SARAH O'CONNELL
THEATRE DIRECTOR - EAT MORE ART!*
SARAH O'CONNELL is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area where she served as the Associate Artistic Director of Impact Theatre. She holds a Master of Drama degree in Directing from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Her work has been performed internationally, and includes several regional and world premiere productions. She is an alumnus of the West Coast and Chicago Director's Labs, and La Mama ETC in Umbria. In addition to teaching at UNLV and CSN, she has worked at a variety of professional companies including American Conservatory Theatre , TheatreWorks, the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and Glasgow's Theatre Cryptic. Since 2003 she has served as Artistic DIrector of The Asylum Theatre in Las Vegas, and co-owner of Axislights Inc, a production lighting services company. In 2015 she founded EatMoreArtVegas.com, a website dedicated to the promotion of Las Vegas independent theatre featuring audience ratings and professional reviews. Ms. O'Connell is a Member of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) and an Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). In 2018, she was nominated for the Stage Directors and Choreogrpahers Foundation Zelda Fichandler Award for impact in Regional Theatre.
Theatre Directing
2010 - present
The Grief Dialogues Director The Asylum Theatre
By Donna Hoke, Mark Levin, Cockroach Theatre
Daniel Guyton, Paul Atreides,
Barbara Blumenthol, Elizabeth Coplan
Sex with Strangers Director LV Little Theatre
By Laura Eason
Cyber-O Director The Asylum Theatre
By Tom Misuraca [Staged Reading]
Subtenant Director The Asylum Theatre
By Daniel Hirsch [World Premiere]
The Leader Director Art Square Theatre
By Eugene Ionesco
She Kills Monsters Director Onyx Theatre
By Qui Nguyen
The Bourgie Willie B Director The Asylum Theatre
By S.J. Hodges [World Premiere]
Veils Director The Asylum Theatre
by Tom Coash [Regional Premiere]
The Food Chain Director Off-Strip Productions
By Nicky Silver
Reckoning Director The Asylum Theatre
by Jenny Seidelman [Staged Reading]
Object of Affection Director Art Square Theatre
by Thomas J. Misuraca
The eBook of Love Director The Asylum Theatre
by Thomas J. Misuraca [Staged Reading]
The Seagull Director CSN
by Anton Chekhov, Translated by Itallie
Cherry, Cherry, Lemon Director The Asylum Theatre
by Keri Healey
The Sungazers Director The Asylum Theatre
by Erica Griffin [Staged Reading]
Chatting With the Tea Party Director The Asylum Theatre
by Rich Orloff [Staged Reading]
Camp Lake Sunny Lake Director Art Square Theatre
by Wayne Rawley
Mercy Director The Asylum Theatre
by Adam Szymkowicz [Staged Reading]
Moon Over Buffalo Director LV LittleTheatre
by Ken Ludwig
The Man Who Turned Into a Dog Director The Asylum Theatre
by Osvaldo Dragun
Good Dog Director The Asylum Theatre
by Bret Fetzer
Dog Lady Director The Asylum Theatre
by Milcha Sanchez-Scott
Gum Director CSN
by Karen Hartman
The Mother of Modern Censorship Director CSN
by Karen Hartman
The Emperor Jones Director The Asylum Theatre/
by Eugene O’Neill CSN Co-production
adapted by Sarah O’Connell
The Devil, the Damsel, and Demon Rum Director The Asylum Theatre
by Raymond Hull & Mike Corda [World Premiere]
Wait! Director The Asylum Theatre
by Julie Jensen
9 Second Window Director The Asylum Theatre
by Wil Matthews [Staged Reading]
Planet Janet Director The Asylum Theatre
by Bret Fetzer
Seascapes Director The Asylum Theatre
by Liz Amberly [World Premiere]
Terrible Infant Director The Asylum Theatre
by Chris VanStrander [Staged Reading]
Fire Water Director The Asylum Theatre
by Donald Lewis [Staged Reading]
Finding A Contemporary God Director The Asylum Theatre
by Chris Mann [World Premiere]
The Difficulty of Crossing a Field Assistant Director American Conservatory
by Mac Wellman and David Lang Theatre, Kronos
(Carey Perloff, Director) Quartet
[World Premiere]
Impact Briefs 5: The East Bay Hit Director Impact Theatre
by Bret Fetzer, Juliet Waller, Melissa Hillman,
Elizabeth Bernstein, Michael Maiello,
Andrew Shemin, Jessica Hird, & Euripides
Lost Cause Director Impact Theatre
by Jefferson Arca [World Premiere]
Planet Janet Director Impact Theatre
by Bret Fetzer
Blood Wedding Director University of San
by Federico Garcia Lorca Francisco
TV Sucks My Ass Director Impact Theatre
by Erin Carr [World Premiere]
The Chalky White Substance Director Chandler Theatre
by Tennessee Williams [Scottish Premiere]
Purgatory Director Chandler Theatre
by W.B. Yeats
