B.J. Evans is a producer and curator of time-based art, and was most recently the Senior Producer for Performing Arts at BRIC where she served as curator and producer of BRIC’s theater, dance, and interdisciplinary programs. She is currently the Co-Executive Director and Co-Curator of New York City’s inaugural Physical Theater Festival, and freelance curates for The Under the Radar Festival. She has developed work across a spectrum of disciplines; from theater and dance, to poetry, installation art, ritual-making, and film and tv. Her creative producing career includes time at The Dallas Theater Center, Working Theater, The Public Theater, Our Town (off-Broadway), and Sleep No More. B.J. is also a freelance dramaturg specializing in participatory, experimental, and devised performance, and holds an M.A. in Applied Theatre, focusing on theater as a tool for community building and social action. She is currently an MFA Candidate in Dramaturgy and Pedagogy at the University of Idaho.

About

Current and Most Recent Projects

Fiasco Theater, Managing Producer / New York City, NY
Lead producer for acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company.

Physical Theater Festival (PhysFest NYC), Co-Executive Producer/Co-Curator / New York City, NY
Producer and Curator for festival of physical theater in NYC

The Under the Radar Festival, Freelance Programming / Worldwide
Freelance dramaturg and curator for annual Festival of new works.

Everybody is Gone, Lead Producer / Worldwide
An immersive new play premiering in Berlin, Germany in July 2022. (Link) 

plural (love), Producer / short film / New York City, NY
Experimental short film as part of WP Theatre’s Pipeline Festival. (Link) 

Paula Vogel’s Bard at the Gate, Associate Producer / Virtual
Virtual play-readings for Paula Vogel’s new company, Bard at the Gate. (Link) 

Samuel: An Audio Play, Producer / The Tank / New York City, NY
A pandemic-inspired, socially distanced, audio/visual experience. (Link) 

WP Theatre’s Pipeline Festival, Co-Curator and Co-Producer / New York City, NY
Festival producing five new works, created by five collaborative teams in an invite-only two-year Lab residency.

Work Highlights

Managing Producer
Fiasco Theater / New York City / 2021-

Senior Producer, Performing Arts 
BRIC Arts Media / Brooklyn, NY / 2016-22 

Producer for music and lead producer and curator for theatre/dance/film/orchestras for BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. Curated and produced a performing arts residency called BRIClab, a two-week residency program for performing artists, managing open call and evaluation of 400+ submissions. Produced long-term performing arts residencies, theater and dance at BRIC House, as well as crafted footprint of residencies to include interdisciplinary, community engagement, and educational elements. 

Key Projects 
La Medea by Yara Travieso; The Hendrix Project by Roger Guenveur Smith, Weightless by The Kilbanes, Not I by Samuel Beckett w/ Touretteshero (co-presentations with The Public Theater); Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance by Graham Reynolds (co-presentation with Prototype Festival); Ailey II; Compagnie Hervé KOUBI; The Church of the Alien Love Child Presents the Passion of Reverend Yolanda; Martha Redbone & Aaron Whitby: Daughter of the Hills; The Knights; Evidence, A Dance Company; The Commons Choir; Urban Bush Women; The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Managing Director
Working Theater / New York City, NY / 2014-16 

Oversaw and produced programmatic activity for social-justice minded non-profit off-Broadway theater, focused on creating theater with and for those often excluded from the privilege of participating in live theater, including full productions, community engagement, special events, workshops, outreach, education programs, annual Directors Salon, and partnerships with non-theatrical organizations. 

Key Projects 
Five Boroughs, One City: A multi-year program teaming commissioned writers and directors with working class  communities in each of New York City’s five boroughs. Produced the launch of the initiative, which included public readings, work-in-progress showings, workshop performances and three off-Broadway premieres.

Additional Producing

Public Works at The Public Theater (Producer)
Sleep No More (Music Curator, Event Producer)
Flying Solo Festival (Curator and Producer)
Loading Dock Theatre (Producer)
Virginia Stage Company (Director of Audience Services)
Plano Repertory Theater (Producer and Curator)
Blue Man Group (Operations)
Running Subway Productions (Marketing and Operations)

Panels and Adjudication

Rough Draft Festival at
The Claque QUADs
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
University Settlement
United Solo Festival
New Comedies Festival
Samuel French OOB Festival
Brooklyn Arts Council

Training and Workshops

Page to Stage workshop with Lauren Gunderson
Fundamentals of Playwriting with Young Jean Lee,
Dramaturgy Workshop with Ken Cernigliareal
Dance Dramaturgy Research in Action workshop with Beth Blickers
Commercial Theatre Institute 14-week Intensive, NYC

Education

University of Missouri 
BA Spanish Literature
GPA: 3.8

Relevant Coursework
Poetry and Theater in Mexico, The Lorca Trilogy

City University of New York
MA Applied Theatre
GPA: 3.9

Relevant Coursework
Theatre of the Oppressed, Process Drama, Co-Intentional Directing
Independent Study Topic
Dramaturgy and the Audience Experience in Participatory Theater
Thesis Topic
Process Drama for Social Learning in Pre-k and First Grade Classroom

University of Idaho
MFA Candidate, Theater

Relevant Coursework
Dramaturgical Acts, Universal Design for Learning Pedagogy