BIO
Jason Schuler works across disciplines as a film and stage director, designer, visual artist and performer. His film work can be seen on the website Doctored Pictures. He is a founding member and Producing Artistic Director of the Operating Theater Company, with whom his work has been seen in New York City at: The Brick, Cherry Lane Theater, El Cid (LA), Obie Award-Winning Little Theater at Tonic & Dixon Place (12x), Catch Series at Abron’s Arts Center, The Bushwick Starr, Starr Street Space and The Chocolate Factory (7x) and at PS122’s Avant-Garde-Arama (2x). He has produced two variety events called The Doctor Schüler Medicine Show in Los Angeles at El Cid and The Met Theater.
His work has received a Puffin Foundation grant, an Alliance of Resident Theaters/New York Nancy Quinn Fund grant, two ART/NY Creative Space Grants, two Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Swing Spaces grants and an Artward Bound artist residency from The Field. He was a participant in Creative Capital’s Profession Development Program.
He has an MFA in Performance and Interactive Media Arts from Brooklyn College and a BFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he was a double major in Drama (in the Experimental Theater Wing) and Film and Television Production.
PRESS
The Present Perfect
“The Present Perfect is a new comedy by writer/director/performer Kourtney Rutherford, who invariably comes up with something fresh, especially in her outings with the equally imaginative Jason Schuler, the show’s co-producer and member of the five-person cast. Kourtney Rutherford and Jason Schuler are two of downtown’s most original and funny multifaceted theater people.” –Paper Magazine
“The pre-show image was beguiling. The set was beautiful. And spot on. The attention to detail in the set was excellent. The lighting was also incredibly well done – always striking and beautiful.” – 2007 NYIT Awards Judge
“I loved the pre-show visual, the opening, the set, the lights, quite a bit of the blocking… and two exquisite moments that happened in rapid fire: The shattering of the “vessel” was shocking and the eating of the glass…subtle and disturbing…electrifying.” – 2007 NYIT Awards Judge
FLAT!
“…proudly silly and prurient, broadly satirical and filled with sensationalistic gags that would shock your grandmother.” – The New York Times
“Goofy, raunchy, diabolically clever, FLAT is truly Pythonesque.” – Paper Magazine
The Dr. Schüler Medicine Show
“…at the El Cid in LA, The Medicine Show was performance art mixed with old-school cabaret, and appears to be a who’s who of young Hollywood up-and-comers.” – The Arcanabulum
“Perhaps the most underground and avante-garde of the neo-vaudevillian performances in Southern California is Dr. Schüler’s Medicine Show.” –Dance Magazine
The Fantastic & Naturally Tragic Ballad of Esmeralda & Mr. Sinclair
“…The performances of Stacy Dawson and Jason Schuler are some of the very best seen at the festival. By turns sweet, ridiculous, noble and twisted, these actors create memorable characters who are genuinely touching and achingly funny.” – Propaganda Magazine
“Most notable are the performances of Jason Schuler and Stacy Dawson, two young actors capable of great depth under Finkle’s meticulous direction.” – Joy Gorman, Development Director, Miramax Films
“Incredibly well acted and mesmerizing…well done, bravo and kudos…I found myself hanging on their every word!” -Janeane Garofalo, actress
Exposure
“[Jason Schuler is] a charming smart ass, he was both threatening and alluring…” – The Dallas Observer
Curriculum Vitae
JASON SCHULER
Ph: 646.220.9629 | jason@doctoredpictures.com
b. 1973, Pittsburgh, PA
Lives and works in Los Angeles, CA
(credits below in New York City unless noted otherwise)
EDUCATION
