About

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Hunter Bird is a working producer, director, and performer in Los Angeles. Currently an undergraduate student at UCLA, Hunter is completing his BA in Theater (Emphasis in Musical Theater and Directing). Producing credits include Artistic Director of Act III Theatre Ensemble at UCLA, Event Coordinator of Southern California Festival of New American Musicals (with Stephen Schwartz, Bob Klein, and Marcia Seligson), Sweet Charity, Rosencrantz and Guildstern Are Dead, and CPC's Film Bianco y Negro. Directing credits include Nightmare Alley (Asst. Dir; Gil Cates- Dir) at The Geffen Playhouse, Jukebox: The Musical and Positively Wicked (with Ryan Scott Oliver), See What I Wanna See, The Wild Party (with Christopher Albrecht), A.R. Gurney's The Problem, Positively Wicked, and Dreamchild: A New Musical.Selected performance credits include West Side Story (Riff, dir. Coy Middlebrook), Little Shop of Horros (Seymour), Weird Romance (Daniel), A Funny Thing...Forum (Hysterium), and The Crucible (Samuel Parris). Writing credits include Dreamchild: A New Musical, It's Sunny and Raining, The White Birds, and iTalk uListen.. Awarded Gilbert Cates Fellowship (2009) and Charles Speroni Memorial Award (2010).

I'm a producer, director, and performer from Los Angeles. And I'm passionate about presenting theatre in all its forms, though specifically the development of new musical theater. Currently finishing up school at UCLA's Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program and Undergraduate Directing Continuum. Currently serve on the Board and as Event Coordinator for the Festival of New American Musicals, on Board for the Pasadena Musical Theater Program, and serve as the UCLA Undergraduate Student Faculty Representative.

For me, theater is about collaboration and telling stories. Growing up in Los Angeles, I've had the chance to explore all the city's theater scene has to offer, which is not only vast but expansive in regards to mission statements. Everything is being developed here, from performance art to Broadway musicals. While in college, I've been able to explore and create with my friends and fellow artists. For me, the nature of ensemble-based theater work is not only exciting, but seems to yield a more productive artistic atmosphere and allows for more creativity and, of course, FUN IN THEATER!

The development of the new generation of new musical theater is what draws me more than anything else. The work of Joe Iconis, Ryan Scott Oliver, Pask & Paul, Adam Gwon, Kooman & Dimond, and all those who are exploring the newer possiblities of theater excite me. Where will the genre go? What technological innovations will continue to blur the lines of what musical theater can be defined as. Who knows? But, in my work, I want to explore how new musical theater is continuing to shape itself, and where we're all going.

Constantly inspired by friends and family, and those artists who have come before who have paved the way. Find special meaning in the work and lives of Harold Prince, Michael John LaChiusa, Stephen Sondheim, DV8 Physical Theater, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Bertolt Brecht, and all those who use theater to push our understanding of how we live our lives. So here's to continuing to push the envelop and see where life takes us!