hi, i’m joel.

Chinese-American Chicago-based Director/Producer passionate about New Play Development, suspension of disbelief, and community.

up next

Heart Strings - Director - Filament Theatre
Tale of Two Cities - A.D. - Shattered Globe Theatre
Big Time Toppers - Dramaturg - Theatre L’acadie - In Bloom

Freshly Brewed - Producer - The Understudy
Direct Address - Producer - Pocket
inc- Producer - Pocket

Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris and produced by Refracted Theatre Co. | William Anthony Sebastian Rose II. Photo by Ricky Kluge
Laments of a Brown Bird Summer by Cris Eli Blak and produced by Haven | Rashaad Bond. Photo by Michael Brosilow
Dutchman by Amiri Baraka | Jelani Givens II and Katherine Asteriadou
Laments of a Brown Bird Summer by Cris Eli Blak and produced by Haven | Jaeda Larkin, and Rashaad Bond Photo by Michael Brosilow
Stakeholders, written by Dakota Brown and produced by The Runaways Lab Theater Company | Claire Metusalem, Jackson Paller, Dakota Pariest, Rashaad Bond, and Rachel Herriges
A Kind of Blue - Written by Micheal Wells-Oakes and produced by Eclectic Full Contact Theatre | Abbie Bryson and Andre Colins. Photography by Lena Aubrey
Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris and produced by Refracted Theatre Co. |William Anthony Sebastian Rose II. Photo by Ricky Kluge
Dutchman by Amiri Baraka | Ensemble and Jelani Givens II
Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris and produced by Refracted Theatre Co. | William Anthony Sebastian Rose II, Michael-Ellen (Mikey) Walden, Timoth Bernard Felton and Patrick Newson Jr. Photo by Ricky Kluge
Childrens Hour by Lillian Hellman (Ass. Director)
Stakeholders, written by Dakota Brown and produced by The Runaways Lab Theater Company | Jackson Paller, Dakota Pariest, Rashaad Bond, and Rachel Herriges
Dutchman by Amiri Baraka | Lana Nicole an Jelani Givens II. Photography by Peter Bailey
Tambo & Bones by Dave Harris and produced by Refracted Theatre Co. | Patrick. Newson JR and William Anthony Sebastian Rose II Photo by Ricky Kluge
A Kind of Blue - Written by Micheal Wells-Oakes and produced by Eclectic Full Contact Theatre | Abbie Bryson and Andre Colins. Photography by Lena Aubrey
Minnesota Moon by John Olive | Peter Rule and Boyle
Krill's Quest, written by Angelle Whavers | Joselle Reyes and Sophie Hernando Koffman.

resume

about

Having lived overseas from 7-18 in Kampala, Uganda, Joel is focused on accessibility to stories and the stage. His work at Pocket focuses on the intersection between the internet and live theatre; As a producer, he focuses on new work development - curating a space for new/early-career artists to understand their craft and collaborate in community.

Joel is the Artistic Director for Pocket Theatre V.R., Co-founding Artistic Producer of Freshly Brewed, Founder of inc., and Direct Address, a company member of Playground Chicago, company member for Theatre L’acadie, and was selected for Directors Haven 6 in 2023. Recent credits include Filament Theatre, Theatre L’acadie, Assistant Directing for Mikael Burke for Tambo and Bones, The Runaways Lab Theater, Playground - Chicago, Haven, Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, Stage Left Theatre, Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, and Virtual Theatre Collaboration. In his free time, catch Joel on the Frisbee field, where he plays for Chicago Haymaker.