2015 Master of Fine Arts, Performance and Interactive Media Arts – with distinction, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
1995 Bachelor of Fine Arts, double major in Drama (Experimental Theater Wing) and Film & Television Production, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
2011 Professional Development Program, Creative Capital
2003 Physical Acting Intensive with Steve Wangh, Holderness Theater Company
1995 Acting program, International Theatre School Festival, Amsterdam, Netherlands
1990 Summer Conservatory, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, NY
TEACHING POSITIONS
2016 Adjunct Lecturer, Dynamic and Interactive Media Performance II, Performance and Interactive Media Arts MFA program, Brooklyn College
2015 Adjunct Lecturer, Dynamic and Interactive Media Performance I, Performance and Interactive Media Arts MFA program, Brooklyn College
2014 Workshop Leader, Channeling Mystical Creatures as Character Study, Brooklyn College
2014 Workshop Leader, Sensory Deprivation for Creative Excavation, Brooklyn College
2013 Workshop Leader, Staging the Subconscious, Brooklyn College
2013-15 Workshop Leader, Create a Storybook with Children, Toy Design Department, Fashion Institute of Technology / Haven Academy, NYC
2012 Acting Instructor, IRT Theater’s Westside Experiment, Young Actors’ Laboratory, for ages 13-17
DIRECTING FOR NEW YORK STAGE
2016 The Oracle, by Alison Folland, Eleanor Hutchins, Jennifer McKenna, Ken Nintzel, Jason Schuler, Eva Von Schweinitz, and Jon Leon Torn, Operating Theater Co., The Brick Theater, Brooklyn, NY
2015 Untitled Consciousness Project, PaJaMa Group, The Clash House, Brooklyn, NY
2013 Van Driver: Why Won’t You Pick Up Our Garbage? Operating Theater Co., The Cherry Lane
Alternative
Van Driver: Altamonte, Operating Theater Co., PS122 Avant-Garde-Arama, Abron’s Arts Center
Asking For It…A One-Lady Rape About Comedy, Adrienne Truscott, Movement Research Festival
Asking For It…A One-Lady Rape About Comedy, Adrienne Truscott, Catch Series #52, The Bushwick
Starr, Brooklyn, NY
2012 Van Driver: The Waldermer Show, Operating Theater Co., Little Theater, Dixon Place
The Gershwin Experiment, Operating Theater Co., the Gershwin Hotel
Portal of Parallels, Operating Theater Co., the Westside Experiment, IRT Theater
Operation 50. Operating Theater Co., Catch Series #50, The Chocolate Factory, Long Island City, NY
2011 The Oracle (excerpt), Operating Theater Co., Catch Series #45, Abron’s Art Center
2010 Transatlantica, Kenny Finkle, Operating Theater Co., New York Theater Workshop Fourth St. Theatre
2009 The Garden of Forked Tongues, Operating Theater Co., Paradise Factory Theatre
The Garden of Forked Tongues Pt. 2, Operating Theater Co., Catch #32, Starr Street Space, Brooklyn, NY
The Garden of Forked Tongues, Pt. 1, Operating Theater Co., Little Theater, Dixon Place
2008 When It Stands Still, Ellen Margolis, Toy Box Theater, Gene Frankel Theater
Van Driver: Jai Alai Bites, Operating Theater Co., The Cherry Lane Alternative
Murder of the Seas, Pierre-Marc Diennet, FringeNYC Festival, The Jazz Gallery
2007 The Garden of Forked Tongues Pt. 1, Operating Theater Co., Catch #26, The Bushwick Starr, Brooklyn, NY
2006 Van Driver: Butane, Operating Theater Co., The Cherry Lane Alternative
Van Driver Experiment, Operating Theater Co., Little Theater, Dixon Place
How are We Feeling Today, Sharon Blynn, Little Theater, Tonic
Are You ALIVE?! Ep. 3, Operating Theater Co., Avant-Garde-Arama, PS 122
Are You ALIVE?! Ep. 2, Operating Theater Co., Catch #18, Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
Are You ALIVE?! Ep. 1, Operating Theater Co., Phoenix Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
Are You ALIVE?!, Operating Theater Co., Little Theater, Tonic
