John Jesurun is a playwright, director and media artist based in New York. His presentations integrate elements of language, architectural space and media. His exploded narratives cover a wide range of themes and explore the relation of form to content. They challenge the experience of verbal, visual and intangible perceptions. His work is distinguished by his integrated creation of the text, direction, set and media design. From 1979 to 1982 he was assistant to the producer for The Dick Cavett Show producing interviews with Alberta Hunter, John Hammond Sr., Odetta and Tito Puente. In 1982 he began began his theatrical career at the Pyramid Club on the Lower East Side with his groundbreaking serial play “Chang in a Void Moon”, now in its 68th episode. (Bessie Award). Since 1984 he has written,directed and designed over 35 pieces including: the media trilogy of Deep Sleep (1986 Obie Award, Best Play),White Water and Black Maria.
Varied directing/design credits include Roy Nathanson’s Jazz Suite, “Fire at Keaton’s” with Debby Harry and Elvis Costello at St. Ann’s, Brooklyn, Harry Partch’s opera “Delusion of the Fury” at the Japan Society and music video for Jeff Buckley. His work has been produced and presented by numerous venues including La Mama, the Kitchen, the Walker Arts Center,Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Wexner Center,Berliner Festpielhaus, National Theater of Mexico,Vienna Festival and Spoleto USA. He is the recipient of numerous grants including fellowships from the Rockefeller Foundation, Guggenheim Foundation, the Rome Prize, Asian Cultural Council, National Endowment for the Arts, MacArthur Foundation and Foundation for Contemporary Arts. He has directed his work in Spanish, Japanese, Italian and German. His work is published by Performing Arts Journal, Ediciones El Milagro, Theater Communications Group, Sun and Moon Press, Yale Theater Magazine, NoPassport Press, Index, Felix, Theater der Zeit, Backstage Books. Several film projects including “Deep Sleep” and “Black Maria” have recently been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art. Six new online episodes of his serial “Chang in a Void Moon” produced during the pandemic are viewable on Vimeo with more in production. A revival of his play “Philoktetes” directed by Martin Acosta ran this year in Mexico City.