Rachel Rockwell

Rachel Rockwell
Born	1969 (age 47–48) Columbia, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation	Theatre Director, Choreographer, Dancer
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Garth Helm

Rachel Rockwell is an American theater director, choreographer and performer. She graduated from the School for Creative and Performing Arts (Cincinnati) and has a BFA in Theater Performance from the University of Evansville (IN). She moved to Chicago in 1991 and began performing and choreographing. She has appeared on Broadway in Mamma Mia! and the national tours of Mamma Mia! (Equity Dance Captain); and Harold Prince's Showboat. In 2010, she was named "Best Director" by Chicago Magazine. and Chicagoan of the Year: Theater 2012 by the Chicago Tribune. In July 2014, Goodman Theatre, in association with Liza Lerner and Kevin McCollum, produced the first major revival of Brigadoon in two decades—directed and choreographed by Rockwell, who, with Brian Hill (author), updated the book, with permission from the Lerner and Loewe estates. In his New York Times review, Charles Isherwood called her production "a first-class revival that boasts an infectious buoyancy of spirit and a welcome absence of postmodern flourishes." Her productions of "Ride The Cyclone" and "Billy Eliot" were named two of the Top Ten productions in Chicago for 2015. Her U.S. premiere Chicago Shakespeare Theatre production of "Ride The Cyclone" was then produced Off-Broadway at MCC Theater, and named Best of 2016 by the New York Times. She directed the World Premiere of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" at Minneapolis Children's Theatre in April, 2016.

Rockwell was born Natalie Rachel Heyde, in Columbia, Missouri (1969). She is the daughter of songwriter/teacher Gary Heyde (aka novelist Austin Gary) and actress/teacher Glory (Kissel) Heyde. Her brother is Jeremy Spencer (Heyde), drummer for the heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch. She is married to Broadway sound designer Garth Helm. They have a son, Jake.

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