DIRECTING RESUME
Commercial Musicals
Disney Live Entertainment new musical (unannounced, premiers 2017)
Siren, book, music and lyrics by Dillon Feldman, Con Limón Productions and The Shubert Organization’s The Artistic Circle, 54 Below
Sugar Skull: A Day of the Dead Musical Adventure!, created by Mexico Beyond Mariachi; Rhythm of the Arts, 8 annual 30-city American national tour
El Otro Oz, book by Mando Alvarado and Tommy Newman, music and lyrics by Jaime Lozano and Tommy Newman; TheatreWorksUSA, national tour
International Theatre Directing
Two Arms and a Noise, world premiere written and directed by Elena Araoz; Bucharest International Theater Platform, Bucharest, Romania (originally created at New York Theatre Workshop Fellowship)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Prague Shakespeare Company, Prague, Czech Republic
Unanswered, We Ride, world premiere by Jaclyn Villano, with Joe Tippit, Edinburgh Fringe, Scotland
The Power, world premiere by Li Tong Chen, Noble Theatre Bridge, Beijing, China; first English language play commercially produced in Beijing
New York City Off-Broadway Directing
Fur, by Migdalia Cruz, New York Theatre Workshop Next Door and Boundless Theatre Company
Original Sound, world premiere by Adam Seidel, Cherry Lane Theatre, with Wilson Jermaine Heredia
A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds, by Mac Wellman; New York Theatre Workshop Next Door
Alligator, world premiere by Hilary Bettis, New Georges and Sol Project
Architecture of Becoming, world premiere by Sarah Gancher, Kara Lee Corthron, Dipika Guha, Virginia Grise, Lauren Yee, Women’s Project at City Center Stage II
Three on a Couch, by Carl Djerassi, Redshift Productions at Soho Playhouse
Phallacy, by Carl Djerassi, Redshift Productions at Cherry Lane Theatre with Lisa Harrow and Simon Jones
Opera Directing
Allegra & The Cello, by Julia Schwarts Catherine Filloux
No One is Forgotten, An Immersive Opera by Paola Pristini, Sxip Shirey, Winter Miller, Dallas Opera, Dallas, Texas
El Matrimonio Secreto, a new translation into Spanish by Benedetta Orsi Aquino and Darwin Aquino, from original Il Matrimonio Segreto, Florida Grand Opera, Miami, Florida
I Am A Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams, by Jorge Sosa and Cerise Jacobs world premiere, White Snake Projects, Paramount Theatre, Boston
Lucia di Lammermoor, Opera North, Lebanon, New Hampshire
La traviata, New York City Opera, Director/Choreographer, Howard Gilman Opera House; Brooklyn Academy of Music, Sir Jonathan Miller original production
La traviata,, Choreographer/Associate Director, La traviata, with director Sir Jonathan Miller, Vancouver Opera, Canada
La traviata, Cold Spring Opera, Long Island, New York, New York City, New York
Stillwaters, world premiere by Bettina Shephard and Wallace Wilhoit, New York City, New York
Director/Choreographer, Latin Lovers, arranged by Steven Blier, Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown, New York
Falstaff, Act III, with Sir Tom Allen and Robert Spano, Brooklyn Philharmonic at Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, New York
Così fan tutte, Brooklyn Philharmonic Education Department, Brooklyn Academy of Music, NYC; Associate Director to Sir Jonathan Miller, Così fan tutte
• Seattle Opera, Seattle, Washington
• Lincoln Center, Mostly Mozart Festival, New York City, New York
• Brooklyn Academy of Music, NYC
Regional Theatre Directing
Espejos: Clean, by Christine Quintana, Studio Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Anna In the Tropics, by Nilo Cruz, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
The Migration Plays, by Adam Gwon, Martyna Majok, Heather Raffo, Mfoniso Udofia, Karen Zacarías, McCarter Theatre Center,
Sweat, by Lynn Nottage, People’s Light, Malvern, Pennsylvania
In Between, by Ibrahim Miari, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Azaan, world premiere play by Dipika Guha, music by Chris Rogerson, Oregon Symphony, Portland, Oregon
Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
The Retreating World, by Naomi Wallace, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Omaha, Nebraska
Plastic Drastic, written and directed by Elena Araoz, Rose Theatre, Omaha, Nebraska
Wood Music, by St. Fortune Collective, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Omaha, Nebraska
Unanswered, We Ride, by Jaclyn Villano, Last Frontier Theatre Conference, Valdez, Alaska
Wu World Woo, world premiere, and Horrocks (and Toutatis too), by Mac Wellman
• BlueBarn Theatre and Great Plains Theatre Conference, Omaha, Nebraska
• Sleeping Weazel at ArtsEmerson, Boston, Massachusetts
