Bio

Jon Kellam’s career spans over 30 years. He has worked throughout the US, Europe and the UK, as a theatre director, teaching artist, acting coach, writer, and performer.

Jon developed, Superdrama™, a theatre training, devising, and performance technique.

He co-founded and served as artistic director of Bämsemble Company (Italy), and is Co-Artistic Director of Drama and Performance, along with Madeleine Dahm, of Blue Box Earth, an innovative transformable sculpture, gallery, and performance space (designed by H.P. Trauschke, and coming to Amsterdam in 2026).

He served as co-artistic director and co-founder of Zoo District Theatre (Los Angeles) was a resident director, member, (2002 to 2012) and served as director of education at The Actors’ Gang (Los Angeles) for two years. He is a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre West (Los Angeles), and served as director of the Get Lit Players (Los Angeles) in 2012.

Most recently, Jon directed the Opera IL PARNASUS CONFUSO, composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck in Arezzo Italy, with OPERA SEME. Recent work also includes NOSFERATU produced by Casa Bit and Parco 5 at Teatro Juvarra in Torino, 2022 and at TEATRO CORALLO in Bardolino, Italy 2024. TOSKA (Director) work-in-progress/in residence, at Teatro Di Villazzano in Trento, and performed at Teatro Vascello for the Roma Fringe Festival, 2021. Jon directed TARTUFO SUPERDRAMA™ for Atelier Teatro Fisico in Turin (September 2020), served as Associate-director for FENG CHA in Dusseldorf Germany (July 2020), co-director KAFKA’S MONKEY (August 2020), Palais Sommer Festival, Dresden Germany, director and co-writer, FATA MORGANA, A Hallucination From The Mad Sensational Life Of Nico, conceived and performed by Margherita Remotti – at the Chapel Playhouse, London, (2020), Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022, Milano, 2023, Rome, 2024. And a subsequent film version in development. Jon directed and co-created a free adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes classic interlude, El Retablo De Las Maravillas entitled SALT; THE MARVELOUS PUPPET SHOW, for Bämsemble Company, scripted by Francesco Botti with co-direction and choreography by Madeleine Dahm. SALT was presented at Antiteatro Fabio Chiesa, Viareggio; Spazio Seme, Arezzo; Teatro C’Art, Castel Fiorentino; Cavallerizza Reale, Torino; and Teatro Franco Parenti, Milano (December 2018 and June 2019)

Some of Jon’s other notable directorial credits include Bertolt Brecht’s DRUMS IN THE NIGHT, David Ball’s adaptation of Moliere’s TARTUFFE (also toured in the U.S.), THE EXONERATED, by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen (toured in the U.S.), and Daniel Berrigan’s, THE TRIAL OF THE CATONSVILLE NINE which toured in the U.S. and Brisbane, Australia as a featured production with the International Brisbane Theatre Festival, in 2009. All produced by The Actors’ Gang. Also with The Actors’ Gang, Jon served as associate-director to Simon Abkarian on the critically acclaimed production of LOVE’S, LABOUR’S, LOST.

At Zoo District, Jon directed and co-created the award-winning production of NOSFERATU…ANGEL OF THE FINAL HOUR, and co-directed (with Gleason Bauer) HOME; THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST TABLET OF UR, written by Steven Haworth. Other notable directing credits include DEATH…A VERY SERIOUS COMEDY, and ADOM and HAVA, (Fariborz Dian, Amir Ohebsion) and performed at the Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, THE ASS (by Parviz Sayyad) both presented by The Edge of the World Theatre Festival at L.A.T.C. Jon co-directed THE HOUSE IS BLACK for C.A.P. UCLA, a multimedia operatic performance in development at the Freud Theatre, created by Iranian-American singer and performing artist Sussan Deyhim and composer Richard Horowitz. Jon directed THE ARTIST’S DREAM – Helena Modjeska, written and performed by Eva Boryczko, in Krakow, Poland, at the Bowers Museum in Orange County California, and the Chopin theatre in Chicago. In 2020 he directed Molière’s TARTUFO which was presented in various venues in Italy for 2 years, and IL MALATO IMMAGINARIO, in 2018, also ran for over two years, both produced by Philip Radice and Atelier Teatro Fisico, in Torino Italy.

