DIRECTOR
CREATIVE AND ASTUTE DIRECTOR
My acting background was originally film. As a director, I have done mostly stage but would love the opportunity to direct film.
I also have conducted numerous scriptwriting/performing workshops. My goal was always to expose the writers, performers and crew as well a the audience to the possibilities of accessible and quality ART. I gained a lot of experience in the process. I have worked with less than great scripts and inexperienced actors and produced very fine results .
- Works well within budget and time constraints;
- Motivates cast and crew to their absolute best;
- Creatively adapts to capabilities of talent;
- Artistically creates within the frame of site, budget, talent, and time;
- Complements with critique;
- Regardful of the TEAM;
- Positive in management of diva’s
- Smoothly re-focuses emotional outbursts
- Keeps extremely cool when all others are stressing!
Film
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30 second Hyatt Commercial
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Casting co-Director of Short film: Damage
Stage
Participant: Directors Lab West 2016
- How Violet Met Watson by Susan Goodell, 2016 Short + Sweet Hollywood
- How the Onion was Nearly Scorched by Annette Lust; Director, 2012 Spring Fringe of Marin Audience award for Best Director
- Point of View: Writer/Director 2012 Spring Fringe of Marin Critic & audience best play, best director, and best actress
- Sally by Don Samson; Director 2012 Treat Street Theatre Project, San Francisco, CA
- Saturday In the Park With Vic;Writer/Director 2011 Fringe of Marin Audience Awards for Director/ Female Lead/Male Lead Critics award for Director/ Female Lead/ Male lead
- Fringe of Marin; Production Manager/Program Manger; Fringe of Marin, San Raphael, CA
- Healing Court; Director 2010 Fringe of Marine, CA–Audience Awards for Director/ Female Lead/Male Lead Critics award for Female Lead/ Male lead PHOTOS
- Proof by David Auburn; Director Birrell/Jones Production “Ultimately the greatest credit for the unqualified success of this production goes to director Suzanne Birrell. She is able to draw from her actors absolutely genuine emotions, totally believable moment to moment, while never losing sight of the play’s overall arc. She picks up on the essential playfulness of the strategic games set up in the script and directs her actors to toy with each other in a playful manner, providing a strong contrast to the script’s serious side.” Review: Bay Area Times “The actors’ physicality throughout was true, seemingly spontaneous. Suzanne Birrell is the rare director who lets her actors take time to think during a scene. She is not afraid of pauses and trusts her actors to convey their character’s inner workings in stillness.” Review: For All Events “did i ever tell you how liberating your direction was for “proof?” in particular the longer monologues (“browsing…”) — you’re in-
sisting that i take the time to see/savor all the imagery and not just rapidly spit out the words (as other directors might ). tx.” Kevin
- Odile, My Daughter; Director; The Fringe of Marin, San Raphael, CA-Audience Awards for Director/ Female Lead/Female supporting Photos
- Crossing Delancy Director Theater Ensemble Arts, NM—Regional Awards: BEST FEMALE LEAD, BEST MALE LEAD, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Little Nell (a melodrama) Special Assistant Director Theater Ensemble Arts, NM
- Kate Wears a Kilt by Catherine Creel A.D., Stunt choreographer Creel Productions, CO
- Coping A.D., Choreographer Pagosa Players, CO
- Death Trap Stunt choreographer Columbia Entertainment Company, MO
- A Most Happy Fella A.D., Choreographer Mineral Area Community Theater, MO
Newspaper reviews: A Most Happy Fella
Best Dancing Ever to Hit our Stage! Dallas will knock your Shoes off!
- Mama’s Bank Account A.D., Special Effects & animal wrangler Mineral Area Community Theater, MO
- Anything Goes A.D., Assistant Choreographer Mineral Area Community Theater, MO
- Joseph & His Many Tech. Coat A.D., Stage Manager Mineral Area Comm. Theater, MO
- The Bargain Store Director Madisonville Community Theater, KY
- A Melodrama A.D., Stage Manager Lake Arrowhead Fine Arts Group,
- The Still Alarm Director Lake Arrowhead Fine Arts Group,
- The Sound of Music A.D.; Children’s Vocal Coach Lake Arrowhead Fine Arts Group
CREATIVE AND ASTUTE DIRECTOR
Image courtesy of Suzanne | Chuck Jones Photography