J. R. Sullivan

Curriculum Vitae

Director, Writer

Member, SSDC; AEA

Contact:  Sheldon Lubliner
Professional Artists
321 West 44thStreet, Suite 605
New York, New York 10036
212.247.8770 (Tel.)
212.977.5686 (Fax)
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2002 – Present
Associate Artistic Director, Utah Shakespearean Festival
Serving on the Festival’s artistic management team while also directing two productions each season. Supervising the ongoing artistic management of Festival productions from planning to pre-production to performance. Assisting in play selection, casting, and the selection of directors and designers. Participating in long-range strategic planning as well as serving as a spokesperson for the Festival at selected press and public events. 

1972 – 1994
Founder and Producing Artistic Director, New American Theater; Rockford, Illinois
Produced 22 seasons totaling more than 200 productions, directing three to five of these productions each season. Responsible for creating and guiding the artistic mission and plan for the company, as well as developing and maintaining company policies and procedures. Established and coordinated programs in Development and Marketing; also established Outreach and Community Service programs that included Touring (schools, community centers, parks, seniors) and Education. Created two adjunct performance companies, an all-city high school troupe called the Young American Theater, and a community artists program, the Black Theater Ensemble.  Spearheaded and successfully concluded a 1.8 million dollar campaign to renovate a central city location into the New American Theater Center in 1985.

1982-1989
Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Beloit College Festival Theatre; Beloit, Wisconsin
In association with Beloit College, established a summer season home for the New American Theater Company. Produced 8 seasons totaling 27 productions, directing one to two of these each season. Responsible for administering the artistic and management plan for the theater. Worked in conjunction with college administrative personnel in development, marketing, and public relations activities.

Representative Directing Credits:

Off-Broadway

Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Utah Shakespearean Festival

Regional

New American Theater  (representative list)
CARELESS LOVE (Premiere)               BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY
DANCING AT LUGHNASA                   THE GRAPES OF WRATH
OUR TOWN                                     EVELYN AND THE POLKA KING
OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD                     STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
SHIRLEY VALENTINE                         VOICE OF THE PRAIRIE
ROMEO AND JULIET                          AS YOU LIKE IT
TAMING OF THE SHREW                    AMADEUS
CANDIDE                                          EQUUS
TALLEY’S FOLLY                                FIFTH OF JULY
LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

Festival Theatre (representative list)
THE BUNKHOUSE (Premiere)              THE GIN GAME
PRIVATE LIVES                                CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
OF MICE AND MEN                            A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

International

Vasil Drumev Dramatic Theatre, Shumen, Bulgaria
(Under the aegis of the International Theatre Institute and the United States Information Agency)
ALL MY SONS                       Miller                     1988
ON GOLDEN POND                Thompson             1989

Turgenev Dramatic Theatre, Orel, Russia
FOOL FOR LOVE                   Shepard                 1991

University and College

THE RIVALS                          Sheridan
Penn State University MFA Program                      2006

THE COUNTRY WIFE              Wycherley           
University of South Carolina MFA Program              2006

LOVE’S LABOURS LOST          Shakespeare
University of South Carolina MFA Program              2004

LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN       Wilde                 
University of California/Irvine MFA Program             2003

ARCADIA                               Stoppard
Beloit College                                                    2000

ARMS AND THE MAN               Shaw
University of Delaware Professional Theatre
Training Program (PTTP)                                    1998

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU Kaufman & Hart
University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee
MFA Professional Theatre Training Program            1997

MISS JULIE                             Strindberg
University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee
MFA Professional Theatre Training Program            1996

BELOIT COLLEGE Productions                          1979-1985
SCAPINO!                                 MOONCHILDREN
SPOKESONG                             13 RUE DE L’AMOUR
MINNESOTA MOON                    SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS

Teaching

Instructor, Second City Training Center, Chicago, Illinois
Beginning Acting/Scene Study                                     1994 -1998

Visiting Instructor, Beloit College Department of Theatre Arts, Beloit, Wisconsin
Intermediate and Advanced Acting, Auditioning, Directing, Theatre Management 1979 – 1988

Instructor, New American Theater Drama School, Rockford, Illinois
Acting, Theatre History                                               1972 – 1990

Writing/Producing/Performing
“J. R. Sullivan’s HOMETOWN HOLIDAY”
Fifteen Seasons, in Performance and Live Broadcast, WNIU-WNIJ,
Northern Public Radio (Rockford/Dekalb, Illinois)     1994 – 2008

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE        from Austen
Adapted in collaboration with Joseph Hanreddy                2008

A CHRISTMAS CAROL         from Dickens                         1991

THE NEW SPOON RIVER      from Masters                        1985

FIREHOUSE RITES (original play)                                     1978

AN EVENING WITH BEN HECHT,   from Hecht                  1972
Performed as one-man show                               1972 – 2006

Acting (representative list)
DANCING AT LUGHNASA                  Michael
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE                  Mortimer Brewster
GUYS AND DOLLS                           Nathan Detroit
THE FRONT PAGE                           Walter Burns
WHOSE LIFE IS IT, ANYWAY?          Ken Harrison
JOE EGG                                        Brian
THREE MEN ON A HORSE                 Patsy
HUGHIE                                         Erie Smith
ARMS AND THE MAN                       Bluntschli   
AN AMERICAN DREAM                      Daddy

Other

Member, American Delegation, International Theatre Institute, 1984.
One of five American theater directors invited to visit and observe the work of theater artists in West Berlin, East Berlin, Bulgaria, France.
Member, Illinois Arts Council Theater Panel, 1986-1988, 1990-1992.
Guest Commentator, Northern Public Radio, WNIU-WNIJ, 1991-1994.

Awards/Citations
Rockford Park District Distinguished Service Award – 1994
Beloit College Distinguished Alumni Award – 1991
The Mayor’s Arts Award (Rockford) – 1990
Honorary Life Member, Illinois Theatre Association – 1982
Rockford Chamber of Commerce Forward Rockford Award – 1981
Rockford Jaycees Distinguished Service Award – 1979

Education
Bachelor of Arts, Beloit College – 1972
Theatre Arts/English Composition