Pana Columbus (playwright, director, speaker, workshop facilitator and private coach) is the creator of Ritual Theatre, a theatre form that integrates ritual with theatre to catalyze positive personal and community transformations. She wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning production The New Earth, performed at the Zoellner Arts Center, was the head writer and producer of Gilgamesh, performed at Allentown Symphony Hall, called by the Morning Call newspaper “…an ambitious and stunning accomplishment,” wrote and directed the standing-room only production of The Water Ceremony, performed at Muhlenberg College, and wrote, performed and directed The Initiation at the Crestone Mountain Zen Center. She has also directed and written the book and lyrics for eight musicals for children, most recently a hip hop operetta called Tales of Tenacity.
She is the co-founder of Seven Generations Charter School in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, an environmentally-based school that currently enrolls 300 students.
She is also a workshop facilitator, speaker and private coach on conscious transformation. Pana has presented inspirational workshops in New Mexico, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. She has served as a panelist on arts and sustainability at Muhlenberg College and for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities, Lehigh Valley, has held visioning workshops for new businesses, organizations and individuals, and has been a speaker/presenter at events including fundraisers, board retreats, women’s retreats and community events.
She has been interviewed on WDIY radio and for the book, Those Who Walk With Fire by John Daubney.
Her memoir, She Wore Blue Invoking the Water, will be available soon. This story tells the tale of her epic, transformational 4-year journey around the world.
"I am inspired by nature, when situations transform and evolve, when disparate elements figure out how to work together, when love overcomes fear of the new, when experiencing ritual with different spiritual traditions, when singing, dancing and playing music with beloveds, by my community of brilliant friends and by my magical husband and daughter."
"I connect with the theme of passion, creativity and leadership because those words describe my process for discovering my life’s purpose. In my case, I discovered my passions are both ritual and theatre. These passions informed what I created: an art form called Ritual Theatre. Finally, my creativity has hopefully played a part in helping humanity evolve: my theatre productions have tangibly catalyzed positive community transformations, such as the creation of a green charter school."
