About Me
I'm Dara, an artist and writer based in Philadelphia.
I founded Creative Structures to help other wildly creative minds turn their visions into reality.
I am also the founder and Artistic Director of Agile Rascal Bike Theatre, a company at the intersection of theater, cycling, and activism. I love the rigorousness and absurdity of both theater and bicycles, and am perpetually inventing ways to intersect them.
Photograph by Hayley Clayton
As Artistic Director, I have:
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Produced theater performances in over 50 cities and towns across the United States.
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Led more than 30 professional artists on bicycle-touring theater projects.
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Guided over 500 audience members on immersive, site-specific two-wheeled adventures.
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Written plays, both individually and collaboratively through a devising process.
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Managed all aspects of bicycle-touring and audience-on-bicycles projects.
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Overseen fundraising efforts, including crowdfunding, private donors, and grant programs.
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Directed the branding and marketing of the company, including our website, social media, and promotional materials.
Photograph by Michael Reali
Outside of Agile Rascal, I have worked as a ghostwriter and editor for a decade, helping people bring their stories to life by crafting language that is personal, relatable, and engaging.
I have been a Creative Climate Leadership Participant and a Santa Fe Art Institute Water Rights Resident. Additionally, I’ve given workshops at the League of American Bicyclists’ Bike Summit, spoken on panels for the Network of Ensemble Theaters, and contributed writing to Artists and Climate Change and Adventure Cyclist Magazine.
I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and have trained with SITI Company, Pig Iron, and Bread & Puppet Theater. I’ve also received residencies from The Lookout Arts Quarry, The Sable Project, and AIRIE in the Everglades.
When not working, I can usually be found fixing up my 'fixer-upper' house, trying to haul weird things on my bicycle, or yapping on the phone with an old friend.
Photograph by Emily Hinchcliff