Theater. Story. Movement.
Photo by Greg Salvatori
Xtian Ávila, he/they, is an arts administrator, theatremaker (theater director, producer, curator, playwright, and actor) teaching artist and Drama League Fellow. Ávila currently works as Executive and Artistic Associate at Flushing Town Hall and as founder and director of MEXFEST.
Ávila recently worked as Associate Director with The Public Theater and curated two eco-festivals at The Tank NYC. Recent credits include Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night at New York Live Arts, The Sun Serpent & Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” at the Hangar Theatre. He produced, wrote, and co-directed Masseur and produced, wrote, and directed Daddy's Boy at Theatre for the New City. He has collaborated with Theater in Asylum co-creating and performing in Debates 2020, a live-zoom hybrid production, Electability Cabaret, and Debates 2018.
Ávila collaborated with Christian Bakalov on Pure for Drama League's DirectorFest 2020, and with Richard Schechner on Dark Yes. Ávila is a founding member of Back to Work Collective co-creating and performing Feminist Flashmob at the 2017 Women's March in D.C. Other credits include Big Love, Daddy’s Boy, Alice & Falling in Line at Post Theater Company (NY) Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land at TDPS (UC Berkeley). On stage in Last Christmas at The Tank NYC, 20 Questions and Last Unicorn at TDPS and on screen as Host and Co-Creator of Club TV in San Francisco.
Xtian “Cristian” Ávila Theatremaker
www.xtianavila.net iamxtianavila@gmail.com
2021 Drama League Directing Fellow
Directing
Last Christmas | Xtian Ávila | The Tank 2024
Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” Mo Willems | Hangar Theatre 2021
The Sun Serpent (Workshop) José Cruz González | Hangar Theatre 2021
Masseur Co-Dir: Melissa Flower | Theater for the New City
Daddy’s Boy Cristian Ávila | Theater for the New City
The Persians Aeschylus | Skidmore College
Daddy’s Boy Workshop Cristian Ávila | Post Theater Company
Alice Cristian Ávila | Post Theater Company
Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land Stan Lai | UC Berkeley
Producing/Curating
Historias (curator) 2024 | Flushing Town Hall
MEXFEST (founder) 2024 | The Tank
Dark/Trash Eco Fests (curator) 2022 | The Tank
Masseur (producer) Cristian Ávila | Theater for the New City
Daddy’s Boy (producer) Cristian Ávila | Theater for the New City
Teaching Artist
The Public Theater/HPAC 2022-2023
The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts 2022
Assistant Directing
Romeo & Juliet | Dir: Jen Curfman | The Public Theater/HPAC | 22-23
Twelfth Night | Dir: Jen Curfman | The Public Theater/HPAC | NY Live Arts
Debates 18 |Theater in Asylum |The Drama League
Chasing the Dream Ensemble |Columbia University
Big Love Dir: Jason Jacobs | Post Theater Company
Falling in Line Dir: Matt Dickson | Post Theater Company
Marat/Sade Dir: Jason Jacobs | Post Theater Company
Related Positions
Founding Member Back to Work Collective
Education
MA LIU Post Theater Directing
BA UC Berkeley Dramatic Art
Training
Richard Schechner
Tadashi Suzuki/SCOT Company Suzuki Method
SITI Company Suzuki Method/Viewpoints
Stan Lai
Additional Skills
Fluent in Spanish
Yoga Instructor (Integral Yoga Institute)