Eugene Nesmith

has performed in various productions in New York and Regional Theatres across the country, such as The Chairs adapted from Eugene Ionesco by Theodora Skipitares at LaMama, Oyamo’s Let Me Live at the Harold Clurman Theatre, Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus (NADA), Julius Caesar for Shakespeare and Company, and David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross for the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, just to name a few. Most recently, as a director, he directed James Baldwin’s Blues for Mister Charlie (the first professional production in New York City of that play since its Broadway production in 1964), and August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for the New Haarlem Arts Theatre (NHAT), where he is the Founding Artistic Director. For the Philadelphia Festival Theatre, he directed the world premiere of Art Becker’s Bare Knuckle. He is an advocate for new plays and has directed numerous readings of original scripts in New York City. Dr. Nesmith’s diverse career consists of being a Professor of Theatre at the City College of New York; Founding Artistic Director of the New Haarlem Arts Theatre (NHAT); freelance theatre director and actor. His areas of expertise are Acting, Directing, African American Dramatic Literature, and Performance Studies. As a scholar, Dr. Nesmith has published numerous essays in anthologies, and he has published articles in such publications as Yale Drama, and American Theatre Magazine. Dr. Nesmith has served as a judge for the Off-Broadway Obie Awards, and an NEA art granting judge as well. Dr. Nesmith holds a Ph.D. from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in Performance Studies, and an MFA in Acting from the University of California at San Diego.