Erin Kamler (born February 13, 1975) is an American writer, composer, and academic researcher who works at the intersection of feminist social justice and the arts.
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Kamler earned her PhD from USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where her research focused on the trafficking and migration of women in Thailand and Burma, and using the arts as a tool for political communication and human rights witnessing. Conversationally fluent in the Thai language, Erin holds a master's in Public Diplomacy from USC School of International Relations, a master's in communication arts from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and a Bachelors in music composition from Sarah Lawrence College.
Recent projects as a composer and playwright include Foreign, Andaman, Land of Smiles, Divorce! The Musical, and Runway 69. Her work has been staged at New Dramatists, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and she is a three-time winner of Stephen Sondheim's Young Playwright's Festival and University of Michigan's Hopwood Award.[ citation needed ] She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.
Kamler serves as an Affiliated Researcher at Chiang Mai University and Academic Program Director at Minerva Project and Visiting Professor of Arts and Humanities at Minerva University. She is currently working on a series of musicals, The M onsoon Trilogy, about human rights issues in Southeast Asia.
As a singer, songwriter, and recording artist, Kamler is the creator of numerous albums including her most recent release Refuge (2025). [1]
As a singer, songwriter, and recording artist, Erin has performed internationally with her original albums: The Street Is Not A Woman (1998), Mantra Girl: Truth (2002), Mantra Girl: Trinity (2005) and Kundalini Yoga Instructional DVD's (2003). Her latest release, REFUGE (2025), brings together Buddhist and Jewish mantras with original songs of love and grief. [2] The 12-track album features Erin's piano and vocal performances, as well as instrumental performances by musicians from Thailand, Nepal, and New York. String arrangements are by multi-instrumentalist and orchestrator David Shenton, with artwork by photographer Kate Turning. [3]
REFUGE includes the following songs: [4]
Los Angeles Ovation Award (2009), Backstage Garland Awards (2010), [17] Frederick Loewe Award (2008), [18] Stephen Sondheim's Young Playwright's Award (1991, 1992, 1994), University of Michigan Hopwood Award (1994).