Christopher McElroen

Organizational history

2018 - Current: Founder & Artistic Director, the american vicarious, Inc.

2008 - Current: Producer & Director, Christopher McElroen Productions, LLC

1999 - 2009: Co-Founder & Executive Artistic Director, Classical Theatre of Harlem, Inc.

PREVIOUS PROJECTS

FAR FROM THE NILE | Produced

• Documentary feature follows 12 musicians from 8 African nations on a 100-day tour of the U.S.

  • London Director Awards (London, UK), 2024

  • Zawya Cinema (Cairo, Egypt), 2023

  • Kenya Music & Cultural Festival (Wote, Kenya), 2023

  • DCTV Firehouse Cinema (Tribeca, NYC), 2023

  • Lion International Film Festival (Florence, Italy), 2023

  • Tripoli Film Festival (Tripoli, Lebanon), 2023

  • AFMI Arab American Festival (San Francisco, CA), 2023

  • Arabiches Film Festival (Stuttgart, Germany), 2023

  • Rotterdam Arab Film Festival (Rotterdam, Netherlands), 2023

  • RomAfrica Film Festival (Rome, Italy), 2023

  • Arab Film Days (Oslo, Norway), 2023

  • Austin International Art Festival (Austin, TX), 2023

  • New African Film Festival (Washington DC), 2023

  • Docs Without Boarders International Film Festival, Exceptional Merit, (USA) 2023

  • Luxor African Film Festival (Luxor, Egypt), Winner Long Film Competition, 2023

  • Cairo International Film Festival (Cairo, Egypt), World Premiere, Winner Best Non-Fiction Film, 2022

DEBATE: BALDWIN VS. BUCKLEY | Conceived, Adapted and Directed

• An adaption of the historic 1965 Cambridge Union debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley

  • TimeLine Theatre (Chicago, IL), 2025

  • University of Tennessee (Chattanooga, TN), 2024

  • Cambridge Union (Cambridge, England), 2023

  • Bristol Old Vic (Bristol, England), 2023

  • Stone Nest (London, England), UK Premiere, 2023

  • the american vicarious, Bronx River Arts Center (NYC), 2023

  • the american vicarious, Harlem Stage (NYC), 2023

  • the american vicarious, Newhouse Arts Center (NYC), 2023

  • the american vicarious, Queens Theatre (NYC), 2022

  • the american vicarious, Old Stone House (NYC), 2022

  • the american vicarious, ART/NY (NYC), World Premiere, 2022

  • the american vicarious, Women’s National Republican Club (NYC), 2021

  • the american vicarious, Montauk Club (NYC), 2021

  • the american vicarious, BRIC (NYC), 2020

  • “Highbrow and Brilliant” in the New York Magazine Approval Matrix

PIEDMONT BLUES: A SEARCH FOR SALVATION | Co-Conceived, Developed and Directed

• A mixed media exploration of race in the american south with jazz musicians, Gerald Clayton and René Marie

  • the american vicarious, Harlem Stage (NYC), 2022

  • the american vicarious, Winter Jazz Fest, Sheen Center (NYC), 2020

  • the american vicarious, Port Townsend Jazz Festival (WA), 2019

  • University of Michigan (MI), 2018

  • Modlin Center for the Arts (VA), 2017

  • Savannah Music Festival (GA), 2017

  • Strathmore Music Center (MD), 2016

  • Duke Performances (NC), World Premiere, 2016

SHOOTING CELBERITIES | Developed & Directed

• An exploration of American identity for 20 audience members on 50 monitors

  • the american vicarious, The Flea (NYC), World Premiere, 2022

NEGATIVE LIBERTY/POSITIVE LIBERTY | Conceived, Developed, and Directed

• Performance installation exploring Isaiah Berlin’s 1958 lecture, Two Concepts of Liberty

  • the american vicarious & Performance Arcade (NZ), February 2023

  • the american vicarious & The Invisible Dog Arts Center (NYC), March 2021

STATIC APNEA 2020 | Conceived, Developed, and Directed

• Performance installation exploring breath, or the lack thereof in 2020

  • the american vicarious & The Invisible Dog Arts Center (NYC), September 2020

  • NYTimes Critic Pick, “Highbrow and Brilliant” in the New York Magazine Approval Matrix

(A)LOFT MODULATION | Co-Conceived, Co-Produced, Developed and Directed

• A stage adaptation of the book and National Public Radio series, The Jazz Loft Project

  • the american vicarious (NYC), World Premiere, October 2019

  • Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC), Workshop, December 2014

