Tlaloc Rivas is a stage director and theater instructor primarily interested in developing new plays that engage in a cross-cultural dialogue as well as reinventing the classics for the contemporary stage. With extensive experience in both, he has shown an adept hand in creating visceral, thoughtful, and socially relevant productions.
He recently joined the faculty at The University of Iowa's Department of Theatre Arts as Assistant Professor of Directing - and with that appointment became the first Chicano to teach directing at a NAST-accredited theatre program in the United States. He teaches both M.F.A. and Undergraduate courses in Directing and related subjects. He is also the co-chair of the steering committee for the Latino Theatre Commons, a national coalition of artists and leaders updating the narrative of Latina/os on the U.S. stage and to advocate for greater inclusion in the American Theatre.
He recently directed the world premiere of THE NEW WORLD for the inaugural Shakespeare in the Streets, an adaptation of THE TEMPEST co-created with Nancy Bell, Justin Barisonek & Gina Savoie (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, April 2012). The production was awarded "Most Ambitious Production" of 2012 by the St. Louis Post-Tribune. In 2008, Tlaloc was named a "Person of the Year" by NYTheatre.com. He is also the recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Directors and a Drama League Fellowship in Assistant Directing.
Upcoming new play development projects include INTO THE FALLS by Emily Dedinger and KOREANS EAT DOG by Sarah Cho for the Iowa New Play Festival, a TBA (new work) for The New Harmony Project, and serving as Associate Producer for a community-devised work with Cornerstone Theatre Company in Salinas, CA.
Other productions include: Shakespeare's CYMBELINE (Richmond Shakespeare Festival); Caridad Svich's THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, Diana Son's STOP KISS, Moliere's TARTUFFE, Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE (UMSL); Ken Ludwig's FOX ON THE FAIRWAY & Steven Dietz's BECKY'S NEW CAR (Insight Theater Company); Law Chavez's CABALLOS MUERTOS (University of New Mexico's Words Afire Festival); Kathleen Anderson Culebro's LA LLORONA: A LOVE STORY (Amphibian Stage Productions); Bertolt Brecht's THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE (Queens College NYC); Kia Corthron's FRONTIER (Artistic New Directions, NYC); JACKIE & LILY (52nd Street Project's Playmaking Project); Jen Silverman's NILA (Lark Play Development Center NYC); Amparo Garcia-Crow's STRIP CITY (Mabou Mines/PS122 - Resident Artist Program); Katori Hall's GONE - The Antigone Project (Fluid Motion Theatre & Film NYC); Shelagh Stevenson's FIVE KINDS OF SILENCE (Boundless Theater Company NYC); Tennessee Williams' SUMMER & SMOKE (Theatre Row, NYC); Noemi de la Puente's GENERIC HISPANIC (Puerto Rican Traveling Theater); Octavio Solis' LA POSADA MAGICA (Teatro Vision, San Jose, CA) and many others.
He graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz – where he received the Regents Presidential Award, Chancellor’s Honors and Dean of the Arts Award - and received his MFA in Directing from the University of Washington’s School of Drama. UW School of Drama productions included: THE LADY FROM THE SEA, THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, EL PASO BLUE, PATIENT A, EVERYTHING THAT RISES MUST CONVERGE, THE HOUSE OF RAMON IGLESIA, THE PITCHFORK DISNEY, and MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
His commitment to playwrights and new play development is exemplified with his work with companies such as New Dramatists, El Teatro Campesino, Cornerstone Theatre Company, INTAR, The Public Theater' (The Writer's Lab + New Work Now!), The Lark Play Development Center, 52nd Street Project, LAByrinth Theater Company, Primary Stages, Arden Theater Company, Dallas Theater Center, Amphibian Stage Productions, South Coast Repertory, Long Wharf Theater, Trinity Repertory Company, McCarter Theater, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Tlaloc has also taught/guest directed at NYU's Graduate Dramatic Writers Program, Bryn Mawr College, Queens College (CUNY), Arcadia University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, University of the Arts and The Wilma Theater. He is a recipient NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Directors - where he was mentored by directors Emily Mann, Oskar Eustis, Lisa Peterson, Tony Taccone and Joe Chaikin. He's served as a panelist for the National Endowment of the Arts, the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, and the Philadelphia Theater Initiative (a program of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage). He is a member of the Latina/o Focus Group for ATHE - Association of Theater in Higher Education and is an Associate Member of SDC - the national union for stage directors and choreographers. Tlaloc is a Usual Suspect for New York Theater Workshop.
