Samantha Kaufman
Fight Director
SAFD Certified Teacher, AGMA
WTTW Interview: Samantha Kaufman
Samantha is a Certified Teacher and has the rank of Fight Director with the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD). She has also studied stage combat with Fight Directors Canada and Stage Combat Deutschland. Samantha is certified in theatrical firearms safety by the Society of American Fight Directors.
Samantha began her training at the University of Wyoming before pursuing training with the SAFD. She was a teaching assistant for Fight Master Chuck Coyl for three years. She has been a teaching assistant to Fight Master Geoffrey Kent, Fight Master Leraldo Anzaldua, among others. Samantha also has taught stage combat at Principia College and Florida Atlantic University for the undergrad and graduate programs, as well as various workshops and theatres across the country.
She was nominated for a Jeff Award for Fight Direction in 2019 for the Babes With Blades Theatre Company's production of "The Lady Demands Satisfaction."
Her work has been seen in Chicago, at theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, First Folio Theatre, First Floor Theater, Steep Theatre, Babes with Blades Theatre Company, and Idle Muse. Regionally, Samantha has worked with theatres such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Prague Shakespeare Company, among others.
Read more about Samantha in this Canvas Rebel article.
Samantha began her training at the University of Wyoming before pursuing training with the SAFD. She was a teaching assistant for Fight Master Chuck Coyl for three years. She has been a teaching assistant to Fight Master Geoffrey Kent, Fight Master Leraldo Anzaldua, among others. Samantha also has taught stage combat at Principia College and Florida Atlantic University for the undergrad and graduate programs, as well as various workshops and theatres across the country.
She was nominated for a Jeff Award for Fight Direction in 2019 for the Babes With Blades Theatre Company's production of "The Lady Demands Satisfaction."
Her work has been seen in Chicago, at theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, First Folio Theatre, First Floor Theater, Steep Theatre, Babes with Blades Theatre Company, and Idle Muse. Regionally, Samantha has worked with theatres such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Prague Shakespeare Company, among others.
Read more about Samantha in this Canvas Rebel article.
Stage Combat Training:
Certified Teacher, Fight Director | Society of American Fight Directors
Intermediate Actor Combatant | Fight Directors Canada
*Weapons Training Include | Broadsword | Rapier and Dagger | Quarterstaff | Knife | Single Sword | Smallsword | Unarmed | Sword and Shield | German Longsword | Theatrical Firearms
Awards and Recognition:
2024 Fight Director rank awarded
Society of American Fight Directors
2021 Certified Teacher of Stage Combat certificate
Society of American Fight Directors, Teachers Certification Workshop
2019 Jeff Award Nomination for Fight Choreography
Babes with Blades Theatre “The Lady Demands Satisfaction,” Fight and Intimacy Director
2013 Outstanding Performance Award
Society of American Fight Directors National Stage Combat Workshop
SAFD Recommended Passes: Single Sword, Quearterstaff, Rapier and Dagger, Unarmed,
Broadsword, Knife, and Smallsword
Examiner's Award of Excellence in Smallsword
FDC Passes: Martial Arts, Smallsword, Rapier and Dagger, Longsword, Unarmed, Single Sword,
and Quarterstaff
Pass with Distinction in Knife and Unarmed.
Press:
Podcast Interview: Cycle Chats Episode: The Combat Queen
WTTW Interview: Samantha Kaufman
Rescripted Review: Babes with Blades Serves Feminist Farce in 'The Lady Demands Satisfaction'
Rescripted: The Lady Demands Satisfaction Review: "Samantha Kaufman’s fight choreography is an eclectic collection of 10 fights and some skirmishes featuring classic small/singlesword swashbuckling and exciting found object work."
"Kaufman’s creativity really shines through her found object work especially in a fight between the the real Luitger (Amanda Forman) and Theo (Megan Schemmel) which used the table, a soup pot lid, a cane, and extremely well done non-contact slaps with knaps that could have been clearly visible, but instead were cleverly masked with farcical spin reactions. An excellent example that no matter what space you’re in, a contact slap is not necessary and there are always creative ways to sell the theatrical to appear “real.” This fight evolves into a fight with blades between the two, featuring beautiful blade work and a suave disarm resulting in Theo’s victory. “A master is only as good as his servant” she declares, having found Luitger (thinking him a servant) a good match in the fight.
Kaufman knows how to make damn good fights and feature the comedy in them. I mean, she even threw in a cross-over of swatting flies! “Swatting flies” is when you meet blades mid-air in a high and low pattern without actually performing an attack on the opponent’s body. It looks flashy, but actually accomplishes nothing, so it’s an inside joke for those who know swordplay. A fighting farce in a farce? Perfect!"
"In the end all of the womxn had learned how to fight just like their brothers or patriarchs, but exceeded their ability. Their skills allow each to determine and fight for their own fate, and Kaufman’s choreography highlights this self-determination with creativity and a perfect balance of comedy and finesse."
Around the Town Chicago: The S Paradox Review: Kudos to Samantha Kaufman, the fight director, who has done a remarkable job choreographing the close contact among the characters and making their bouts look authentic.
Buzz Center Stage: S Paradox Review: Kaufman ... had the finest material to work with in BWBTC, and she honed them to flawless precision.
The Fourth Walsh: Othello Review: "And what’s a Babes with Blades’ show without their signature action? Shakespeare gave them the ideal play to brandish weapons. Fight Director and Intimacy Designer Samantha Kaufman masterfully orchestrates the brutality. The fighting breaks out on multiple occasions. The closeness of the space makes the hostility uncomfortably close. And when Buckley unleashes her savagery, the audience collectively holds it breath. The threat of danger is too real."
Perform Ink: The Lady Demands Satisfaction Review: "In true BWBTC fashion, the fight choreography and stage violence, created by Samantha Kaufman, work beautifully. Kaufman utilizes levels, sword throwing, and multi-person fights with great fun and success."
Hooligan Mag: Theatre Thirst Trap: "I’ve never seen a fight in which both of the people fighting were trying to lose. I want more of that. It was weird and counter-intuitive and those adjectives are tasty to me. Shout out to fight choreographer Samantha Kaufman, who conquered this script like a goddamn warrior."
Palm Beach Arts Paper: Reservoir Dolls Review: "Samantha Kaufman is in charge of fight choreography – a skill that’s subtle, but well defined."
Jeff Awards Press Release
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"Sam is a joy to be around and always has a crucial insight or perspective that can turn the world on its head. She is unassumingly wise, sassy, clever, open, compassionate, and knowledgeable. Her organization and leadership skills are impeccable. I will be taking any opportunity I can to work with her again, be it in the classroom or the rehearsal space."
- Firen Williams
