Amanda Lytle Sharpe, adjunct professor of theatre at Niagara University, will be honored Sept. 27 during the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier’s “Niagara Awards: A Tribute to Women.” The event takes place at 5:30 p.m. at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls.
Sharpe has served as an adjunct professor of theatre and dialect coach at Niagara University since January 2000. She has directed several productions at NU, including The Wrestling Season, The Secret Life of Girls, Rumors, The Women of Lockerbie, The Dearest of Friends, Spring Dance and The Princess and the Pea. Sharpe also oversees the Castellani Art Museum’s annual Kids ‘n Arts Summer Camp.
A Youngstown resident, Sharpe is involved with St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church, the Alpha Xi Delta service sorority and Alpha Psi Omega.
“Leadership is all about taking risks and following through with your choices,” Sharpe advised young women. “Above all, leading and directing must be honest, dedicated to the betterment of society and unwavering in moral and artistic integrity. Lead, and they will follow.”
In addition to local professional credits with Artpark and MusicalFare, Sharpe has worked with the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and the North Carolina Theatre for Young People.
Sharpe earned a bachelor’s degree in acting from the University of Florida, and a master’s of fine arts in acting from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She also studied acting at the British American Drama Academy at Stanford University.
The Niagara Awards were established in 1997 to publicly recognize and honor women who make significant contributions to the Niagara and Erie communities specific to the YWCA’s mission of empowering women, eliminating racism, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
Niagara University offers BFA programs in three concentrations: performance, design and production, and theatre specializations.