John Thiel
Theatre-maker. Teacher. Community Engaged Practitioner.
Recent and Upcoming Projects
I returned to teach with Stockton Civic Theatre's virtual summer youth program this year. I organized and taught courses in acting, devising, auditioning, and dance.
I directed the "Zoom plays" Breathe and The Bremen Town Rock Musicians with two fantastic casts of young artists.
This devised theatre project with Emerson undergraduate students, as part of my MFA thesis researching cultural learning in college-level theatre training, aims to reexamine how we devise, what resources are meaningful for us, what collaboration can look like when we start with our own journeys, and what place our cultural practices and traditions have in speaking to our current work.
Rehearsals February 11-March 29
Performances March 20-21
This week I will be teaching workshops in Lizzy Cooper Davis's "Acting Fundamentals" course at Emerson College.
We'll be discussing a section from Tadashi Suzuki's Culture is the Body and working with gesture, memory, and place as a technique for deepening our understanding of where we come from as performers.
Devising New Theatre
I got to return to some of my roots as a theatremaker and taught workshops on devised theatre practice with over thirty high school students from Somerville, Lexington, Westwood, Wellesley, Boston Arts Academy.
Emerson College High School Drama Festival
January 25, 2020
This summer I will be performing in Bobby Britton's powerful play "Revival: a Southern Gothic Gospel Cabaret."
Davenport's Piano Bar
1383 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL, 60622
June 15, 2019, 8:00pm
The Tank
312 W 36th St1st Floor
New York, NY 10018
Juney 26, 2019, 8:00pm
Out of This World
Bright Start Afterschool K-2nd grade play
Created by John Thiel in collaboration with the cast
Monday, April 29, 2019
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
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This semester, I have had the privilege of directing this devised piece with Kidding Around, Emerson's student organization that produces theatre for young audiences.
What Remains Hidden (Is Still Known)
Directed by Rinde Eckert
Emerson Stage
As assistant director and member of the ensemble, I'm proud to share this work!
I had a great time in Quebec City at Laval University attending a theatre education symposium organized by the Groupe de Recherche Sur l'Enseignement du Théâtre (Theatre Education Research Group). I got to listen to several practitioners share about inspiring work that is happening around the world in classrooms, public spaces, and theaters. I'm looking forward to staying in contact with this community of artists and researchers.
Social Justice Festival
Theatre Education Graduate Association
Emerson College
"This Saturday is TEGA's festival rooted in the work of justice in our communities. Members of our Emerson community will be performing, facilitating workshops, sharing work, and reflecting together on our practices as we grow as theatre educators. Come see, participate, eat, laugh, devise, be challenged, learn, and grow."
When: Saturday October 13, 2018 events from 10:30am-9:30pm
Where: Cabaret Theater, 52 Summer Street/Arch Street
This week, July 20-29, I am a participant in the Urban Bush Women Summer Leadership Institute, held this year in Phoenix, AZ. The theme is "You, Me, We: Understanding Internalized Racial Oppression and How It Manifests in Our Artistic Community."
I look forward to sharing the ways I have grown with the other participants in this ten-day institute. In the area? We have Summer Leadership Institute Culminating Performances on July 28 at 4pm and 7:30pm at the Nelson Fine Arts Center on the Arizona State University Campus.
Community Storytelling
I am looking forward to facilitating times of storytelling with church communities in Boston and California this summer using the questions: When was a time you had to fight for or against something? and When was a time you knew that you could trust someone?
I am thrilled to perform with musician Anna Zimmerman in a movement-music piece. This is our second performance in five months of collaboration.
June 7, 2018, 8:00pm
New England Conservatory
241 St Botolph Pierce Hall
Bring Them Home
Directed by Víctor Gacitúa
A devised piece giving voice to lost children and to the sea, exploring our understandings of the refugee experience through action theater, Neruda poetry, and the songs that we sing.
April 24, 9:00pm
Green Theater
Emerson College
"Viewpoints in Cross-Disciplinary Improvisation"
Part performance, part skills sharing, John Thiel and local musician Anna Zimmerman will highlight discoveries made applying Viewpoints technique to movement improvisations with live music. We will invite the audience to be participants.
April 14, 7:30pm
Theatre Education Graduate Association Festival
Cabaret Theater
Emerson College