Jon currently teaches acting, and storytelling at Accademia Dello Spettacolo, in Torino, Italy. He will teach Acting in English at OFM, in Torino, in the Fall 2024. Jon will teach Superdrama at Mob Studios in Rome in 20024-25. He is a frequent guest teaching artist at Atelier Teatro Fisico in Torino, and has taught for Accademia Verticale, Padua, Commedia dell’ Arte, at Playwrights’ Horizons Professional Actor Training Program in New York City, numerous workshops throughout the US including; University of Maryland, Boston University, UCLA, USC, Cal State Channel Islands. He was on faculty at The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and served as Co-Chair of the theatre department at Champs Charter Multimedia and Performing Arts High School and was a lead teacher for The Actors’ Gang at the California State University Summer Arts Festival in Monterey Bay, 2012. He served as an adjunct professor for California State University Los Angeles and contributed regularly for 3 years as a teaching artist for the University of Texas summer abroad program, in Florence, Italy.

He was the consulting director for UROBORO which performed in Torino, at CAOS and has been performed throughout Italy. He taught a Superdrama™ training and devising workshop at HERE Festival at Cavallerizza Reale, in Torino, and teaches periodically for Accademia Dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Jon initiated a theatre course focusing on emotional accessibility, voice, spoken word and storytelling for Associazione Rondine Cittadella della Pace – an organization that brings non-theatre academic undergraduate students from conflict areas around the world to study and work together.

In January 2022, Jon served as the lead teacher of the 2021-22 Commedia dell’Arte block at Dell Arte International, in Blue Lake CA. The specific curriculum of the course initiates a symbiosis between SUPERDRAMA™ and COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE, establishing a contemporary approach.

Jon collaborates regularly with Ginevra Scaglia, co-teaching and co-directing the ATELIER BRECHT/BULGAKOV/SHOCKHEADED PETER/ PERSEPOLIS / NOSFERATU, an ongoing pedagogical research and performance study integrating Superdrama™, Viewpoints, and the Scaglia technique (derived in part from techniques of Jacque Lecoq). Jon is in the process of adapting and developing Mikhail Bulgakov’s short story, DIABOLIAD.

THEATRE ARTIST PROFILE

• Developed SUPERDRAMA™, a system of theatre training, devising, and performance. A theatre of enormous intimacy. SUPERDRAMA™ integrates Commedia dell’arte, German Expressionism, and Stanislavski, and is influenced by elements of Theatre Nō, and the Chinese Opera.
• Founding Artistic Director of Bämsemble Company, and Casa Anthropo, both based in Italy.
• Artistic Director Drama and Performance, Blue Box Earth (project in development) an innovative transformable sculpture, gallery, and performance space.
• Working theatre artist, director, teaching artist, adjunct professor, actor and acting coach.
• More than 20 years of experience creating educational and professional theatre training curriculum for professional actors, educators and higher education students.
• Co-Founder and Artistic Director (2010-11) of the award-winning ZOO DISTRICT theatre company, Los Angeles.
• Resident Director, and member of the L.A. based company, THE ACTORS’ GANG (2002 to 2012).
• Successful grant writer and fundraiser, and success in audience development.
• I maintain a significant working network of theatre artists, companies, and training programs, in Europe and the United States.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

2013 – 2015 M.F.A. in Physical Theatre. Accademia dell’Arte, Arezzo, Italy.

2008 & 2014 Clown. Andre Casaca (Teatro C’Art). Turin Italy.

2008 & 2010 Clown. Philip Radice. Atelier Teatro Fisico, Turin Italy.

2001 & 2006-09 Suzuki and Viewpoints. SITI in LA. / Melina Beliefelt / Various Los Angeles CA.

2001 – 2003 Antony Sandoval. At Zoo District. LA. Los Angeles CA.

1999 – 2000 Corporeal Mime. Mark Epstein (who trained with Etienne Decroux).

1989 – 2002 “The Style” (Commedia dell’Arte) The Actors’ Gang / New Crime, Chicago / Los Angeles.

1982 – 1984 Professional Actor Training Program. Circle in the Square Theatre – New York City.

1977 – 1982 B.A. Theatre. Lawrence University Appleton, WI. (Summa Cum Laude)

TEACHING AND WORKSHOPS

2022 – DELL’ARTE INTERNATIONAL (Blue Lake, CA.) (lead teacher Commedia dell’Arte block – Superdrama meets Commedia Dell’Arte)

2016 – ONGOING – ATELIER TEATRO FISICO (Teacher) SUPERDRAMA™: A CONTEMPORARY ADAPTATION OF COMMEDIA DELL ARTE, (Turin, Italy) An introduction to Superdrama™: a theatre of ‘Enormous Intimacy’.

