DAVID NIELDS

Theatre Director/Instructor – 2000 to 2009, Williston Northampton School

 

Responsible for artistic direction, curriculum and execution of the entire theatre education program for all students:

• Direct three major productions a year

• Write original scripts for annual children’s series

• Compose original songs and scores for children’s series

• Manage an annual budget of $25,000

• Oversee and manage a professional design staff and student assistants

• Market all productions to community, including posters, press releases, ads

• Teach 100-150 students a year

• Advise and mentor 8 – 12 students

• Employed by Walt Disney World during 2007 sabbatical, participating in classes at Disney University, interviewing Disney Entertainment leaders, and serving as cast member driving a safari truck in Kilimanjaro Safaris

 

Classes include:

 

• Introduction to the Theatre: Focus on acting fundamentals. Texts include Boleslavsy’s Acting, the First Six Lessons and Shurtleff’s Audition. Apply concepts to scene study, intensive monologue work and audition technique.

 

• Theatre Production: Focus on directing techniques, ranging from Hodge to Grotowski, culminating in student directed staged readings. Texts include works by Pinter, Becket, Shepard, Artaud and Jarry. Class includes a history of the theatre from Ancient Greece to the present.

 

• Advanced Acting: Intensive acting class with emphasis on Stanislavsky. Class introduces Meyerhold, Grotowski and Artaud. Scene study work includes Shakespeare.

 

• Playwriting: Introduction to playwriting techniques, including format, structure, subtext, character development and conflict. Texts include works by Aristotle, Brecht, and Artaud.

 

Musician, 1990 – 2001, the Nields

• Played lead guitar, wrote songs for the band

• Toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada, releasing 8 albums on Razor & Tie, Guardian/E.M.I., and Zoe Records

• Served as Road Manager

• Songs placed in PBS The Egg, and Academy Award™ nominated short Seraglio

 

Resident Directorial Assistant, September 1990 – May 1991, Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger

• Assisted all directors (including Michael Kahn and René Buch) on four major productions for the season: Richard III (Stacey Keach), Othello (Avery Brooks, Andre Braugher), Fuente Ovejuna, King Lear (Fritz Weaver)

• Rehearsed understudies and participated in casting

• Taught classes in Acting Shakespeare for educational outreach program

• Wrote for Asides, Shakespeare Theatre Company magazine