He recently joined the faculty at The University of Iowa's Department of Theatre Arts as Assistant Professor of Directing - and with that appointment became the first Chicano to teach directing at a NAST-accredited theatre program in the United States. He teaches both M.F.A. and Undergraduate courses in Directing and related subjects. He is also the co-chair of the steering committee for the Latino Theatre Commons, a national coalition of artists and leaders updating the narrative of Latina/os on the U.S. stage and to advocate for greater inclusion in the American Theatre.
He recently directed the world premiere of THE NEW WORLD for the inaugural Shakespeare in the Streets, an adaptation of THE TEMPEST co-created with Nancy Bell, Justin Barisonek & Gina Savoie (Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, April 2012). The production was awarded "Most Ambitious Production" of 2012 by the St. Louis Post-Tribune. In 2008, Tlaloc was named a "Person of the Year" by NYTheatre.com. He is also the recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Directors and a Drama League Fellowship in Assistant Directing.
Upcoming new play development projects include INTO THE FALLS by Emily Dedinger and KOREANS EAT DOG by Sarah Cho for the Iowa New Play Festival, a TBA (new work) for The New Harmony Project, and serving as Associate Producer for a community-devised work with Cornerstone Theatre Company in Salinas, CA.
Other productions include: Shakespeare's CYMBELINE (Richmond Shakespeare Festival); Caridad Svich's THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, Diana Son's STOP KISS, Moliere's TARTUFFE, Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE (UMSL); Ken Ludwig's FOX ON THE FAIRWAY & Steven Dietz's BECKY'S NEW CAR (Insight Theater Company); Law Chavez's CABALLOS MUERTOS (University of New Mexico's Words Afire Festival); Kathleen Anderson Culebro's LA LLORONA: A LOVE STORY (Amphibian Stage Productions); Bertolt Brecht's THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE (Queens College NYC); Kia Corthron's FRONTIER (Artistic New Directions, NYC); JACKIE & LILY (52nd Street Project's Playmaking Project); Jen Silverman's NILA (Lark Play Development Center NYC); Amparo Garcia-Crow's STRIP CITY (Mabou Mines/PS122 - Resident Artist Program); Katori Hall's GONE - The Antigone Project (Fluid Motion Theatre & Film NYC); Shelagh Stevenson's FIVE KINDS OF SILENCE (Boundless Theater Company NYC); Tennessee Williams' SUMMER & SMOKE (Theatre Row, NYC); Noemi de la Puente's GENERIC HISPANIC (Puerto Rican Traveling Theater); Octavio Solis' LA POSADA MAGICA (Teatro Vision, San Jose, CA) and many others.
He graduated with honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz – where he received the Regents Presidential Award, Chancellor’s Honors and Dean of the Arts Award - and received his MFA in Directing from the University of Washington’s School of Drama. UW School of Drama productions included: THE LADY FROM THE SEA, THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, EL PASO BLUE, PATIENT A, EVERYTHING THAT RISES MUST CONVERGE, THE HOUSE OF RAMON IGLESIA, THE PITCHFORK DISNEY, and MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
His commitment to playwrights and new play development is exemplified with his work with companies such as New Dramatists, El Teatro Campesino, Cornerstone Theatre Company, INTAR, The Public Theater' (The Writer's Lab + New Work Now!), The Lark Play Development Center, 52nd Street Project, LAByrinth Theater Company, Primary Stages, Arden Theater Company, Dallas Theater Center, Amphibian Stage Productions, South Coast Repertory, Long Wharf Theater, Trinity Repertory Company, McCarter Theater, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Tlaloc has also taught/guest directed at NYU's Graduate Dramatic Writers Program, Bryn Mawr College, Queens College (CUNY), Arcadia University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, University of the Arts and The Wilma Theater. He is a recipient NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Directors - where he was mentored by directors Emily Mann, Oskar Eustis, Lisa Peterson, Tony Taccone and Joe Chaikin. He's served as a panelist for the National Endowment of the Arts, the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, and the Philadelphia Theater Initiative (a program of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage). He is a member of the Latina/o Focus Group for ATHE - Association of Theater in Higher Education and is an Associate Member of SDC - the national union for stage directors and choreographers. Tlaloc is a Usual Suspect for New York Theater Workshop.
