SUSP - Sketch Directing: How to be a Fun Boss With a Serious Agenda with Joanna Simmons

Joanna Simmons is a performer, director and teacher based in NYC. She has directed over 20 original solo shows at such venues as Wild Project (Never Talk in Costume, Royal), UCB (I'm Coming), The Magnet (Asian Gracefully, What the Hell?, A Walking Tour of Mag's Corners), the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (I'm Coming), The PIT (Dear Diary, Causality) and the Tank (Magnificent Murder Magic Show, Royal). She has directed sketch for Nitro Girls (Magnet), What Would Do, and Presley (UCB- Maude Night), as well as independent teams OSFUG and Kiss On The Lips. She has directed scripted comedy at Magnet (APT33) and UCB (How To Write a Book, Famous Male Duo, Plane Crashed). She served as Associate Artistic Director at Story Pirates for over ten years, casting and training hundreds of actors and directors in NYC and LA. Ongoing projects include, "The Magnificent Murder Magic Show" (The Tank, March 2020), "Royal" (Edinburgh Fringe, August 2020), "HelpMe:ThankYou" (in development), "Overqualified" (Halifax Fringe Festival September 2020). She has taught classes independently in Solo Show Creation, and Direction of Original Material. Joanna got her BA in theater at Northwestern University. www.joannasimmons.me