Shenandoah Conservatory welcomes Broadway artists Mark Schneider and Jason Gillman as guest directors for two musical theatre productions in Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre this fall. Schneider will guest-direct 鈥Into the Woods,鈥 running Thursday, Oct. 5, through Sunday, Oct. 8, and Adjunct Associate Professor of Musical Theatre Jason Gillman, B.F.A., will guest-direct and choreograph 鈥Rent,鈥 running Thursday, Nov. 16, through Sunday, Nov. 19.
鈥淚n this production of 鈥業nto the Woods,鈥 we’re exploring the poignant desperation of characters whose lives hinge on the fulfillment of a wish,鈥 said Schneider. 鈥淲e’re not just venturing into the fairy-tale woods; we’re navigating the complex landscape of human vulnerability and resilience. It’s an evocative experience that delves into the heart of what drives us 鈥 both the wishes we make and the paths we choose, and sometimes, are forced to take.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to be here at Shenandoah working with these amazingly talented students in this incredibly positive and creative atmosphere,鈥 said Gillman.
Harold Herman Chair in Musical Theatre, Associate Professor of Theatre and Music Director Patrick Brady will provide music direction for both 鈥淚nto the Woods鈥 and Rent,鈥 and Adjunct Auxiliary Associate Professor of Dance Mary Robare, B.A., will serve as choreographer for 鈥淚nto the Woods.鈥
鈥淗ow incredibly fortunate for our musical theatre students to have the opportunity to work with not one, but two well-respected Broadway artists this semester,鈥 said Director of Musical Theatre, Coordinator of Recruitment for Musical Theatre, Charles B. Levitin Chair in Musical Theatre and Associate Professor of Theatre Kevin Covert, B.F.A. 鈥淏oth Mark Schneider and Jason Gillman have an incredible well of knowledge to share with our students. We are delighted to have both of these amazing artists here at Shenandoah.鈥
About Mark Schneider
Schneider is a theatre director and acting coach with a career spanning over 25 years in both commercial and nonprofit theatre. His impressive body of work encompasses a wide range of productions, including new works, classics and musicals.
His most recent directorial credit was serving as a resident director of 鈥淗amilton鈥 on tour with the AndPeggy and Angelica companies. Among his regional directing credits are 鈥淪even Brides for Seven Brothers鈥 (MUNY, Kevin Kline Award winner), 鈥淏oeing-Boeing鈥 (Old Globe Theater in San Diego, California, and Festival Borgio-Verezzi, Italy) and 鈥淢acbeth鈥 (The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.).
On Broadway, Schneider has made significant contributions to thirteen productions. He served as the resident director of the Tony-nominated Best Revival of 鈥淢iss Saigon鈥 and as the associate director of the Tony Award-winning 鈥淏eautiful, The Carole King Musical.鈥 His musical credits also include working as the associate director of 鈥淎nnie The Musical,鈥 directed by James Lapine; the resident director of 鈥淏illy Elliot: The Musical,鈥 directed by Stephen Daldry; and the associate director of Jason Robert Brown’s teen musical, 鈥13,鈥 which featured Ariana Grande’s Broadway debut. Schneider has also been an associate director on two Tony Award-winning Best Revivals 鈥 the comedies 鈥淭he Norman Conquests鈥 and 鈥淏oeing-Boeing,鈥 each directed by Matthew Warchus. Additionally, he enjoyed a five-year collaboration with Tony Award-winner Doug Hughes, both regionally and on Broadway, including their work on the Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning 鈥淒oubt鈥 by John Patrick Shanley.
Schneider has worked on numerous musicals in development, including 鈥淭he Jungle Book,鈥 鈥淔rozen,鈥 鈥淏ull Durham,鈥 鈥淭op Hat鈥 and 鈥淭ake the Lead.鈥 He has contributed to new plays by John Patrick Shanley, Jon Robin Baitz, Richard Greenberg, Stephen Belber, Theresa Rebeck, Alfred Uhry, Beau Willimon and Patrick Marber. He has collaborated with such acclaimed actors as Christopher Plummer, Brian Dennehy, Gabriel Byrne, Alfred Molina and Cherry Jones. He has engaged organizations devoted to new work development including the Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Class Company, New Dramatists (Composer/ Librettist Studio), NYU Goldberg School of Dramatic Writing, New York Stage and Film, Minneapolis鈥 Guthrie Theater, and The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
As a professional acting coach, Schneider鈥檚 students have appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, on tour, regionally, on television and in film. Notably, he contributed to the Jay-Z/Will Smith film production of 鈥淎nnie鈥 in 2013, coaching Oscar-nominee Quvenzhane Wallis in the title role. Wallis’ performance as the plucky New York orphan garnered her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture 鈥 Comedy or Musical. Schneider’s expertise is also in demand for leading acting workshops with nationally recognized organizations such as the Broadway Teaching Group, the National Student Leadership Conference and The Growing Studio in New York City.
Schneider is a longtime member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and he has previously been affiliated with the Actors Equity Association. He has received grants and fellowships from prestigious institutions such as The Drama League of New York, Manhattan Theater Club, Lincoln Center Theater and The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. In 2016, he was honored with the President’s Award for Extraordinary Service from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society in recognition of his efforts to improve employment terms for Broadway resident and associate directors and choreographers.
About Jason Gillman
Gillman starred as Freddie Benson opposite John Lithgow and Jonathan Pryce in 鈥淒irty Rotten Scoundrels鈥 on Broadway. Additional Broadway credits include 鈥淐hicago,鈥 鈥淭horoughly Modern Millie,鈥 鈥淣ever Gonna Dance,鈥 鈥淎nnie Get Your Gun,鈥 鈥淗ello, Dolly!鈥 with Carol Channing, and most recently, the original company of 鈥淟egally Blonde The Musical.鈥
He has performed nationally and internationally with several Broadway tours. Gillman has appeared at countless regional theatres across the country, including The Fifth Avenue Theatre (Seattle), Walnut Street Theatre (Philadelphia), Coconut Grove Playhouse (Miami), Art Park (Buffalo), Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and The Berkshire Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. Gillman has also done extensive commercial and television work, including appearances on 鈥淟aw & Order,鈥 鈥淭he Rosie O鈥橠onnell Show,鈥 鈥淭he Dana Carvey Show,鈥 鈥淭he Today Show鈥 and the Kennedy Center Honors. Gillman was educated at the University of Florida, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting, and continued his training in New York City, where he studied with Sanford Meisner prot茅g茅 Vivian Matalon.