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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

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