2019 – ONGOING – ATELIER BULGAKOV /ATELIER BRECHT / ATELIER SHOCKHEADED PETER / ATELIER PERSEPOLIS / ATELIER NOSFERATU – (in collaboaration with Ginevra Scaglia)an ongoing workshop combining physical training, and devising, incorporating Superdrama™ and Lecoq elements (Scaglia technique), to create a performance-based presentation from established literary and dramatic texts.

2016 – ACCADEMIA DELL’ARTE (Teacher) CIRQUE CLOWN PERFORMANCE LAB: a Contemporary adaptation of Commedia dell Arte, in partnership with Stefan Haves. (60 hours) An introduction to Superdrama™ and devising a cirque clown performance. Accademia dell’Arte and Carolina Coastal University. (Teacher) SUPERDRAMA™: A CONTEMPORARY RESPONSE TO COMMEDIA DELL ARTE, (30 hours) An introduction to “Superdrama”.

2019 TEATRO VERTICALE (Teacher) SUPERDRAMA™ INTENSIVE: A CONTEMPORARY ADAPTATION OF COMMEDIA DELL ARTE, (Padua, Italy) An introduction to Superdrama™; a theatre of ‘Enormous Intimacy’.

2007 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS (Lead Teacher) THE ART OF STIRRING IT UP – A collaboration between Physical Theatre, Dance/movement, and Voice, Sound and Music.

2011 – 2016 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS in Florence Italy. (Teacher) This is an intensive for graduate and undergraduate students of performance and design – ongoing.

2012 – 2013 THEATRE DEPARTMENT AT CHAMPS CHARTER MULTIMEDIA AND PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (Co-Chair) curriculum includes; Theatre as a Social Force/Commedia dell Arte and Viewpoints/Classical Genres/Intro to Acting/Play Production/Physical Techniques/Cold reading and Audition Technique.

2000 – 2009 LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS. (Teacher) We also explore initiating the actor into the world of Commedia through mastering a number of exercises designed to challenge the actor to be ‘free’ and ‘open’ and to inspire them to make bold choices.

2007 & 2010 CALIFORNIA EDUCATIONAL THEATRE ORGANIZATIONS (CETA). (Teacher and Team Leader) The course was a one day three-hour intensive. Fall 2007 and 2010.

2008 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES. (Director and adjunct professor) play production – Directed a mainstage production of Moliere’s Imaginary Invalid, with a professional and student all woman cast. This was a complete production course which included training in Suzuki, Viewpoints, and Commedia dell’Arte “THE STYLE”. There was a 6-week rehearsal process followed by performances.

2007 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES. (Guest Lecturer) GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM AND COMMEDIA DELL ARTE WORKSHOP –presented at PhD. Professor, Susan Mason, hosted the workshop. A Lecture and Discussion on the correlation between Commedia dell Arte and German expressionism.

2006 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FOWLER MUSEUM of Cultural History (Guest Lecturer) Commedia dell Arte Lecture Demonstration. This was a lecture demonstration using multi-media materials, focusing on the influence of Commedia dell Arte on contemporary performance.

2005 – 2013 THE ACTORS’ GANG RESIDENCY PROGRAM on tour – (Lead Teacher) workshops; THEATRE AS A SOCIAL FORCE, CREATING POLITICAL THEATRE, Beginning Movement for Actors, Creating Character, Audition Technique and An Introduction to Commedia dell Arte. A list of Universities and colleges is available upon request.

1993 – 1994 PLAYWRIGHTS HORIZON THEATRE SCHOOL – NEW YORK CITY(Teacher, Project Director) CONTEMPORARY COMMEDIA DELL ARTE,“THE STYLE”. This course was an introduction to Commedia dell Arte and ‘The Style’ as part of the regular curriculum and culminated in an original production. We applied improvisation techniques specific to Commedia and ‘The Style’. The show, MONSOON CHILD, went on to perform at the Harold Clurman Theatre in Manhattan, The Workhouse Theatre in Tribeca and The Hard Rock Café in NYC. Fall and Winter semesters 1994.

DIRECTION THEATRE / FILM AND RELATED EXPERIENCE

NOSFERATU…UN CABARET DELL”ORRORE (DIRECTOR) – a new adaptation with music, October 2022 Turin, Italy. TEATRO JUVARRA – produced by Casa Bit and Parco 5, Torino, Italy.(original version was co-created with K.J. Luker, and Bernadette Sullivan.)