The Company We Keep, world premiere by Jaclyn Villano, Boston Playwright’s Theatre
Muazzez, by Mac Wellman, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Omaha, Nebraska
Uprooted, by Clinnesha Sibley, workshop presentation, TheatreSquared, Fayetteville, Arkansas
The Fever Chart, by Naomi Wallace, Underground Railway Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts
The Price, by Arthur Miller, Northern Stage (LORT), White River Junction, Vermont
Io: a myth about you, world premiere musical by Monika Bustamante, Shrewd Productions, Austin
Faust, adaptation by Elena Araoz, based on play by Goethe and translation by Stuart Atkins
Aurea Ensemble and FirstWorksProv Festival, Providence, Rhode Island
War Music, adaptation by Elena Araoz, text by Christopher Logue, score by Paul Philips
• Aurea Ensemble and FirstWorksProv Festival, Providence, Rhode Island
• Chicago Humanities Festival, Chicago, Illinois
• Westerly Chorus, Westerly, Rhode Island
House of Sweets, adaptation by Elena Araoz, text “Hansel and Gretel” by Grimm Brothers
The Mark Cohen New Works Festival at UT/Austin, extended run, Austin, Texas
Titus Andronicus, Austin Shakespeare Festival, Austin, Texas
Venus and Adonis, adaptation by Elena Araoz, based on the poem by Shakespeare
Austin Shakespeare Festival,
Come Rain or Come Shine, adaptation by Elena Araoz, sonnets by Shakespeare
Bridgeport Free Shakespeare, Bridgeport, Connecticut
New York City Other Directing
How to Eat an Orange, by Catherine Filloux, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
How to Melt ICE, by Amalia Rojas Oliva, New Perspectives Theatre Company and Boundless Theatre Company, Julia de Burgos Performance and Arts Center, New York City, New York
Swell, world premiere by Melisa Tien and ten immigrant composers, HERE Arts Center
Conduct of Life, by María Irene Fornés, Boundless Theatre Company
Mud, by María Irene Fornés, Boundless Theatre Company
Kidnap Road, world premiere by Catherine Filloux, La Mama Experimental Theatre
Prospect, by Octavio Solis, Boundless Theatre Company
Mechanics of Love, by Dipika Guha, To-By-For Productions
She-She-She, world premiere devised with writer Virginia Grise and produced by Hook & Eye and Ice Factory Festival, New Ohio Theatre
Stitches, world premiere by Leah Franqui, To-By-For Productions
Be a Good Little Widow, by Bekah Brunstetter, The Wild Project
Horrocks (and Toutatis too), world premiere by Mac Wellman, The New Museum
musicals in development
Havana Music Hall, lyrics and story by Richard Kagan, book by Carmen Pelaez; semi-staged reading, Miami, Florida; with Daryl Roth Theatrical Management, NYC and Miami
Power Trio, book and lyrics by Melinda Lopez, Huntington Theatre Company
Azul, music and lyrics by Jacinta Clusellas, with additional lyrics by Melis Aker and Tatiana Pandiani, additional vocal arrangements by Kurt Crowley, National Alliance for Musical Theatre
NYC staged workshops
Dakota Atoll, by Hilary Bettis, New York Theatre Workshop
Lawnpeople, world premiere by Natalia Naman, mentored by Eduardo Machado, Cherry Lane Theatre
Magdalena’s Crossing, world premiere by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, Negro Ensemble Company
Storyteller’s Candle, world premiere by Barbara Zinn Krieger, Making Books Sing
Thirst: a spell for Christabel, world premiere by Monika Bustamante, HERE Arts Center
Joy, world premiere by Robert Strozier, WorkShop Theatre Company
The Word for Snow, by Don DiLillo, New York Institute for the Humanities with Kathleen Chalfont and Lisa Harrow
Girl/Power, world premiere by Zetta Elliot, New Perspectives Theatre
9 Steps from St. Ann’s Street, world premiere by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, New Perspectives
Laberintos/Labyrinths, adapted by Elena Araoz, text by Jorge Luis Borges, Chekhov Theatre Ensemble
War Music, adapted by Elena Araoz, text by Christopher Logue; score by Paul Philips, The New York Institute for the Humanities
Duchess of Stringtown by Michelle Jones and Anastasia Schmid
• a todo dar productions, Austin, Texas
• Anna Deavere Smith’s Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue, New York City, New York
• New York Live Arts, New York City, New York
Allond(r)a by Gina Femia
• MCC Theatre, New York City, New York
• Leah Ryan Prize, New York City, New York
Alma by Benjamin Benne
• The Old Globe, San Diego, California
• National Playwrights Conference Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Connecticut
Mushroom by Eisa Davis, People’s Light and Theatre Company, Malvern, Pennsylvania
All’s Well That Ends Well, translation of Shakespeare by Virginia Grise, Play On! and Classic Stage Company
