Bill Theisen

Stage Director

Bill Theisen made his Florentine Opera debut as a singer in 1982 and is thrilled to be making his directing debut this season. He has been the artistic director of Skylight Opera Theatre since 2004. He has directed over 100 productions for theatre and opera companies from coast to coast. Recent directing credits include The Pirates Of Penzance for Santa Fe Opera, Showboat with Gateway Playhouse, H.M.S. Pinafore at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Sweeney Todd with Cleveland Opera, The Fourth Wall at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, The Magic Flute for Virginia Opera, A Little Night Music with Seaside Music Theater, The Mikado with Opera Carolina, Seussical at First Stage Children' Theatre and Into the Woods at the Capitol Canter for the Performing Arts.

Skylight Directing credits include The Figaro Story, La Boheme, Souvenir, South Pacific, The Tragedy of Carmen, Animal Crackers, The Spitfire Grill, La Cenerentola, The Mikado, Patience, The Pirates Of Penzance and the world premiere of Over the Moon with Gilbert and Sullivan.

Mr. Theisen works frequently on the university level as a Guest Director and Lecturer. He served as Director of Opera at the University of Iowa and has continued that relationship for the past 12 years. Other university credits include Carnegie Mellon University, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Florida State University, Portland State University, Manhattan School of Music, Utah State University, Northwestern University, NYU and St. Ambrose University where he is also serves on the advisory committee to the theatre department.

Mr. Theisen was the Artistic Director of the Capitol Center for the Performing Arts in Upstate New York and is an adjudicator for arts programming on PBS.