TOSKA (Director) WORK-IN-PROGRESS in residency, written and performed by Fabio Manniti and Ilaria Weiss, TEATRO VASCELLO, Rome, Italy 2022. TEATRO DI VILLAZZANO Trento, Italy, July 2021.

TARTUFO SUPERDRAMMA by Moliere(Director, teacher of Superdrama™ Training) Now in performance andpresented by Atelier Teatro Fisico in Torino, Italy. (2020-23–ongoing tour throughout Italy)

FATA MORGANA, (A THEATRE and FILM PROJECT in post-production) A Hallucination from the Mad Sensational Life Of Nico (Director and co-writer) a work-in-progress, conceived and performed by Margherita Remotti – at the Chapel Playhouse, London. (January 2020). MOB Studios, Rome, Italy (June 2021). Edinburgh Fringe Pleasance/Lammamuir Theater August 2022. Milan, Italy February 2023. Teatro Argot, Rome, Italy

KAFKA’S MONKEY (Associate Director) – Adapted and performed by H.P.Trauschke, a SOLO multimedia performance, PALAIS SOMMER an International Arts Festival. July 28^th 2020, Dresden, Germany.

FENG CHA (Associate Director/Script consultant) – (Susanne Weins directed)a multimedia presentation performance for voice, dance, sound and music and featuring symbolism, mythology, and the practice of cultivating and drinking Tea. July 15^th-17^th 2020, Dusseldorf, Germany.

GOLEM PROJECT (The project is in development for Blue Box Earth 2021—Director, creator; project in development) – a multimedia, multidimensional, multinational exploration into the understanding of the Golem principle.

GRUPPENTHERAPIE (Director) in development – an original black comedy, physical theatre, movement devised performance work that explores what happens when three tragic citizens from 1930’s Germany, travel into the future to volunteer to be subjects for a contemporary psychological hypnosis experiment that goes horribly wrong. Fascism meets Freud. Originating in Arezzo Italy.

UROBORO (Co-Director) an originally devised physical theatre, dance and martial arts performance. created and performed by Simona Ceccobelli and Sebastian O’Hea. Originating in Torino Italy and touring Italy and the European Union. (2017–2018 ongoing)

SALT, THE MARVELOUS PUPPET SHOW (Director, Co-Creator, Co-Writer, Co-Movement Direction, Instructor of Superdrama Training) an original full-length performance based on Miguel Cervantes’ theatrical interlude, El Retablo De Las Maravillas -Il Meraviglioso Spettacolo Di Burattini. The project has been and is currently being developed in residency at the following spaces; Zorba Officine; Milan, Cavallerizza; Reale Turin, Accademia dell Arte and Spazio Seme; Arezzo, Teatro C’Art; Castelfiorentino, Piazza del Buon Consiglio; Viareggio, Cavallerizza RealeTurin. SALT wasalsoproduced at Teatro Franco Parenti in December 2018 and again in June 2019 in Milan Italy.

IL MALATO IMMAGINARIO by Moliere(Director, Instructor of Superdrama Training) Now in performance andpresented by Atelier Teatro Fisico in Torino, Italy. (2017–ongoing)

GROUP THERAPY (Director, Creator) an original devised piece and final project with guest musical artists Caroline Boersma (cello), Saso Vollmaier (piano), Sam McGehee (percussion) and performed by students from Carolina Coastal University. Performed at Spazio Seme in Arezzo Italy. (2016)

ADAM O HAVA (Director) written and produced by David Dian and Amir Ohbesion (in Farsi) – premiered at the Ebel Theater in Los Angeles. (2016)

THE HOUSE IS BLACK (Co-Director) created, directed, written and performed by Sussan Deyhim The House is Blackisa multimedia performance, based on the poetry of Iranian Poet Forough Farrokhzad. Produced as a work-in-progress by Kristy Edmunds and CAP UCLA in Los Angeles CA. Presented at the Freud Hall. (2014)

TARTUFFE adapted by David Ball (Director) presented by The Actors’ Gang in Los Angeles, and at the Ivy Substation, Culver City – Premiered in 2005, and remounted in 2011 and National Tour (2013)

DEATH…A VERY SERIOUS COMEDY (Director with Paul Quinn) written and produced by David Dian and Amir Ohbesion – performed at the Ebel Theater in Los Angeles. (2011)

