CV
John Schneider
1231 E. Kane Place
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 273–0067
jdivads11@sbcglobal.net
www.johndschneider.com
Date/place of birth: June 7, 1948, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Education: Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, theatre major
St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin, 1970
Professional Activity:
— Theatre Director, Playwright, Actor, Musician
— Resident Artist and Lecturer, Marquette University Theatre Program (1999 – present)
— Theatre X founding member, resident playwright, artistic leader (1971 – 2004)
— Project Non-Violence founder and director (2005 — present)
— National Endowment for the Arts Site Reporter (1988–2008)
— Founder/leader of the John Schneider Orchestra
Honors and Awards
— Unsung Urban Hero Award, 2008, Milwaukee Safe Streets Project, Marquette Law School Restorative Justice Initiative
— Wisconsin Arts Board Grant for Project Non-Violence, 2006, 2007, 2008
— Wisconsin Arts Board Artist In Communities Grant, 2004, 2007, 2008
— Dean’s Recognition Award for Excellence in Part-Time Teaching, Marquette University, 2006
— Edward D. Simmons Grant, Marquette University, to adapt Everyman, 2005
— President’s Award for Distinguished Achievement in Humanities from St. Norbert College, 2002
— Outstanding Crime Prevention Project Award from the Exchange Club of Milwaukee for One Milwaukee Night, 2002
— My play Jazz: A Milwaukee History was recorded by WYMS Public Radio in 1999 and received a Wisconsin Broadcasters Award
— Morris Fromkin Memorial Lecture Grant Award from The Unversity of Wisconsin - Milwaukee for my play The Line, 1996
— Panel member at Miami State College Conference on the work of critic and playwright Eric Bentley, 1996
— (First Annual) Award Of Excellence from the City Of Milwaukee (for my contributions to the art and culture of Milwaukee), 1995
— TCG-Pew Charitable Trust Play Development Grant, 1993
— My play Bode-Wad-Mi: Keepers of the Fire was performed four times at an historic gathering of the seven bands of the Potawatomi Nation in Ontario, Canada, 1994
— Milwaukee County Artist Fellowship, 1992–93
— Wisconsin Arts Board New Works Award, 1990
— Invited participant in Tadashi Suzuki’s Toga Festival in Japan, performing in Theatre X’s production of Len Jenkin’s play Poor Folks’ Pleasure, 1990
— National Endowment for the Arts Play Writing Fellowship, 1988 – 89
— Wisconsin Arts Board Individual Artist Grant, 1989
— My play Social Amnesia presented in The Next Wave Festival of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, 1986
— Invited participant in America 1985 Festival of Great Britain, touring England and Wales with I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations, 1985
— Wisconsin Arts Board Individual Artist Grant, 1983
— Nominated for Pulitzer Prize for my play Sweet Dreams, 1982
— Invited participant in The Netherlands-United States Bi-Centennial celebration with Sweet Dreams, 1982
— Rockefeller Play Writing Award, second level, 1981
— Jerome Foundation Award to develop a new play with Theatre X , 1980
— OBIE Award with Theatre X, 1979
— Invited participant in The New Theatre Festival, Baltimore, 1977 (The Wreck: A Romance)and 1976 (The Unnamed and Razor Blades)
Other Accomplishments:
— Writer-performer, To The People Who Came Before, for My Vote Performs (the 4th Milwaukee Performance Art Showcase), 2008
— Writer-actor, The Ballad of Josef K, for Milwaukee Mask and Puppet Company, presented at The Marcus Center, Milwaukee and The Illusion Theatre, Minneapolis, 2008
— Writer-director, The Third Annual Performance Art Showcase production Fly, The Marcus Center, Milwaukee, 2006
— Artist in Residence, Longfellow Elementary School, Milwaukee, Artists Working In Education, 2006
— Founder, Project Non-Violence, 2005
