DAVID SCHWEIZER

David Schweizer emerged from Yale Drama School to make his New York debut at the age of twenty-four at Lincoln Center opening the brand new Mitzi Newhouse Theater with his radical version of Shakespeare’s TROILUS AND CRESSIDA for producer Joseph Papp. And, some decades later, he returned to Lincoln Center with his acclaimed staging of Richard Rodney Bennett’s opera THE MINES OF SULPHUR for the New York City Opera. Over the years he has always directed a vastly eclectic mix of theatrically innovative work in a wide range of styles and venues. Early career highlights include world premiere productions by such playwrights as Sam Shepard, Michael Weller, Albert Innaurato, Maria Irene Fornes, Len Jenkin, Ronald Tavel, Austin Pendleton, and many others in New York City. More recent work off-Broadway/ Charles Mee’s WINTERTIME at Second Stage, William Hamilton’s WHITE CHOCOLATE at Century Playhouse, Mark Campbell’s SONGS FROM AN UNMADE BED at the New York Theater Workshop and his critically-acclaimed collaborations with composer/performer Rinde Eckert, AND GOD CREATED GREAT WHALES (OBIE Award) and HORIZON (Lucille Lortel Award). His extensive work in both new and “old” opera theater includes Benjamin Britten’s ALBERT HERRING (Gotham Opera) Stephen Hartke’s THE GREATER GOOD (Glimmerglass Festival) several notable Verdi productions- MACBETTO at Boston Lyric Opera and GIOVNNA D’ARCO at Chicago Opera Theater. His production of Victory Ullmann’s THE EMPEROR OF ATLANTIS in Boston was a ten best of the year NY Times pick. His many works for the innovative Long Beach Opera include Thomas Ades POWDER HER FACE, Michael Nymann’s THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT, Antonio Vivaldi’s MONTEZUMA and many others. He has directed extensively at most prominent regional and international theaters including Arena Stage, Trinity Rep, Yale Rep, The Mark Taper  Forum, Geffen Playhouse,  Children’s Theater Company (Minneapolis), Magic Theater, and Center Stage (Baltimore) where his new production of  Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori’s CAROLINE OR CHANGE and Melanie Marnich’s THESE SHINING LIVES (world premiere) are notable among his many shows there, including an upcoming revival of NEXT TO NORMAL next season. Numerous international residences in Warsaw, Krakow, Lisbon, Hamburg, London (his own adaptation of PLATO’s SYMPOSIUM at the ICA) Stockholm (a tour of his collaboration with Theatre X, Foucalt’s A HISTORY OF SEXUALITY) and Toga Village, Japan. Schweizer’s work with performance and solo artists includes Ann Magnuson (YOU COULD BE HOME NOW, RAVE MOM in New York and LA) Sandra Tsing Loh (ALIENS IN AMERICA, SUGAR PLUM FAIRY LA and touring) John Fleck, Carmelita Tropicana, Mark Wolf and most recently Marga Gomez (LOS BIG NAMES in NYC and LOVE BIRDS in San Francisco) and Mike Albo whose off-Broadway hit THE JUNKET is currently running at the Lynn Redgrave Theater off-Broadway. Upcoming, the world premiere of Beth Henley’s LAUGH and Frank Martin’s rarely heard opera LE VIN HERBE.