Theater Director
David Gassner is an MFA-trained theatrical director, producer, and teacher with over 30 years of experience across all types of plays and musicals. A supportive leader skilled at working with both pros and volunteers to tell clear, moving stories—even on a tight budget.
Selected productions (click review links for full articles)
Tiny Beautiful Things, based on the book by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos
The Bravo! Theatre, Ajijic Mexico
A little masterpiece, not to be missed. The play resounds with the echoes of everyday lives, scaling heights of passion, plumbing depths of despair. - Alan Ferguson, Lakeside News Chapala
1984 by George Orwell, adapted for the stage by Michael Gene Sullivan
Radial Theater Project, Seattle WA
Director David Gassner has superbly paced the play to consistently amp up the tension to a terrifying, yet all too familiar end.
– Jay Irwin, Broadway World
Hair, by Gerome Ragni, James Rado, Galt MacDermot, ArtsWest, Seattle, WA
“Hair, directed by David Gassner, is nothing short of spectacular, full of honesty and heart and relevance, with those spirit lifting singalong tunes we remember and love.”
— J. Autumn Needles EDGE Seattle
We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 by Jackie Sibblies Drury
Pony World Theater, Seattle WA
Director David Gassner and his admirable cast give “We Are Proud to Present…” the visceral power and intensity required to rattle and implicate us. –Misha Berson, Seattle Times
Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them, by A. Rey Pamatmat
Seattle Public Theater
David Gassner deserves great credit for his brilliant direction of this show… Edith, Kenny and Benji were living their lives in front of us, never appearing to be acting on the stage. – Jerry Kraft, SeattleActor.com
99 Layoffs, by Vincent Delaney
Radial Theater Project and ACT Theatre
World Premiere, commissioned by Radial Theater Project
Directed with verve by David Gassner…a comic look at the terminally un- and under-employed
– Misha Berson, Seattle Times
Karaoke Suicide is Painless, by Celene Ramadan
Radial Theater Project, performed at Seattle Solo Performance Festival
Too many levels of awesomeness! There were times I couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard.
– Jay Irwin, Broadway World
Trout Stanley, by Claudia Dey
Balagan Theatre, Regional Premiere
An artistic triumph…shoutouts to the director, David Gassner, for his assured staging.– Michael Strangeways, Seattle Gay Scene
Maria/Stuart, by Jason Grote
Theater Schmeater, West Coast Premiere
Director David Gassner has done everything right. He found a surprising, unsettling comedy and mined it and his cast for everything they’re worth. – Brendan Kiley, The Stranger
The American Pilot, by David Greig
Theater Schmeater, West Coast Premiere
The best surprise is how Gassner and his cast manage to make this large-sized parable intimate and personal, a moving tale. – Nancy Worssam, Seattle Times