Electra Assistant Director Theatre Cryptic,
by Claire Venables Edinburgh Festival
(Cathie Boyd, Director) British Council
Showcase and
International Tour
[World Premiere]
Measure for Measure Assistant Director Sir Alexander Gibson
by William Shakespeare Opera Studio & Eastern (Joyce Deans, Director) European Tour w/
James McAvoy
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Director Highland Summer Rep by Stephen Sondheim
Maria Q Director Cal State University,
by Cecilie Løveid Hayward [US Premiere]
(Edgardo de la Cruz, Co-director)
All in the Timing Director Cal State University,
by David Ives Hayward
2010 - present
Teaching
Adjunct Professor- College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas – 8/2006 - Present
Adjunct professor of Theatre in the Performing Arts department. Coursework focused on theatre appreciation, acting, directing, script analysis, speech for the sage, classical theatre and contemporary acting styles. Texts used include Audition, Respect for Acting, Style for Actors, Backwards and Forwards, and Acting One (as well as others).
Adjunct Professor- University of Nevada,LasVegas- 4/2004–Present
Part-time instructor of “Introduction to Theatre” course for non-majors at UNLV. Focused on an overview of theatre history, theatrical tradition and elements of production as they relate to cultural and artistic movements throughout time. UsingCohen’stext,Theatre:BriefVersion,as a guide,coursework included attendance of local productions, instruction on writing of critical reviews, explanation and demonstration of various approaches to acting and the role of the playwright and director in modern theatre.
Guest Lecturer -- California State University,Hayward - 3/2001–4/2002
Substitute instructor for Theatre and Dance department courses, including “Shakespeare in Film.”
Acting Coach -- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland,Glasgow - 1/1999–11/1999
Tutoring for academy students in analysis and technique with respect to performing Shakespeare and other heightened texts. Course work Included monologue preparation, elements of story telling,
research techniques, and stage movement.
Teaching Assistant to Professor Edgardo de la Cruz -- California State University,Hayward - 9/1996–8/1998
Assisted the instruction of continuing education students for an introductory theatre course. Curriculum included speech for stage, movement, improvisation, relaxation techniques, storytelling, and oral interpretation. Assisted in research and development of de la Cruz's book Directing for Theater.
Assistant to Professor Regina Cate -- California State University,Hayward- 2/1995–4/1998
Assistant to the director of the university’s Youth Theatre Program. Wrote and designed course study guides for teachers. Participated in arts outreach programs in local schools, aided in the organization of the annual department Shakespeare Festival.
Guest Instructor -- Various San Francisco Bay Area Schools- 9/1994–4/2002
Invited speaker to various elementary and secondary schools in the San Francisco Area. Sessions covering everything from the basic elements of production, to lessons on theatre history, and approaches to the acting process.
Leadership & Memberships
EatMoreArtVegas.com Managing Editor
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society(SDC) Associate Member
Member Nevada Arts Advocates (NAA), Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Literary Managers and Dramaturgs Association (LAMDA), Mnneapolis Playwrights Center
Golden Key National Honors Society LifetimeMember
Associate Artistic Director Impact Theatre, Dr. Melissa Hillman, Artistic Director
Assistant Stage Manager San Francisco Mime Troupe, "Eating It" tour
Marketing & Outreach TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Randy Adams, Managing Director
Training & Workshops
Master of Drama, Directing Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
BachelorofArts,Directing California State University, Hayward. Cum laude
Alumnus Director’s Lab West – 2003, Director’s Lab Chicago – 2006, LaMama ETC Umbria – 2010
MasterClass:Directing WilliamGaskill, London's National Theatre
MasterClass:Directing Heightened Language Giles Havergal, Glasgow's Citizen’sTheatre
MasterClass:Directing Shakespeare LibbeyAppel, Oregon Shakespeare Festival & Joanne Akalaitis, NY Public Theatre
MasterClass:Directing and Stage Design Ming Cho Lee,Yale School of Drama
Workshop: Writing New Noh, Theatre Nogaku
Workshop: Musical Theatre Techniques John Raitt
Extended Workshop: Biomechanics, Dr. Kelli Melson