Nicholas Polonio is a theater director based out of Fort Greene, Brooklyn. He has staged THE POLICE (Hangar Theatre), MARY STUART (Strasberg Institute at NYU Tisch), POV: U RUN JOE BIDEN’S TIKTOK (Ars Nova’s ANTFest), NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (2050 Presentation), WE ARE WOMBATS! (Williamstown Director’s Lab), who’s a good girl (Williamstown Director’s Lab), THE 100 MOST BEAUTIFUL NAMES OF TODD (Williamstown Director’s Lab), LATE FAME (Rutgers University), and GLORIA (Rutgers University).

As Associate Director: JELLY’S LAST JAM (New York City Center Encores!), PUBLIC OBSCENITIES (Soho Rep), SLAVE PLAY (West End, Broadway, Center Theatre Group) X: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X (Metropolitan Opera and co-productions in Detroit, Omaha, and Seattle), A RAISIN IN THE SUN (The Public, Williamstown Theatre Festival), RICHARD III (Shakespeare in the Park, The Delacorte), A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (Minetta Lane Theatre and Audible Recording), A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Audible Recording starring Audra McDonald), PARIS (Atlantic Theater Company), 17 BORDER CROSSINGS (New York Theater Workshop), HENRY IV, PART I (Shakespeare’s Globe), and RICHARD II (Shakespeare’s Globe).

In close collaboration with playwrights, Nick has developed scripts and staged readings for New York Theatre Workshop, Bedlam, Ma-Yi Theater Company, The TEAM, Normal Ave, Asian American Arts Alliance, Sống Collective, and American Playwriting Foundation. He directed Nicholas Pilapil’s winning play in the 2022 Samuel French Off-Off-Broadway Festival. Additional experience as a TV writers’ assistant for Hulu and Disney, and Associate Producer on OFF-BROADWAY (Broadstream Online, NYTimes Critics’ Pick).

Currently a 2050 Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop, he has participated in the Drama League Directing Fellowship, Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab, Mercury Store Directors Lab, Roundabout Directors Group, Williamstown Theatre Festival Directing Corps, and Young Vic Genesis Directors. He teaches an advanced seminar in Production Process at NYU Tisch Playwrights Horizons.

Nicholas was a National YoungArts Finalist for Spoken Theater in 2016, trained as an actor in the BFA program at Rutgers and Shakespeare’s Globe, then began directing fellow performers in plays that maximized their talent and voices: he has never looked back.

let’s make something great: nicholaspolonio@gmail.com