2005 Van Driver #2, Operating Theater Co., Catch Series #11, Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
FLAT!, by Tim Cummings, Kenny Finkle, Sibyl Kempson, Kirk Marcoe, Jake Oliver, Kourtney Rutherford, Jason Schuler, Mike Taylor, Jon Leon Torn, Jennifer Zern, Operating Theater Co., The Brick Theater, Brooklyn NY
2004 Van Driver #1, Operating Theater Co., Catch Series #4, Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
2001 The (Molly) Ring(wald) Cycle, Kourtney Rutherford and Jason Schuler, Little Theater, Tonic
Nosferatu, Kourtney Rutherford, Little Theater, Tonic
2000 Toil and Trouble, James Price, Center Stage
Savage In Limbo, John Patrick Shanley, MuratArt Productions, HERE Arts Center
Pretty/Ugly, Jason Schuler, Little Theater, Tonic
Donna Muerta, Kourtney Rutherford, Little Theater, Tonic
1999 The Date, Franco Ambriz, HBO/JOAM contest final round, The Lamb’s Theater
DIRECTING FOR REGIONAL STAGE
2006 How are We Feeling Today, Sharon Blynn, The Big C Festival, Los Angeles
2003 The Dr. Schüler Medicine Show, The MET Theatre, Los Angeles
2002 The Dr. Schüler Medicine Show, El Cid, Los Angeles
DIRECTING FOR FILM/VIDEO
2015 Hirohito, written by Eleanor Hutchins, video short
2013 Judith Ellis, National Toy Hall of Fame Induction, Toy Industry Association, video short
2012 Decimus ’11, Decimus, music video
2011 Alien Interloper Performance Automobile Machine, Jason Schuler, video short
2002 Arthur Kill, Jason Schuler, 16mm film/video short
2001 slamhogcity, co-directed with Kourtney Rutherford, video short
1999 Birthday Girl festival promo special shoot, Miramax Films Corp. Orlando, FL
1998 Dogma, festival promo animation, Miramax Films Corp., Cannes, France
1997 Shakespeare in Love, market promo special shoot, Miramax Films Corp., Milan, Italy
1996 Prescient Partners: Fitting Pretty System, instructional / in-store promotional video, USA
TECHNICAL THEATER PRODUCTION
2012 Costume Consultant, Farewell Tour, Dir. Andrew Dinwiddie, Danspace
2008 Set Designer, When It Stands Still, Dir. Jason Schuler, Toy Box Theater Co.
2004 Prop Designer, Hansel Und Gretel, Dir. David Neumann, Experimental Theater Wing, New York University
2002 Set Designer, Wytche of Problymm Plantation, Dir. Sibyl Kempson, Dixon Place
1996 Production Designer, SeeFood, dir. Louis Leterrier, 35mm short film, Coney Island, NY
1995 Properties Assistant, Like a River, Carly Simon, music video, Sag Harbor, NY
1991-94 Properties Assistant, New York University undergraduate scene shop
EXHIBITIONS
2018 February – I am You, interactive media artwork, displayed in group exhibit at Liberate Hollywood gallery,
Hollywood CA
2014 May – present – Lead Artist, Metaverses augmented reality tour, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Westbeth Gallery, New York, NY
2004 September – New Artists Group Show, Silver Whale Gallery, New York, NY
2002 November – Invention At Play, Interactive Exhibit Designer, Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History, Washington DC
PERIODICAL FEATURES
2012 Rutherford, Kourtney. “The Weirder the Better?” American Theatre, Nov 2012.
2010 Del Signore, John. “Pencil This In.” Gothamist. Sep, 2010.
2009 Del Signore, John. “Pencil This In.” Gothamist. Oct 09, 2009.
Del Signore, John. “Pencil This In.” Gothamist. Jun 19, 2009.
Murrin, Tom. “The Year According to PaperMag: The Best of the Best and Worst of the Worst of 2009.” Dec 2009. http://www.papermag.com/the-year-according-to-papermag-1425637087.html
2008 Murrin, Tom. “Word Up! Stage Notes: Van Driver.” papermag.com, May 12, 2008. http://www.papermag.com/stage-notes-van-driver-1425425396.html
2007 Del Signore, John. “Jason Schuler, Actor/Writer/Producer” Gothamist. Feature/Interview. May 1, 2007. http://gothamist.com/2007/05/01/interview_jason.php
Murrin, Tom. “Stage Notes: The Present Perfect.” papermag.com, Apr 6, 2007.
