Samantha Kaufman makes her HGO debut as intimacy director for Breaking the Waves. Kaufman has taught theatrical intimacy across the nation at schools such as Florida Atlantic University, Ohio Northern University, Jacksonville University, Indiana University, University of Indianapolis, University of Findlay, Ball State University, and Eastfield College. Additionally, she has taught at organizations such as Prague Shakespeare Company, Neutral Chaos in New York, Riot Act Inc in Wyoming, Bloomington Academy of Film and Theatre, Ohio Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland Play House, Texas Intensive Stage Combat Workshop, and the Flying V Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Regionally, Kaufman has worked with theatres such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Cleveland Play House, among others. In Chicago, she has worked with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Lookingglass Theatre, First Folio Theatre, First Floor Theater, Metropolis Theater, Steep Theatre, Babes with Blades Theatre Company, and Idle Muse. Kaufman has been a resident artist at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Prague Shakespeare Company. She won a Regional Broadway award for Best Actress in a Play for her work as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet with Florida Shakespeare Theatre. She was also nominated for a Jeff Award for Fight Direction in 2019 for the Babes with Blades Theatre Company's production of The Lady Demands Satisfaction.