Hamburger was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career as a sculptor, photographer, and performance artist, and started acting with Saratoga International Theater Institute (SITI). She then studied at Yale School of Drama, where she started a site-specific theatre company as part of her Master's studies.[2]
Hamburger founded and led En Garde Arts from 1986 until 1999.[1] The company put on large site-specific performances across New York City at venues including Bow Bridge (Central Park) and Hotel Chelsea. Hamburger and the company won six Obie Awards.[3] She has also won two Drama Desk Awards.[2] In a 1994 article in The New York Times, Hamburger described the extensive process needed to obtain permission from property owners and the city to present performances at locations throughout the city.[4]
She was then named artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California, and after one year moved on to become executive vice president for Walt Disney Creative Entertainment.[5] She produced spectacles and stage shows for the Disney parks and cruise ships, including Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular and Finding Nemo – The Musical.[1][6]
After eight years at Disney, Hamburger restarted En Garde Arts and returned to producing off-Broadway theatre.[7][8] In 2015, she presented a theater festival in Hudson River Park with nine separate pieces, including one by the Obie-winner Lee Sunday Evans.[9] In 2017, she produced and co-wrote the play Wilderness which explored the issues created by sending children on wilderness therapy camps.[10][11] While developing Wilderness, Hamburger spent time with youths in Utah at a wilderness therapy camp[12] and conducted interviews with parents who had to send their children to such camps.[13]
Hamburger curated a free performing arts festival in New York City in May 2021.[14]