— Founding Member, The Post-Romantic Theatre, 2005, to develop Kafka’s The Trial into a puppet theatre production
— Founding Member, artistic leader, resident playwright, director, actor of Theatre X from 1971–2004
— Founder and leader of The John Schneider Orchestra since 1989
— Co-founder and featured performer of The Hotel Milwaukee Radio Show,1994–2000
— Writer, director and/or performer in 11 world premieres at the Mickery Theatre of Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1975–1990
— Writer of Out In The Darkness: the history of the Great Oshkosh Woodworkers’ Strike of 1898, commissioned by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and the Wisconsin Labor History Society, 1998
— Writer-director of The Great Wisconsin Vaudeville Show for the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee, 1998
— Writer-performer of Where Or When: The Life and Songs of Larry Hart for the Skylight Opera Theatre Cabaret Series at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee, 1998
— Performer, Skylight Opera Theatre Cabaret Series, 2006
— Performer with First Stage Children’s Theatre of Milwaukee (2000), Milwaukee Dance Theatre (2000),
Milwaukee Mask and Puppet Company(1993–1997), Milwaukee Public Theatre (1997), and The Independent Eye Theatre of Philadelphia (1992)
— Co-author/co-director of Social Amnesia with The Impossible Theatre of Baltimore, 1986
Film Actor:
— Wisconsin Death Trip, 1998, BBC Television, directed by James Marsh
— Rembrant and Hitler or Me, 1984, Mickery Theatre, directed by Mike Figgis
CD:
— The John Schneider Orchestra: Melange, 2009, Funtime Records, Milwaukee
Publication:
Scenarios For The Living And The Dead — a collection of three plays (An Interest In Strangers; I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations; Acts of Kindness), Bridges Books of Amsterdam, 1982
Translations:
— My Werewolf was translated into Swedish and German for separate productions by Jordcirkus (Stockholm), Atalierteatern (Gothenburg), and Teater im Pumpenhaus (Munster)
— Acts of Kindness was translated into Flemish for production by the Niewe Flaams Theatre (Antwerp) under the direction of Jan Fabre
Panel Work:
— Site Reporter for the National Endowment for the Arts, 1988 - 2008
— Wisconsin Arts Board Literary Artist Fellowship Panel, 2002
— NEA Playwright Fellowship Panel, 1989–91
— NEA Overview Panel, 1992
— NEA Inter-arts Fellowship Screener, 1991—92
— Milwaukee County Artist Fellowship Panel, 1989 and 1992
— Delaware State Arts Council Fellowship Panel, 1991
— Jerome Foundation Playwrighting Fellowship Panel, 1989
Plays written since 2004:
— The Ballad of Josef K, Milwaukee Mask and Puppet Theatre, 2008
— The Lion and the Mouse, Marquette University, 2007
— Fly, Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Milwaukee, 2006
— Everyman, Marquette University Production, 2005
— Kafka’s Trial, The Post-Romantic Theatre, 2005
Plays written for Theatre X and year of first production by Theatre X in Milwaukee:
— Jazz, 2004 (revised)
— Krazy Kat (adapted from Jay Cantor’s novel, 2003
— Chomsky 9/11, 2002 (adapted from writings by Noam Chomsky)
— Arabian Nights, 2001
— To Lift Ourselves Up, 2000
— My Werewolf, 1999 (revised)
— Jazz, 1999
— A Thanksgiving Visitor, 1998 (adapted from the Truman Capote short story)
— Ghost Stories, 1998
— The Line, 1996
— Oh Wow Nancy Drew, 1996 (revised)
— Bo-de-wad-mi: Keepers of the Fire (with John Kishline), 1994
— When You’re Smiling, 1993
— Pleasant Dreams, 1992
— The Strength and Indifference of the Snow (from writings by George Kennan), 1991
— Instinct, 1990
— A History of Sexuality, 1988
— My Werewolf, 1986
— The Milwaukee Project, 1984
— Sweet Dreams, 1982
— Acts of Kindness, 1981
— I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations, 1980
— An Interest in Strangers, 1980