THE ARTIST’S DREAM, HELENA MODJESKA (Director and Co-Writer) written and performed by Eva Boryczko – produced by Kris Cieply. Developed in Krakow Poland to perform and tour in the US. (2010 – 2011)

THE TRIAL OF THE CATONSVILLE NINE by Daniel Berrigan – (Director, Movement Direction) Presented by the Actors’ Gang at the Ivy Substation and for the international tour Brisbane Theatre Festival Australia. (2009 – 2010)

THE EXONERATED (Director – national tour) (actor in original cast) (by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen) Presented by The Actors’ Gang, The Ivy Substation and also performed at THE REDCAT in Los Angeles. (2008)

TWILIGHT LOS ANGELES 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith – (Co-Director w/ Corky Dominguez) Presented by Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, performed at the CSULA State Playhouse and The Ivar Theater. Los Angeles. (2007)

DRUMS IN THE NIGHT by Bertolt Brecht, (Director and Co-Adaptor) translated by Finegan Krukemeyer – Presented by The Actors’ Gang at the Ivy Substation, Culver City. (2006)

LOVES LABOURS LOST by Shakespeare (Co-Director). Presented by The Actors’ Gang at the Ivy Substation. Los Angeles. (2006)

THE ASS by Parvis Sayad (Director) Produced by (Ginger Perkins) and The Edge of the World Theatre Festival at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. (2005)

HOME…THE QUEST FOR THE LOST TABLET OF UR by Steven Haworth – (Co-Director) and co-created with Gleason Bauer, Steven Haworth, and Bernadette Sullivan – Presented by Zoo District and performed at the Lillian Theater in Los Angeles. (2004)

TAMING OF THE SHREW by Shakespeare (Commedia dell Arte Consultant and Instructor) Presented by The Orpheum Theater In partnership with The Los Angeles Conservancy and with Zoo District in Los Angeles. (2004)

NOSFERATU…ANGEL OF THE FINAL HOUR (Director) Co-creator with K.J. Luker, and Bernadette Sullivan. Written by K.J. Luker with input from the ensemble – Originally presented by Zoo District at Art Share Los Angeles 1999.Then presented again by Zoo District at The Evidence Room. Los Angeles. (2000 and 2001)

ON TASTE (Director) and Co-Created with Loren Rubin – Presented by Wolfskill Theatre and performed at The Spanish Kitchen. This piece was based on the writings of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. (1996)

MONSOON CHILD (Director, Co-Creator) by Michael Hagler and created by Jon Kellam and Brian Spivey – Presented by Sacred Fool Theatre in New York and performed at The Harold Clurman Theater, The Workhouse Theater and the Hard Rock Café in New York City hosted by Gene Wilder. (1994)

DIRECTION AS TEACHING ARTIST / ADJUNCT PROFESSOR

LOVES LABOURS LOST byShakespeare and IMAGINARY INVALID by Moliere – (Adapted and Director) presented by CHAMPS HIGH SCHOOL a site-specific performance at CHAMPS HIGH SCHOOL, Van Nuys CA. (2012-2013)

SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET by Stephen Sondheim – (Director) presented by Culver City High School in Culver City CA. – (2012)

IMAGINARY INVALID by Moliere – adapted by Patricia Troxel – (Director, Adjunct Professor) Presented by California State University Los Angeles. (2008)

GHETTO by Joshua Sobol – (Co-Director) Presented by Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, performed at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater. Los Angeles. (2008)

TWILIGHT LOS ANGELES 1992 by Anna Deavere Smith – (Co-Director) Presented by Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, performed at the CSULA State Playhouse, Los Angeles. (2007)

GRANTS AND RELATED

2012 – YOUTH AND PHILANTHROPY INITIATIVE This Grant was conceived with Elizabeth Duran (Managing Director for The Actors’ Gang, 2009 – 2012).

2010 – 2012 LOS ANGELES COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION GRANT These grants were written for and awarded to support teaching artists and for general operations.

2008 – SURDNA FELLOWSHIP This was a fellowship awarded for study in Italy at the Performing Arts University of Torino – ATELIER TEATRO FISICO. Included intensive clown training and street performance. Turin, Italy.

2002 – 2004 FLINTRIDGE GRANT These grants were awarded for the creation of two original theatre projects and to aid in the artistic and administrative development of Zoo District theatre company.