Artist Bio

OLIVER BUTLER (Director, The Amateurs) is a co-founder and co-artistic director of The Debate Society (TDS), with whom he has co-created and directed nine full-length plays since 2004. Mr. Butler directed TDS’ Jacuzzi, which premiered last fall at Ars Nova. He also directed the premiere of Will Eno’s The Open House (Obie Award for Direction; Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play) at the Signature Theatre Company. He directed the City Center Encores! Off-Center production of Jonathan Larson’s Tick…Tick…Boom starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom and Karen Olivo. TDS’ acclaimed production of Blood Play had sold out runs at The Bushwick Starr, The Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. TDS’ play Buddy Cop 2 was a Critic’s Pick in The New York Times, Time Out New York and Backstage. With TDS, Mr. Oliver has directed the world premieres of Cape Disappointment (PS122), You’re Welcome (The Brick), The Eaten Heart (The Ontological Incubator), The Snow Hen (Charlie Pineapple Theater) and A Thought About Raya (Red Room, The Brick and The Ontological Incubator). He recently directing the world premiere of Timeshare by Lally Katz (The Malthouse) in Australia, the world premiere of Daniel Goldfarb’s Legacy at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and the premiere of Christopher Shinn’s An Opening in Time at Hartford Stage Company. He is a Sundance Institute Fellow and a Bill Foeller Fellow (Williamstown Theatre Festival).