What Are You Worth? by Kara Lee Corthron, Miranda Theatre Company, New York City, New York
Richard III, translation of Shakespeare by Migdalia Cruz, Play On!, New York City, New York
Stoneheart, by Georgina Escobar, Sol Project, New York City, New York
three girls never learnt the way home by Matthew Paul Olmos, The New Group, New York City, NY
Best Life by Melissa Tien, Bushwick Star, New York City, New York
at the very bottom of a body of water by Benjamin Benne, Sol Project, New York City, New York
Torera by Monet Hurst-Mendoza, The Public Theater, Emerging Writers Group, New York City, NY
Welcome to Fear City by Kara Lee Corthron
• PlayPenn, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Atlantic Theater, Amplified Series, New York City, New York
• Labyrinth Theater, Barn Series, New York City, New York
Your Healing is Killing Me by Virginia Grise, Brooklyn New Works, New York City, New York
What / Washed Ashore \ Astray by Benjamin Benne, Upstream Artists’ Collective, New York City, NY
Children of the Republic by Gonzolo Rodríguez Risco, The Playwrights Realm, New York City, NY
The Least Worst Place by Lindsay Joelle, The Lark, New York City, New York
The Ghosts of Lote Bravo by Hilary Bettis
• The Lark, Playwright’s Week, New York City, New York
• Repertorio Español, New York City, New York
• Project Y Theatre, New York City, New York
Megastasis by Kia Corthron
• New York Theatre Workshop, New York City, New York
• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
• Brooklyn New Works, New York City, New York
Obra Negra by Flavio González Mello, translated by Carmen Rivera, The Lark México/US Exchange
Good People by Alex Beech, presentations in English and Spanish, Two River Theatre,
Tiny People by Christopher Oscar Peña, Two River Theatre,
River of Gruel by Sibyl Kempson, New Dramatists
México by Hilary Bettis, Project Y Theatre, New York City, New York
Madame Ho by Eugenie Chan, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Omaha, Nebraska
Alligator by Hilary Bettis, Great Plains Theatre Conference, Omaha, Nebraska
Two Noble Kinsmen, adaptation by Elena Araoz, The WorkShop Theatre, New York City, New York
Tio Pepe by Matthew Lopez, playwright’s workshop, with Pricilla Lopez, New York City, New York
Rip Van Winkle by Joseph Jefferson, Pearl Theatre, New York City, New York
The Greenest Month by Meghan Kennedy, playwright’s workshop, New York City, New York
Audio Play And Opera Directing
No One of Forgotten, composed by Paola Pristini and Sxip Shirey, adapted from the play by
Winter Miller, audio release by Dallas Opera, first 3D spatial audio opera of its kind
Nightfall by Marisela Treviño Orta, Audible
Exile by Brigette Wimberly, Audible
Event Directing
“Sapphire Anniversary Gala honoring Sarah Paulson.” Second Stage Theatre production headlined by Eden Espinosa, Beanie Feldstein, Danny Burstein, Micaela Diamond, Betsy Wolfe, Lindsay Mendez, Kate Baldwin
“Lace and Music,” immersive music experience designed with Dr, Elizabeth Weinfield through the
“Threads of Power” museum exhibit, Bard Graduate Center, New York City, New York
“California Dreams,” Second Stage Theatre gala production headlined by Brian Stokes Mitchell, hosted by Michael Urie, with Katie Couric, Lynn Nottage, Bess Wohl, Craig Bierko, Zachary Noah Piser, among others,
“Freedom and Democracy,” event co-produced by PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature and The Cathedral of St. John the Divine
“Bystanders,” event produced by Anna Deavere Smith’s The Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue
BROADWAY DIRECTING
(charity event) Union Square Incident, world premiere by Warren Leight, performed by Ashlie Atkinson; Jason Biggs, Michael Cerveris, Russell G. Jones, Olivia Washington and Julie White; The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, American Airlines Theatre
Broadway Assistant Directing
King Lear, director Sir Jonathan Miller, Lincoln Center, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, with Christopher Plummer, 2 Tony Nominations
New York City Off-Broadway Associate And Assistant Directing
Assistant Director to Steven Soderbergh, The Library, world premiere, by Scott Z. Burns, The Public Theatre, with Chloë Grace Moretz
Associate Director to Sir Richard Eyre, Ghosts, by Ibsen, translated by Sir Richard Eyre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Harvey Theatre, with Lesley Manville
Assistant Director to director Darko Tresnjak, Antony and Cleopatra, Theatre for a New Audience, with Laila Robins, voice coach Cicely Berry
Opera Assistant Directing
Assistant Director to Laura Alley, Magic Flute, Martina Arroyo Foundation
