About Tessa
Tessa Corrie is a theater director, producer, casting associate, and arts advocate from Berkeley CA. Growing up as a bi-racial adoptee with learning disabilities, she often felt disconnected and alone. Raised by artists and entrepreneurs, Tessa gravitated towards Theater at a young age. Her first memory of feeling accepted was on stage with her peers.
Tessa continued to pursue Theater as an acting and directing double major in college. Sophomore year, she came out as a lesbian and struggled to find work she could relate to. Tessa chose to pursue directing solely in the hope of creating opportunities she had longed for as a performer. Since then, Tessa has made a career prioritizing her queer and BIPOC peers and mainstreaming marginalized narratives.
Her process is grounded in collaboration and fostering a space that sees and holds its playwright, performers, and creative team. She believes the best theater is brought to life by an empowered community. Her mission is to make the process as fulfilling as the product. After 15 years in this industry, Tessa is confident in her ability to create a lasting experience for both artist and audience.
Resume
Full Length Plays
May 2023 - The Bramford. PlayGround SF
Nov 2021 - The Revolutionists. Palo Alto Players.
Oct 2021 - The Alebrije Play. More Más Marami Arts.
Nov 2020 - I Am Dracula. Poltergeist Theatre Projects.
Aug 2020 - Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue. The Pear Theatre.
May 2018 - The Making of A Modern Woman. Altered Sight Theatre Co.
Staged Readings
May 2022 - The Window Affair / PlayGround SF
Festivals
Nov 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / On the Night of the Apocalypse / PlayGround SF
Oct 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / As You Like It Actually / PlayGround NY
Oct 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / The Extraordinary Ordinary Ones / PlayGround SF
May 2022 - Best of PlayGround 26 / They Dun It / PlayGround SF
May 2022 - Pear Slices / Destiny Calls, On The Beach, Long Ago, The More Things Change, At Your Feet / The Pear Theatre
March 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / Lord Goose / PlayGround SF
March 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / K-I-S-S-I-N-G / PlayGround NY
Feb 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / Three Centimeters Per Second / PlayGround SF
Jan 2022 - Monday Night PlayGround / New Year / PlayGround SF
Dec 2021 - Monday Night PlayGround /Bridezilla Versus Stage Mom / PlayGround NY
Dec 2021 - Monday Night PlayGround / The Nativity / PlayGround SF
Sept 2021 - PlayGround Gala / Ophy’s Apothecary & Hella Love Oakland / PlayGround SF
Aug 2021 - ODS: Volume 8 / Green With Enby / Our Digital Stories
July 2021 - PCSF Playoffs / Spinning The Record, Banana On The Shelf, Traveling Music, Devil In Disguise, The Brisket / Playwright’s Center of SF
May 2021 - Best of PlayGround 25 / La Planchada / PlayGround SF
Mar 2021 - Fresh Baked Pears / Stolen Sisters, Cells and Inmates, End of The Tunnel / The Pear Theatre
Mar 2021 - Young Playwrights Project / Bobert, The Struggle is Too Real, Soap n Studs, Neighborhood Gifts / TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Mar 2021 - Young Playwrights Project /Speechless, Goodbye Stranger, Her, Interrogation / TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Mar 2021 - Monday Night PlayGround / Candy’s House / PlayGround SF
Jan 2021 - Monday Night PlayGround / Betrayal at the Zone of Death / PlayGround SF
Jan 2021 - ODS: Volume 6 / The Crush / Our Digital Stories
Dec 2021 - Monday Night PlayGround / Coward’s Flame / PlayGround SF
Dec 2021 - Culture Clatter /Thinking Out Loud, Habari Gani / FootHill College
Nov 2020 - ODS Volume 4 / T.G.I.Effed! / Our Digital Stories
June 2020 - Best of PlayGround 24 / Revival of: Love, Pray, Eat / PlayGround SF
Feb 2020 - SHOTZ: Hell Hath No Fury II /The Lizard Women / AmiosWest
Dec 2019 - Young Playwrights Project /Tea Time, Liar, Unexpected, In The Eyes of Fish / TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Dec 2019 - Young Playwrights Project / Go To Hell, Moving On, Dead-Tectives, Shrimp and The Tree / TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Nov 2019 - Monday Night PlayGround / Love, Pray, Eat / PlayGround SF
Nov 2019 - Pint Sized Plays: Office Holiday Party /Baby It’s Cold Outside / PianoFight
Sept 2019 - Bench Project 7 / Pretty / Los Altos Stage Company
Aug 2019 - ShortLived VIII-Round 8 /Doctor Do-Less / PianoFight
June 2019 - Pint Sized Plays: The Gang’s All Queer /Extra Devons / PianoFight
June 2019 - ShortLived VIII: Round 1 / Vampire Blood / PianoFight
May 2019 - Best of PlayGround 23 / Revival of: La Vida Lobo / PlayGround SF
April 2019 - Monday Night PlayGround / La Vida Lobo / PlayGround SF
Feb 2019 - SHOTZ: Hell Hath No Fury / Just An Apostrophe / AmiosWest
Jan 2019 - Monday Night PlayGround / High In A Tower / PlayGround SF
April 2018 - Young Playwrights Project / Lifeline, Roommates, Coffee?, Under the Tuscan Sun / TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Assistant Directing
November 2022 - Little Shop of Horrors. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Directed by Jeffrey Lo.
September 2022 - Zac and Siah or, Jesus in a Body Bag. The Custom Made Theatre Co. Directed by Adam L. Sussman.
March 2019 - Leading Ladies. Hillbarn Theatre. Directed by James Knipple.
January 2019 - Cherry Orchard. Shotgun Players. Directed by Jeffrey Lo.
December 2018 - True Meaning. PlayGround - Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Directed by Soren Oliver.
December 2018 - Santaland Diaries. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Directed by Jeffrey Lo.
October 2018 - Fabulous Pink Pumps. PlayGround - Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Directed by Katja K. Rivera.
October 2018 - Dancing Lessons. Center REPertory. Directed by Joy Carlin.
October 2018 - Anisotropy. PlayGround - Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Directed by Brit Frazier.
October 2018 - The 24 Hour Plays: Bay Area. PlayGround - Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Directed by Tom Ross.
February 2018 - Between Us: 7 Fingers. TheatreFIRST. Directed by Jeffrey Lo.
February 2018 - Between Us: Turning the Page. TheatreFIRST. Directed by Jeffrey Lo.
February 2018 - Peter and the Starcatcher. Hillbarn Theatre. Directed by Jeffrey Lo.
Producing
May 2022 - Pear Slices. The Pear Theatre.
March 2020 - (cancelled due to Covid) ShortLived IX. PianoFight.
August 2020 - A Panel of Trans Athletes. Fuse Theatre & Dragon Theatre.
Titles
Producer, PlayGround SF / 2022- 2023
Casting Associate, PlayGround SF / 2022-Present
Company Member, PlayGround SF / 2019-Present
Women Leaders Fellow (Directing), PlayGround SF / 2021-2022
Ambassador, PlayGround SF / 2020-2022
Artistic Associate, Hillbarn Theatre / 2020-2021
Directing Apprentice, PlayGround SF / 2018-2019
Awards
People’s Choice Award for MNP / October 2022
People’s Choice Award for MNP / February 2022
People’s Choice Award for MNP / January 2021
People’s Choice Award for MNP / November 2019
People’s Choice Award for MNP / April 2019
References
Jeffrey Lo
Casting Director
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Rob Ready
Founder & Artistic Director
PianoFight
Dan Demers
Former Executive Artistic Director
Hillbarn Theatre