DIRECTOR
My name is Eric Quang Gelb, and I’m a NYC-based director of musical theatre, live branded entertainment and theatre for young audiences.
I believe in the social responsibility and opportunity of these “gateway” entertainment experiences. They’re an accessible and necessary part of our theatrical ecosystem: most theatre fans first got hooked by flying witches, singing cats and rapping founding fathers. Its appeal is transcendent; seeing those shows are once a year (even once in a lifetime) memories. Just as impactful as academia & “high art”. They creative lifelong lovers of the arts - ultimately changing hearts, minds and humanity.
As an asian, gay, jewish artist, I reject the “type” of art I’m assumed to create - most assume my dream project is an all-Asian Angels in America, not Legally Blonde - but I’m not a “it’s just ____” person. While I don’t ask for perfection, I like to say that I demand excellence. I insist on a consistent point of view, detail, diversity, thoughtfulness and a high standard of work everywhere - whether it’s Broadway or in a theme park, I create a culture that never sacrifices humanity, but is powered by a relentless pursuit of ferocity: hitting our numbers, clean cutoffs, hands turned in at the same angle.
As a guest director, I've visited Orlando Family Stage (Finding Nemo: The Musical), The Art Farm at Serenbe (Xanadu), The Dr. Phillips Center (Hairspray, Mean Girls, Matilda), Fordham University (Footloose), Vanguard Theatre Company (Mean Girls), Round Barn Theatre (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory), Virginia Children’s Theatre (James & The Giant Peach), LEGOLAND NY. I was an SDCF Shadow at HAMILTON on Broadway under Resident Director Hannah Ryan.
As part of the 5 person Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s Creative Producing team, I cast and direct 100+ characters, SAG dancers & vocalists to accompany celebrities and floats. We develop AND produce the creative. I am committed to showing our 36 mill+ viewers that diverse artists exist in stories not just about hardship, but whimsy and fantasy. The highlight (so far) was leading Sheryl Lee Ralph’s historic turn as the first Black Mrs. Claus.
I graduated from New York University Steinhardt's Program in Educational Theatre, where I was the Artistic Director of the TYA organization Lamplighters. I converted lecture halls to theatres (hanging backdrops on command hooks) without compromising quality (inclusive of lace wigs and automated props) - all to pack, cart and store it in a dorm nightly. I co-founded a program, the Musical Theatre Collective, that matched NYU student mentors with youth. NYU culminated in a self-produced, site-specific production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
When I visit an organization, I am usually the only person who looks like me that they have ever hired. So the margin of error is nonexistent. So I pride myself on my artistry AND my administration; because I do large musicals, I view my paperwork and hyper-focused detail from day one (tracking sheets, agendas and filter-view show notes, itemized for each actor) as a crucial step in setting a container for the process. Some may say it’s over-kill; it’s how my brain works. It’s my hope that such clarity and detail creates the space and time needed to actually address, pivot and implement the things I prioritize in building the culture of a company: doing everything WITH respect, dignity, safety and humanity. As long as there is a clear standard and container and organization (inside and outside) the room, it’s not “either or”, and we can live by my ethos: full out, no marking!