by the Neo Futurists in 2019, her play WILDCATS which she co-wrote with Nick Hart, was a 2023 Jeff Award Nominee. Her writing has been published by Reductress, Sixty Inches From Center, Story Club Magazine, and the Yale School of Drama Annual Magazine. In her work as an educator, she guides people of all ages and abilities to experiment with non-illusory performance and autobiographical writing. She has taught with the Chicago Neo-Futurists, Columbia College, Northwestern University, and in the Chicago and New Haven Public School Districts.
PLAYWRITING
2025: SORT
Carlotta Festival, Yale School of Drama directed by Alexis Woodard
2025: SAVE THE CAVE
Yale Cabaret. Co-Written with Georgia Petersen.
2024: MOE IS A D*CK
Langston Hughes Festival (workshop) Yale School of Drama directed by Alexis Woodard
Kendeda Festival (workshop and reading) Alliance Theater directed by Alexis Woodard
2023: RUNNING PLAY
One act. New Play Lab (workshop) Yale School of Drama directed by Kemar Jewel
2022: WILDCATS*
The Chicago Neo-Futurists, Co-Written with Nick Hart directed by Halena Kays.
2019: COMFORTABLE SHOES
The Chicago Neo-Futurists, directed by Halena Kays
2015-2022: Various Two Minute Plays for the Infinite Wrench
The Chicago Neo-Futurists
ACTING
2025: PAUL BUNYAN INN AND SUITES IN THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF FARVILLE, USA
By Surrey Houlker dir. Andrew Rodriguez, Langston Hughes Festival (Yale School of Drama)
2025: SAVE THE CAVE, Yale Cabaret
2025: THE DAY THE BUTCHER SHOP CLOSED by Natalie Margolin, dir. Max Sheldon (Yale Cabaret)
2024: DANCE NATION by Claire Barron, dir. By Roman Sanchez and Mikayla Stanley ( Yale Cabaret)
2015-2022: THE INFINITE WRENCH, dir. The Neofuturists (Chicago)
2021: BIMBOS, devised by The Hot Kitchen Collective (Chicago)
2020: 45 PLAYS FOR 45 FIRST LADIES by Chloe Johnston, Andy Bayietes, Bilal Dardai, Sharon Greene, dir. Denise Yvette Serna (Chicago)
2018: TANGLES AND PLAQUES by KR Riiber, dir. Jen Ellison (Chicago)
2016: THE ARROW LAYS AN EGG, devised by Lily Mooney and Kurt Chiang (Chicago)
2016: FUTURE CRASH, by Vince deRooj (Chicago)
TEACHING AND FACILITATION
Yale School of Drama: Guest Lecturer, Fall workshop (2025)
Led an hour long workshop on Playwriting and Revision
Yale College: TA Intro to Playwriting with Donald Marguelis (2024)
Assisted professor in mentoring and teaching the basics of playwriting to seniors and juniors in college
Dwight Edgewood Project: Writing Mentor (2023)
A month long one on one mentorship with middle schoolers in New Haven teaching and supporting them in writing short plays.
Online Workshop: Monologue as Letter: Letter as Monologue (2020,2021)
2 hr workshop on using the epistolary form to make solo pieces for film or theater.
Online Workshops: Guest Lecturer
2024: North Park Univeristy
2021: Rose Theater, North Park University
2020: North Park University, Free Street Theater
Creative workshop designed to provide prompts and tools for connection and expression during the pandemic through creative writing and devising non-Illusory theater.
The Chicago Neofuturists: Lead teacher and curriculum creator
Writing and Performing the Two Minute Play(2015,2018,2019,2020,2021),
Make Quick Work Quicker (2018)
Buddy System (2017)
Playmakers Laboratory: Teaching Artist
2018-2019: 8 wk residencies in Chicago Public Schools building student confidence in self expression and writing skills using drama techniques.
Columbia College: Guest Lecturer
2017-2018: Taught a 2hr workshop in the comedy studies program on Neo-Futurism.
Cornell College: Guest Lecturer
2020: in theater dept. teaching Neo-futurism in a 4 hour workshop.
Northwestern Center for Talent and Development
2019: Taught advanced placement students ages 12-14 in a 3 wk intensive techniques of improv, creative writing, ensemble ship, devised theater. Oversaw the creation of short plays for a final performance.
Actors Gym Chicago
2019: 3 wk residency with physical theater artists introducing techniques of storytelling and play.
Free Street Theater
2018: 1 wk residency with youth ensemble introducing techniques of devising non illusory theater, ensemble ship, and short plays. Oversaw the creation of short plays for a final performance.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2026 Blue Ink Award (Finalist)
2026 Rattlestick’s Terrance McNally Incubator (Semu-Finalist)
2025 The Goodman’s New Stages Residency (Semi-Finalist)
2025/2026 Alliance Kendeda Graduate Playwright Award (Finalist)
2025/2026 Chesley/Bumbalo Playwriting Award (Winner)
2026/2025/2024 O’Neil Center (Semi-Finalist)
2023 Non-Equity Jeff Award (Finalist)
TRAINING
Yale University, University of California Los Angeles, Columbia Comedy Studies at Second City, Chicago Improv Gym, Upright Citizens Brigade, Pig Iron, Rude Mechs