hi, i’m joel.

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

up next

Freshly Brewed - Producer - The Understudy
Re:working - Producer - The Understudy x TCG

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.

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 Theatrics and the co-founding Artistic Producer of Freshly Brewed, inc., Direct Address, and Re:working. He is also a company member of Theatre L’Acadie and Playground Chicago.

Joel has collaborated with The Neofuturists, The Understudy Coffee and Books, Theatre L’Acadie, Goodman Theatre, Raven Theatre, Bramble Theatre, and have projects lined up with The American Theatre Magazine and Steppenwolf.

He has worked on developing plays that have gone on to win the ATCA award (The Pilon), several Eugene O’Neill semifinalists (Re(vulva), The Quiet Part, “Everything, Devoured”), and have been produced nationally (Everything, Devoured).

Recent credits include work with Jackalope Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, The Goodman Theatre, Filament Theatre, Theatre L’Acadie, Definition Theatre, Refracted Theatre Company, The Runaways Lab Theater, Playground Chicago, Haven, Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, Stage Left Theatre, and Chicago Dramatists. In 2023, he was selected for Directors Haven 6.