2005 Manko, Vanessa. “Life is a Cabaret.” Dance Magazine, Dec 2005 60-65.
2003 Healy, Anne Marie. “A Little Theater is Born.” The Brooklyn Rail, Jun-Jul 2003. http://beatwww.brooklynrail.org/2003/06/theater/little
PERIODICAL REVIEWS
2015 Parenteau, Amelia. “Complicated Progress” Culturebot.org, Nov 16, 2015. http://www.culturebot.org/2015/11/24984/complicated-progress/
2012 Strauss. “Decimus ‘11’ [excerpt].” TinyMixTapes.com, Jun 21, 2012. http://www.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/premiere-decimus-11-excerpt
2010 Bowes, Danny, “Transatlantica.” NYTheater.com, Oct 1, 2010. http://www.nytheatre.com/Review/danny-bowes-2010-10-1-transatlantica
2008 Nesvet, RL. “Fear and Trembling in Copenhagen.” off-offonline.com. Sep 5, 2008. http://offoffonline.com/?p=3871
Simmons, Paulanne. “2008 New York International Fringe Festival.” Curtainup.com, Aug 25, 2008.
Carr, Leah. “Murder of the Seas.” theateriseasy.com, Aug 11, 2008. http://mmtheatre.blogspot.com/2008/08/murder-of-seas-jazz-gallery.html
Butler, Pamela. “2008 New York International Fringe Festival Reviews: Murder of the Seas” NYtheatre.com, Aug 13, 2008.
2007 Sherman, Josh. “The Present Perfect” NYTheater.com. Apr 28, 2007. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/the-present-perfect
Shaw, Helen. “The Present Perfect.” Time Out New York, Issue 605, May 3 – May 9, 2007.
2005 Zinoman, Jason. “Rm for Rent: Lodger, Enter at Your Risk” The New York Times, Jun 8, 2005. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/theater/reviews/rm-for-rent-lodger-enter-at-your-risk.html?_r=0
Reinwald, David. “Flat” newyorktheater.com. Jun 2005.
Murrin, Tom. “Stagenotes: August 2005.” Papermag.com, Aug 3, 2005. http://www.papermag.com/stagenotes-august-2005-1425189922.html
Form, K. “Flat Revives Childhood BBC Memories.” The New York Times, Jun 14, 2005, 50-52.
1997 Yawney, Michael. “The Fantastic and Naturally Tragic Ballad of Esmeralda and Mr. Sinclair.” Propaganda, Jul, 1997.
Fowler, Jimmy. “Through the Lens: Exposure Reveals the Camera’s Dark Heart.” The Dallas Observer, Jul 17, 1997.
RESIDENCIES
2016 The Brick Theater Resident Artist, Brooklyn, NY
2014 Artist Residency, Metropolitan Museum of Art Media Lab
2012 Artward Bound Residency, The Field, Fire Island, NY
AFFILIATIONS
2012-present League of Independent Theatres, member
2011-present Alliance of Resident Theaters/New York, member
2011-present The Field, member
2006-present Fractured Atlas, member, fiscal sponsorship
UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
2015 Co-Director, PIMA Summer Institute, Brooklyn College
2000-present Consultant to Chair of the Toy Design Department, Fashion Institute of Technology
HONORS / AWARDS
2016 A.R.T./New York, Creative Space Grant
2014 Performance & Interactive Media Arts Departmental Award, Brooklyn College
2013 Performance & Interactive Media Arts Departmental Award, Brooklyn College
2014 University Student Senate Graduate Peer Mentoring Scholarship, Brooklyn College
Rose Goldstein Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement, Brooklyn College
2012 Puffin Foundation Grant
A.R.T./New York, Creative Space Grant
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Swing Space Grant
2009 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Swing Space Grant
2011 The Field, Creative Capital Professional Development Program Grant
1994 Tisch Multi-Media Grant, New York University
L. Jay Oliva Presidential Scholarship, New York University
1993 Grand Prize, Best Use of Theme, and Best Use of Materials, “Windows on Washington Square” Design Competition, New York University
1992 Grand Prize, Best Use of Theme, and Best Use of Space, “Windows on Washington Square” Design Competition, New York University
1991-94 Tisch School of the Arts Scholarship, New York University