An expert in the field of creativity, imagination, and communication, Sandra is a speaker, coach, consultant, and educator who has coached and taught thousands of successful entrepreneurs, actors, writers, parents, students, educators, business leaders and their teams.
Sandra uses techniques developed over almost 40 years as an award-winning professional director, actor, writer, entrepreneur, and master acting and improvisation teacher to provide profound wisdom and deceptively simple strategies for teaching us to expect, respect, and maximize the unique creative genius in ourselves and all those around us.
In her internationally bestselling book, SPONTANEOUS BRILLIANCE, she illuminates the meta meaning of Shakespeare’s assertion that “All the world’s a stage...” with her playful and powerful metaphorical, metaphysical guide to sharing your unique creative genius in this 24/7 Improv on the great stage of life.
Sandra began her career as an actress, writer, and director in New York in the 1980s. She began teaching in 1986 at The National Shakespeare Conservatory and has taught acting, improvisation, movement, voice and writing at universities and conservatories across the country. She has chaired departments, developed curriculum, and coached teachers on the art of teaching. the 1990’s Sandra began teaching children with special needs, which lead to creating cutting edge interactive programming and scenario based training programs in school districts in New York, New Jersey, Wyoming, Utah, Iowa, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
In 1997 Sandra founded The New Heritage Theatre Company, A professional resident repertory company and school, under the patronage and mentorship of Anthony Hopkins and Olympia Dukakis. In her 10 years as Artistic Director of TNHTC, she received multiple educational, community service, and artistic awards, including the Governor’s Brightest Stars Award in 2006. Sandra’s mainstage directing credits at New Heritage include King Lear, Hamlet, Glass Menagerie, The Herbal Bed, Fair Use, Faultline (A showcase production of Sandra’s original play, Starring Olympia Dukakis), Child of Conscience (her original Play), and Avatara (her original Play) among others.
Sandra has directed over 100 professional stage productions as well as events like The Special Olympics World Winter Games “Share the Magic” extravaganza, starring Henry Winkler, “A Conversation with Anthony Hopkins”, and the unprecedented Dalai Lama’s Children’s Day event in Sun Valley, in 2005.
An entrepreneur and business consultant, Sandra has founded a number of innovative startups, including co-founding Silverdraft LCC in 2007, which introduced cutting edge visualization and virtual production technology to the entertainment industry. In 2011, Sandra was named one of the Idaho Business Review’s, Business Women of the Year. Sandra is currently CEO of Spontaneous Brilliance ®
Sandra has written thirty-five plays (full-length, one acts, educational, and children's plays) that have been produced in regional, university, and community theatres, across the country. Sandra’s innovative and interactive “RESPONSE” plays, toured Idaho school’s for 7 years through the State Dept of Ed. and received numerous arts and education awards. A collection of Sandra's children’s plays ‘The Ohana Plays’ are being published next year. Her Children’s plays have been produced in children’s programs and schools across the US and in Canada Sandra's feature length screenplay Fault Line won Best Feature Screenplay at The 2015 Austin Revolution Film Festival. The feature film adaptation of her play "AVATARA" (written and directed by Sandra Cavanaugh) is currently in post production. Sandra is a member of both the Writers Guild of America West and the Dramatists Guild. Also a prolific singer/songwriter, Sandra's inspirational album "Let Go" with partner Rex MIller can be found on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and Reverbnation.
Sandra is the mother of four amazing daughters Brittni, Andi, Maria, and Shelly. She is a deeply passionate advocate for children’s issues including; education, imagination and creativity, FASD, Autism, RAD, Foster Care, Adoption, Parenting, and at-risk youth. Sandra loves to volunteer and support children, families and community whenever possible. She has served on a number of boards including She has served as President of the Board of A New Beginning Adoption Agency, as Vice Chair of The Meridian Arts Commission, and has served on the boards of; IPUL Creative Access Art Center, The Meridian Mayor’s Anti Drug Coalition, Community Youth Development, The Aquarium of Boise, The Iowa Children's Museum, The Regional Council on Children’s Mental Health, and The Northwest Playwrights Guild.
Sandra holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Iowa, where she was an Iowa Center for the Arts Fellow and was a member of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop. Sandra is a graduate of The National Shakespeare Conservatory as well as The National Theatre Of Great Britain's Pilot Acting Program. She received her bachelor's degree in Theatre from Boise State University.
Sandra is the mother of four amazing daughters Brittni, Andi, Maria, and Shelly. She is a deeply passionate advocate for children’s issues including; education, imagination and creativity, FASD, Autism, RAD, Foster Care, Adoption, Parenting, and at-risk youth. Sandra loves to volunteer and support children, families and community whenever possible. She has served on a number of boards including She has served as President of the Board of A New Beginning Adoption Agency, as Vice Chair of The Meridian Arts Commission, and has served on the boards of; IPUL Creative Access Art Center, The Meridian Mayor’s Anti Drug Coalition, Community Youth Development, The Aquarium of Boise, The Iowa Children's Museum, The Regional Council on Children’s Mental Health, and The Northwest Playwrights Guild.
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