Assistant Director to Sir Jonathan Miller, St. Matthew Passion, Brooklyn Academy of Music
Assistant Director to Sir Jonathan Miller, Dido and Aeneas, Glimmerglass Opera
Assistant Director to Sir Jonathan Miller, Il matrimonio segreto, Brooklyn Academy of Music
“In this diptych, adapted from two Mac Wellman short stories, residents of the asteroids Wu and Horrocks confirm the existence of more or less intelligent life in the universe. Their tales—of toucans from Toutatis and a rock where everyone is named Mary Carnivorous Rabbit—are riots of sound, not sense. But that’s the way of Wellman, the theatre’s foremost practitioner of edifying nonsense. The two forty-five-minute monologues, underscored by live music, are a game-playing gallimaufry of consonance, assonance, alliteration, and glee…Wildly imaginative and linguistically sumptuous.”
The New Yorker, February 2018 about A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds at New York Theatre Workshop Next Door
“A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds…was conceived for the stage and directed by Elena Araoz, who has chosen to set Wellman’s wordplay against a cushioning swell of live music…Language twists and turns sharply in A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds. Sometimes, Wellman leads us down dead ends with it, but always to a purpose. Though he loves words, he is never arch or precious with them. He is both playful and deadly serious, and he illuminates his chosen theme here by never addressing it directly. What Wellman is expressing in this pair of monologues is the bewilderment of two people given freedom when all they have known is limits — an idea he makes touching precisely because he has so few limits himself.
The Village Voice by Dan Callahan, January 23, 2018 about A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds at New York Theatre Workshop Next Door
“Elena Araoz, the director, has taken it upon herself to raise these particular two stories into the realm of the performative, with remarkably positive results. The performances themselves are impeccable, spectacular…a marvel, virtuosic, yet under-stated in the way they must be in order to allow room for the audience to participate in the world-building (again: “Walking Telephone” – the performer’s job is to speak it, your job is to imagine it.) The addition of music and sound (there are four musicians arranged in support of the central performances – drums, piano, a horn or two, and a variety of other effects; a mic-ed fan blows ineffectively for the duration of the second monologue) gestures towards a jazz club or lounge act. The incongruity between the strangeness of the encompassing language and the familiarity of the scoring or ‘soundtracking’ the experience feels well-aligned with Wellman’s love of putting the incomprehensible next to the comfortable…The revelation of the evening follows one home, invades our space for a time. Mac Wellman, pervasive space invader that he is, has worm-holed his way inside the madness and chaos of words themselves.”
Culturebot by Dan O’Neil, January 27, 2018 about A Chronicle of the Madness of Small Worlds at New York Theatre Workshop Next Door
“Bright ribbons are all over Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park — wrapped around tree trunks, fluttering from the branches, floating from the bars of tall lighting platforms.The stage, accented with vibrant stripes of yellow fuchsia, holds colorful pots of plants and blankets of flowers. Music rings out, thanks to the Dust Ensemble. ‘Benvenuto a Verona’ proclaims a sign over one of the big curlicues framing the stage. Araoz infuses the whole production with that Italianate flavor. Wealthy teens like Romeo, of the house of Montague, and Juliet, of the house of Capulet, come of age in a world of festival and ritual, high passion and deep mourning. Of course they fall in love at first sight; of course their love ends in catastrophe a few days later. Araoz has built a world for them of vibrant color, a world calibrated entirely to maximum measures.”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch by Judith Newmark, June 2, 2018 about Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
about Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
“disciplined direction of Elena Araoz, who knows how to give this stageful of tormented souls their due.”
Light and Sound America, by David Barbour, December 14, 2016 about Alligator with The Sol Project and New Georges
Theatre is Easy, by Billy McEntee, December 6, 2016 about Alligator with The Sol Project and New Georges