Tonya Lynn (She/Her/Hers)

Fight Director and Certified Teacher

Tonya Lynn is a Pittsburgh, PA-based fight director and educator whose credits include nearly 150 productions, with highlights including Il Trovatore at Pittsburgh Opera, the world premiere of Storming Heaven at West Virginia Public Theatre, the original production Sword Play at Colonial Williamsburg, VA, the Pittsburgh premiere of She Kills Monsters at the University of Pittsburgh (including a sold-out encore performance at the August Wilson Cultural Center), and 17 productions with Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks. She is also active in many local theatre training programs, providing choreography on multiple occasions for Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park University, the University of Pittsburgh, Allegheny College, and many others. Tonya is a co-founder of Brawling Bard Theater (a five-time award winner at the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival), and a company member with the New Renaissance Theatre Company.  She has trained with the United Stuntmens’ Association and for nearly 20 years has been an active member of the Society of American Fight Directors, with whom she is recognized as a Fight Director and a Certified Teacher. 

Tonya is a Teaching Artist in Residence at the University of Pittsburgh, an adjunct instructor at Point Park University and the Community College of Allegheny County South Campus, and has worked as a guest artist in stage combat at Carnegie Mellon University, as well as serving as a teaching artist with Pittsburgh Public Theatre, City Theatre, Gateway to the Arts, and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. She is a workshop coordinator for the Fight Choreographer Track at the Summer Sling Stage Combat Workshop at Brooklyn College, and co-founder and Head Coordinator for the Allegheny Alley Fight, a regional SAFD workshop in the Pittsburgh area since 2015. She also teaches ongoing weekly private classes in stage combat which are open to all skill levels.  For more information, visit: www.eclecticmayhem.com


Skill Proficiency History

Date Weapon Location Grade

2018 NSCW - AACW & Interns

Aug 10, 2018 Rapier and Dagger Ruston, Louisiana Basic Pass
Aug 10, 2018 Unarmed Ruston, Louisiana Basic Pass
Aug 10, 2018 Broadsword Ruston, Louisiana Basic Pass
Aug 10, 2018 Small Sword Ruston, Louisiana Basic Pass
Aug 10, 2018 Knife Ruston, Louisiana Recommended Pass
Aug 10, 2018 Broadsword and Shield Ruston, Louisiana Recommended Pass
Aug 10, 2018 Quarterstaff Ruston, Louisiana Recommended Pass

2017 Philadelphia Stage Combat Workshop Renewals

Oct 6, 2017 Small Sword Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Basic Pass
Oct 6, 2017 Knife Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Basic Pass

Allegheny Alley Fights / SPR

May 13, 2017 Single Sword Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Recommended Pass

Skills Test Allegany Alley Fight

May 14, 2016 Broadsword and Shield Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Recommended Pass

Rose Academy of Armes

Mar 28, 2014 Single Sword Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Recommended Pass
Mar 28, 2014 Quarterstaff Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Recommended Pass

Drake University

Nov 23, 2013 Unarmed Des Moines, Iowa Basic Pass
Nov 20, 2011 Single Sword Des Moines, Iowa Recommended Pass

University of Pittsburgh

Dec 17, 2011 Unarmed Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Recommended Pass

Private Classes

Aug 22, 2010 Small Sword Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Basic Pass
Aug 22, 2010 Broadsword and Shield Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Basic Pass

The Carnage in the Corn

Nov 21, 2009 Knife Des Moines, Iowa Recommended Pass
Nov 21, 2009 Quarterstaff Des Moines, Iowa Recommended Pass

2008 National Stage Combat Workshops - NCSA

Jul 25, 2008 Broadsword Winston Salem, North Carolina Basic Pass
Jul 25, 2008 Rapier and Dagger Winston Salem, North Carolina Basic Pass
Jul 25, 2008 Unarmed Winston Salem, North Carolina Basic Pass

Swordlady - Cincinnati

Jul 3, 2008 Single Sword Cincinnati, Ohio Basic Pass
Jul 3, 2008 Knife Cincinnati, Ohio Basic Pass
Jul 3, 2008 Unarmed Cincinnati, Ohio Basic Pass
Jul 3, 2008 Quarterstaff Cincinnati, Ohio Basic Pass