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Meet Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ alumna Johamy Morales (‘06). Johamy earned her degree in Theatre Arts at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, where she discovered her voice as an artist and her passion for educating young audiences through theatre. Today, she serves as the Artistic Director at Seattle Children’s Theatre, one of the nation’s most prestigious theatres for young audiences, with a mission to provide children of all ages access to professional theatre.

As a proud Mexican American woman, Johamy overcame many obstacles and found her purpose at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ through meaningful mentorships and experiences on and off the stage. She continues to stay connected to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ through her relationships in the theatre world and encourages current Aztecs to get involved, stay engaged, and make the most of their college journey.

Learn more about Johamy below...

Q: What is your current title and company name?
Artistic Director at Seattle Children's Theatre

Q: Describe your journey to Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­.
As a Mexican American woman growing up in Southern California, I struggled not to become another statistic in my community. Throughout my childhood, I lived in an underserved community where Hispanic women had a small window of opportunity to go to college, due to a lack of education and exposure to the arts. Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ opened a door of educational and artistic possibilities, and more importantly, led me to my personal mission of educating, exposing, and mentoring young audiences through theatre.

Q: How have you used your Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ education to achieve success in your career?
As a young Latina woman and theatre student, I was in search of my identity, sense of belonging, and understanding of my voice as an artist. My search for guidance and direction led me to the door of Professor Margaret Larlham at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­. Professor Larlham gave me the direction that I was seeking for, for the first time in my career. She taught me that trust, respect, creativity, discipline, critical analysis, and personal reflection were the cornerstones of collaboration and ensemble building.

To this day, I hold these fundamentals of theatre close to my heart and infuse them into my daily life and career. During my time under Professor Larlham, she cultivated a student and mentor relationship of trust and respect that I admire. Her ensemble approach to working with her students as equals made me feel included and accepted into the process. At that time, I had no idea the impact this would have on the rest of my life and my career.

Q: What is your favorite memory from Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­?
One of my favorite memories of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ is having the opportunity to perform for schools. I participated in a couple of touring shows and had the incredible opportunity to bring new devised theatrical works or Shakespeare plays to hundreds of young people. This was extremely impactful for me to continue building my technique and craft of storytelling while staying rooted in the community.

Q: What advice do you have for current Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ students or recent alumni?
My advice for current Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ students is to learn as much as possible. Get engaged and involved during your college years, as these are the most formative years that build your foundation and who you become in your community.

Q: Do you have any special projects, awards, or recent accomplishments you'd like to share?
In 2024, I was awarded a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Director in a Play called This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing. It also won Best Ensemble.

Q: Any other additional information we should include in your spotlight?
Recently, I was appointed Artistic Director for Seattle Children's Theatre (SCT), which is one of the most prestigious Theatre for Young Audiences companies in the nation. SCT's mission is to provide children of all ages access to professional theatre with a focus on new works and theatre education.