Nicholas Polonio is a Filipino-American director of plays and musicals based in New York City. His work features detailed performances of complicated human behavior.
Nicholas directed the recent international premiere of THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL in Manila, which sold out its run and extension at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Other productions include THE SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MALE PRESERVATION SOCIETY, or S.I.M.P.S. (IRT Theater), MARY STUART (Marilyn Monroe Theatre, NYU Strasberg), THE POLICE (Hangar Theatre Wedge) and POV: U RUN JOE BIDEN’S TIKTOK (ANTFest). He has directed and developed new works with Ars Nova, New York Theatre Workshop, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Bedlam, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Normal Ave, Hangar Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Iowa Playwrights Workshop, American Playwriting Foundation, Asian American Arts Alliance, Sống Collective, Audible Theatre, and the Movement Theatre Company. Currently, he serves as Director-in-Residence for Leviathan Lab.
As Associate Director: SLAVE PLAY (Broadway, West End, Mark Taper Forum), LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (New York City Center Encores!), PUBLIC OBSCENITIES (Soho Rep), JELLY’S LAST JAM (New York City Center Encores!), HAMLET (Mark Taper Forum), SHIT.MEET.FAN. (MCC Theater), X: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MALCOLM X (Metropolitan Opera, Detroit Opera, Opera Omaha, Seattle Opera), A RAISIN IN THE SUN (The Public Theater, Williamstown Theatre Festival), RICHARD III (Delacorte Theater), A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT (Minetta Lane Theatre), A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Williamstown Theatre Festival), PARIS (Atlantic Theater Company), 17 BORDER CROSSINGS (New York Theater Workshop), THE WHITE DEVIL (Lucille Lortel Theatre), HENRY IV, PART I (Shakespeare’s Globe), and RICHARD II (Shakespeare’s Globe).
Nicholas is a former New York Theatre Workshop 2050 Directing Fellow, Drama League Hangar Directing Fellow, and a past member of the Ma-Yi Writer’s Lab, Mercury Store Directors Lab, Roundabout Directors Group, Williamstown Theatre Festival Directing Corps, and the Young Vic Genesis Directors. As an actor, he won a National YoungArts Award for Spoken Theater.
Nicholas received his BFA in Acting from Rutgers Mason-Gross School of the Arts and teaches Directing at NYU Playwrights Horizons Theater School.
Proud member of SDC.