— Schmaltz, 1979
— A Fierce Longing, 1978
— The Wreck: A Romance, 1977
— Razor Blades, 1976
— The Unnamed, 1975
— X Communication (created by the Theatre X company), 1971–1974
Presenter and year of Theatre X productions on tour in the USA:
— The Wisconsin State AFL-CIA and The South Central Federation of Labor (1996, The Line)
— The Potawatomi Nation of North America (an historic gathering of the Nation at Wausauksing, Ontario, 1995, Bo-de-wad-mi: Keepers of the Fire)
— The Smithsonian Institute (Washington, DC, 1993, The Strength And Indifference of the Snow)
— Life On The Water (San Francisco, 1988, three-week residency, A History Of Sexuality)
— The New City Theatre (Seattle, 1987, A History of Sexuality and My Werewolf, each for several weeks)
— The Goodman Theatre (Chicago, 1987, two-week residency, My Werewolf)
— The Theatre Project (Baltimore, 1975–1985, The Unnamed, Razor Blades, The Wreck: A Romance, A Fierce Longing, Her Limitations, I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations, My Werewolf, each for several weeks)
— The Walker Arts Center (Minneapolis, 1979, A Fierce Longing)
— The Performing Garage (New York, 1979, three-week residency, A Fierce Longing)
— The Body Politic (Chicago, 1974–1979, X Communication, The Unnamed, Razor Blades, A Fierce Longing, each for several weeks)
— The Organic Theatre (Chicago, 1977, two weeks, The Wreck: A Romance)
— The Washington Project for the Arts (DC, 1977, The Wreck: A Romance)
— The Wilma Project (Philadelphia, 1976–1979, The Unnamed, Razor Blades, The Wreck: A Romance)
— The 17th Street Theatre (Denver, 1975, The Unnamed, Razor Blades)
— and universities, art centers, and other venues in twenty-three states.
Presenters of Theatre X productions on tour abroad:
— The Mickery Theatre, Amsterdam (1975–1985, The Unnamed, Razor Blades, Folter Follies, An Interest In Strangers, I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations, Beauty And The Beast, Sweet Dreams, Nam, Shot, Fireworks, Acts Of Kindness, Half My Father’s Age, Rembrandt And Hitler Or Me
— Kulturhuset, Stockholm (1987, A History Of Sexuality)
— Atalierteatern, Gothenburg, Sweden (1987, A History of Sexuality)
— Theater im Pumpenhaus, Munster, Germany (1987, A History of Sexuality)
— Mercator Theatre, Duisberg, Germany (1975, The Unnamed; 1976, Razor Blades)
— Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Wales (1985, two week run, I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations)
— Taliesin Centre for the Arts, Swansea, Wales (1985,…Renovations)
— The Waterman Arts Center, London, England (one week run, 1985, …Renovations)
— The Green Room, Manchester, England (1985, …Renovations)
— The Midland Group, Nottingham, England (1985, …Renovations)
— and the civic theatres of Rotterdam, The Hague, Haarlem, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Arnhem, Gronigen, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and others in The Netherlands
Other productions of my plays by theatres or universities:
— Sidewalk Studio Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (2006, My Werewolf)
— Haggerty Museum of Art, Milwaukee, WI (2006, Jazz: A Milwaukee History)
— Milwaukee Country Historical Society, Milwaukee, WI (2006, Jazz: A Milwaukee History)
— St. Louis Community College/Meramee, St. Louis, MO (2005, An Interest In Strangers)
— Towson University, Baltimore (1996, Acts Of Kindness)
— Laurel Community College, Baltimore (1995, Oh Wow Nancy Drew)
— The University of Wisconsin — River Falls (1994, The Unnamed)
— Theatre Eclipse, Chicago (1993, An Interest In Strangers)
— The New City Theatre, Seattle, (1992, An Interest In Strangers)
— The Unseen Theatre, Hamilton, MA (1991, An Interest In Strangers)
— Newgate Theatre, Providence, RI (1991, The Unnamed)