  • Manhattan Theatre Club (NYC), Reading, October 2014

  • WNYC Greene Space (NYC), Workshop, December 2013

  • Nominated for four AUDELCO Awards

IF ONLY | Directed

• A new play featuring Melissa Gilbert

  • The Cherry Lane Theatre (NYC), World Premiere, September 2017

  • The Lark Play Development Center (NYC), Workshop, November 2016

STATIC APNEA | Conceived, Developed, and Directed

• Performance installation exploring depth

  • The Performance Arcade (Wellington, New Zealand), February 2017

  • Deep Anatomy (Auckland, New Zealand), November 2017

DOUGLASS | Directed

• A new play about Fredrick Douglass

  • Theatre Wit (Chicago), World Premiere, July 2016

  • The Lark Play Development Center (NYC), Workshop, February 2015

AIN’T SUPPOSED TO DIE: (A)LIVE IN DETROIT | Conceived, Produced and Directed

• A street corner staging of Melvin Van Peebles’ 1971 Broadway musical

  • An unincorporated american vicarious (Detroit), September 2015

INVISIBLE MAN | Developed, Co-Produced and Directed

• World Premiere stage adaptation of Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man

  • The Huntington Theatre (Boston), January 2013

  • The Studio Theatre (Washington, DC), September 2012

  • Court Theatre (Chicago), January 2012

  • Nominated for seven Jeff Awards and seven Helen Hayes Awards

  • Winner of three Helen Hayes Awards: Outstanding Direction, Lighting and Ensemble

MEASURE BACK | Developed, Produced and Directed

• A theatrical event imagining the end of an endless war

  • Performance Arcade, NZ | 2014

  • Duke Performances, NC | 2013

  • Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, PA | 2013

LIVING IN EXILE | Developed, Produced and Directed

• A theatrical event based on Homer’s The Iliad exploring endless war

  • National tour, April 2012 - October 2013

  • The Public Theatre's Under the Radar Festival (NYC), World Premiere, January 2011

CHAOS MANOR | Conceived, Developed, and Directed

• Video and sound installation exploring the visual and sonic archive of W. Eugene Smith

  • The Invisible Dog (NYC), 2011

THREE SISTERS | Adapted, Produced and Directed

• Featuring: Earle Hyman, Carmen De Lavallade, Roger Guenveur Smith and Reg E. Cathey

  • Classical Theatre of Harlem & HarlemStage (NYC), March 2009

  • Nominated for five AUDELCO Awards including Production and Direction

THE JAZZ AGE | Directed

• World Premiere play by Allan Knee

  • 59E59 (NYC), February 2008

WAITING FOR GODOT | Co-Produced and Directed

• Featuring: Wendell Pierce & J. Kyle Manzay

  • Classical Theatre of Harlem (NYC), May 2006

  • Lower Ninth Ward & Gentilly (New Orleans), November 2007

  • National Tour, 2009 - 2011

  • Named “One of the Top Ten National Art Projects of 2007” by The New York Times

  • Archives acquired into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art

  • Nominated for three AUDELCO Awards including Production and Direction

  • Elliot Norton Award Nomination (Boston), Outstanding Direction

51ST DREAM STATE | Developed and Directed

• The final work of poet, artist, and activist, Sekou Sundiata

  • Brooklyn Academy of Music Next Wave Festival (NYC), November 2006

  • Melbourne International Arts Festival (Australia), October 2006

  • Stanford Lively Arts (CA), April 2006

  • The Walker Arts Center (MN), World Premiere, March 2006

CHERRY ORCHARD | Adapted, Produced and Directed

• Featuring: Earle Hyman and Wendell Pierce

  • Classical Theatre of Harlem (NYC), February 2005

  • Nominated for four AUDELCO Awards including Production and Direction

THE BLACKS: A CLOWN SHOW | Produced and Directed

• Jean Genet’s rarely staged classic

  • Classic Stage Company (NYC), May 2003

  • Classical Theatre of Harlem (NYC), April 2003

  • Classical Theatre of Harlem (NYC), October 2001

  • Winner four OBIE Awards

  • Named “One of the Best Off-Broadway Productions of 2003” by The New York Times

KRAPP’S LAST TAPE | Produced & Co-Directed | North Adams, MA | 2011

CALIGULA | Produced | LaMama | New York | March 2010

BLACK NATIVITY | Produced |Theatre at St. Clement | New York | 2010

ARCHBISHOP SUPREME TARTUFFE | Produced | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2009

AIN’T SUPPOSED TO DIE… | Produced | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York |2004 - 2008

EMANCIPATION | Produced and Directed | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2008

BLACK NATIVITY | Produced | The Duke on 42nd Street | New York | 2008

TROJAN WOMEN | Produced | Harlem Stage Gatehouse | New York | 2008

ROMEO & JULIET | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | National Tour | 2008

AIN’T SUPPOSED TO DIE | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | National Tour | 2008

MARAT SADE | Produced and Directed | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2007

ELECTRA | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2007

KING LEAR | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem & Folger Theatre | Washington, DC | 2007

FUNNYHOUSE OF A NEGRO | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2006

MACBETH | Produced |Biennale Bonn | Germany | 2005

MEDEA | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2005

MOTHER COURAGE | Produced and Directed | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2004

DREAM ON MONKEY MOUNTAIN | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2004

CALIGULA | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2004

MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2003

CRAZY LOCOMOTIVE | Produced and Directed | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2003

MEDEA | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2002

HAMLET | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2002

NATIVE SON | Adapted, Produced and Directed | Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2002 - 2004

LYSISTRATA | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 2000

MACBETH | Produced |Classical Theatre of Harlem | New York | 1999