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Joy Nesbitt

Theatre Director Playwright Musician

Joy Nesbitt (she/her) is a director, writer, and musician originally from Dallas, Texas. Joy is inspired by stories of Black Femininity and postcolonial imagination. Her work focuses on how we develop and morph our identities in the wake of ancestors who have survived through systems of oppression. Her style is often absurd, darky satirical, and employs an intentional use of music. She has been named on The Irish Times and Sunday Times' lists of "Ones to Watch in 2024." In 2022, Joy attended the Theatre Directing MFA at The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Arts. She is a 2021 recipient of the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts for the sum of her artistic activities at Harvard University. Joy is a Director SEED for Rough Magic Theatre Company, a Writer under the mentorship of Enda Walsh for Theatre For One with Landmark Productions, and a member of the 2023 cohort of the Rachel Baptiste Programme at Smock Alley Theatre. Joy is also a recipient of Virgin Media's Discover Grant for her short film, The Knife, Produced by Keeper Pictures. www.joynesbitt.com

Credits

Director & Writer, Julius Caesar Variety Show, The New Theatre, 1 Week Run, 2024
Director, Boyfriends, Project Arts Centre, 2 Week Run, 2024
Director, My Sister in This House , The Lir Academy, 1 Week Run, 2024
Director, Spear, Corrib Theatre, 3 Week Run, 2024
Director, Listen, A Black Woman is Speaking, Project Arts Centre, One Night Only, 2023
Assistant Director, The Loved Ones, The Gate Theatre and The Lime Tree Theatre, 1 Month Run, 2023
Director, The King of All Birds, Project Arts Centre, 1 Week Run, 2023
Director, endings., Project Arts Centre and Smock Alley Theatre, 2 Week Run, 2023
Assistant Director, Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Lir Academy, 1 Week Run 2022
Director, Appropriate, The Lir Academy, 1 Week Run, 2022
Assistant Director, Lost Lear, The Riverbank Arts Centre and Project Arts Centre, 1 Month Run + 1 Month Ireland tour, 2022-2023
Director, Reflections, The Lir Academy, 1 Week Run, 2022
Director, Canonical, Smock Alley Theatre, 1 Week Run, 2022
Director, Reasons to be Pretty, Harvard University, 1 Week Run, 2021
Director, R+J: An Ultramodern Fantasia, Harvard University, 1 Week Run (Zoom), 2020
Director, God of Carnage, Harvard University, 1 Week Run (Zoom), 2020
Assistant Music Director, We Live in Cairo, American Repertory Theatre, 1 Month Run, 2019
Music Director, Mamma Mia, American Repertory Theatre, 2 Week Run, 2019
Music Director, A Very Potter Musical, American Repertory Theatre, 2 Week Run, 2018

Training

MFA in Theatre Directing, The Lir Academy of Dramatic Art, Dublin, IE
A.B. in Social Anthropology and Music, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

Location

London

Experience

2-5 years

Art forms / Disciplines

  • Comedy
  • Film - feature
  • Film - short
  • Music
  • Theatre / Live perfomance
  • TV - drama

What I do

  • Directing
  • Dramaturgy
  • Music - Can learn by ear
  • Music - Singing
  • Music Composition
  • Performing
  • Site Responsive/Immersive
  • Theatre making
  • Working with young people
  • Working within a Community / with community participants
  • Workshopping & Development
  • Writing

Social