— Atalieteatern, Gothenburg, Sweden (1988, My Werewolf in Swedish translation)
— Circa Theatre, Wellington, New Zealand, 1988 (Scenarios for the Living/for the Dead: An Interest In Strangers, I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations, Acts of Kindness)
— Jordcirkus, Stockholm, Sweden (1987, My Werewolf in Swedish translation)
— Theater im Pumpenhaus, Munster, Germany, 1987, My Werewolf in German)
— Seahorse Theatre Ensemble, Chicago (1986, Acts of Kindness; and 1985, I Used To Like This Place Before They Started Making All Those Renovations)
— Huron Theatre, Chicago (1984, The Unnamed; and 1982, Oh Wow Nancy Drew)
— The Independent Eye, Philadelphia (1982, Acts of Kindness)
— Niewe Flaams Theatre, Antwerp, Belgium (1982, Acts of Kindness in Flemish)
— Goodman School of Drama, Chicago (1982, An Interest In Strangers)
— University of Minnesota - Minneapolis (1981, The Unnamed)
Plays (other than my own) directed for Theatre X:
— Ubu Roi, Alfred Jarry (2004)
— The Bald Soprano, Eugene Ionesco (2003)
— The Apollo of Bellac, Jean Giraudoux (2003)
— What Matters, ensemble (2003)
— Lulu, Frank Wedekind (2001)
— Hajj, Lee Breuer (2001)
— When We Dead Awaken, Henrik Ibsen (2000)
— John Gabriel Borkman, Henrik Ibsen (1997)
— Vieux Carre, Tennessee Williams (1997)
— An Ideal Husband, Oscar Wilde (1995)
— Lord Alfred’s Lover, Eric Bentley (1994)
— Careless Love, Len Jenkin (1994)
— A Murder of Crows, Mac Wellman (1993)
— Sincerity Forever, Mac Wellman (1992)
— Pilgrims of the Night, Len Jenkin (1991)
— A Country Doctor, Len Jenkin (1987)
— Big and Little, Botho Strauss (1986)
— The Raft of the Medusa, Georg Kaiser (1985)
— The Fall of the Amazons, Eric Bentley (1984)
— Kaspar, Peter Handke (1982)
— The Ride Across Lake Constance, Peter Handke (1979)
— Offending the Audience, Peter Handke (1986)
— Under Milkwood, Dylan Thomas (1985)
Directed for Marquette University:
— The BFG (Big Friendly Giant), Roald Dahl (2008)
— The Frog Prince, David Mamet (2007)
— The Lion and The Mouse, John Schneider (2006)
— Everyman, my adaptation (2005)
— This Is Our Youth, Kenneth Lonergan (2005)
— The Ugly Duckling, Willard Simms (2005)
— The Memorandum, Vaclav Havel (2004)
— The Fir Tree, James Engelhardt (2001)
Original young ensemble performance created under my direction:
— What About How I Feel? (2008), Project Non-Violence
— High Skoo High (2007), Project Non-Violence
— Prairie Garden Stories (2007), Artists Working in Education
— True Life: Too Hot For TV (2006), Project Non-Violence
— Welcome to our Fifth Grade Lives (2006), Artists Working in Education
— A Teenage World (2005), Project Non-Violence
— The Bully Chronicles (2004), Theatre X
— Reality Check (2003), Theatre X
— Tag You’re It (2002), Theatre X
— One Milwaukee Night (2001), Theatre X
Recent Acting Roles:
— The Ballad of Josef K, John Schneider, 2008 — various characters
— Speak Truth To Power, Ariel Dorfmann, Marquette University, 2006 — various characters
— Kafka’s Trial, my adaptation, The Post-Romantic Theatre, various characters, 2005
— The Book of Kells, Kurt Hartwig, Marquette University production, 2005
— JB, Archibald MacLeish, (Mr. Zuss), Marquette University, 2005
— Talk, Carl Hancock Rux, (Meno), Theatre X, 2003
— Night Just Before The Forests, Bernard-Marie Koltes, (solo), Theatre X, 2002
— Gint, Romulus Linney, (Older Man), Theatre X, 1998
— Good, C. P. Taylor, (Hitler), Theatre X, 1997
Courses Taught for Marquette University Department of Performing Arts:
— Third Semester Acting: Scene Study (2001- present)
— Play Writing (2004 - present)
— Theatre History (2003 - present)
— Play Analysis (2004 – present)
— Disciplines of Movement (2003 – present)
— Acting for Non-Theatre Majors (1999 - present)
— Theatre Appreciation (2002)
— Independent Study Projects (2004 — present)
— Experimental Theatre (Honors Program) (2008 —)
