Michael T. Williams is as an Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Theater and Performance Studies Program, Department of Performing Arts at Georgetown University. He is a queer-identified devised and ensemble theater practitioner and pedagogue: part director, performer, and educator of original collectively-authored performance. Driven by visual storytelling and sonic languages, his work explores hybrid performance forms, unreliable first person narratives, and theatricalization of non-dramatic and autobiographical texts.
With his collective Antigravity Performance Project and solo Michael has worked with: FringeArts, La MaMa ETC, Ars Nova, Williamstown Theatre Festival, New Ohio, Pig Iron Theatre Company, Soho Rep, Trinity Rep, Montez Press Radio, Sleeping Weazel, and in Arena Stage's Downstairs Series for New Work and Voices of Now Festival. His work has been presented at FringeArts, Ars Nova, Ice Factory Festival, New Ohio Theatre Presents, and at Haverford College through the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship. He has received artist residencies from Bethany Arts Community, Barn Arts, Adelphi University/New York Theatre Workshop, and FringeArts' Camp Fringe Residency Program.
Michael has taught for the Brown University/Rhode Island School of Design CoLAB, The City University of New York (Medgar Evers College and New York City College of Technology) and University of the Arts/Pig Iron Theatre Company, in addition to regional theatre companies and arts education organizations. He is the recipient of the 2013 Victims' Rights and Justice Awards for his work with Francesca Montanile Lyons and the Women of SOAR on Behind Closed Doors, as well as the 2010 Weston Award for his direction of William Finn and James Lapine's A New Brain. In 2011, Michael was the Bob Alexander Community Engagement Fellow in the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship Program at Arena Stage, where he taught, directed and devised ensemble-based work in the DC public schools. From 2011 to 2013, Michael served as the Education Outreach Coordinator at Trinity Repertory Company.
MFA in Devised Performance, University of the Arts/Pig Iron Theatre Company. BA in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies, Education Studies, Brown University. Associate Member Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. 2013 Williamstown Directing Corps. National Alliance of Acting Teachers Member.
AWARDS
Justice Award (presented by the Rhode Island State Department) – Fall 2013 *Co-Recipient with Francesca Montanile Lyons
Victims' Rights Award (presented by the Rhode Island Attorney General) – Spring 2013 *Co-Recipient with Francesca Montanile Lyons
Weston Award for Excellence in Directing (A New Brain – Spring 2009, Brown U.)
GRANTS
Summer Research Grant for Nellie/Nellie (Georgetown Main Campus Research 2022)
Annual Research Grant for Dad Rock (Georgetown Main Campus Research 2021)
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Covid Grant recipient (for Antigravity's Legal Tender postponed at FringeArts Main Stage April 2020)
Charlotte Cushman Foundation Grant (for Legal Tender) – 2020
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant recipient (for Antigravity's Dear Diary LOL at FringeArts Main Stage January 2018)
Small But Mighty Arts Grant recipient (for Antigravity's Dear Diary LOL in the 2017 Neighborhood FringeArts Festival) *collectively received
Knight Foundation and Citizen University's Joy of Voting Grant recipient (for The Hopefuls: Punk Election Fantasia in 2016) *collectively received