Dave Steakley

Producing Artistic Director

DAVE STEAKLEY (Producing Artistic Director) is now in his 30th season, and is dedicated to creating a theatre of, by and for Austin. Led by Dave’s vision, the creation of the Topfer Theatre came to fruition, opening in October 2012 with the acclaimed musical Ragtime. Dave is committed to a dialogue that is inclusive, because other voices and other perspectives enrich our lives, and help us to become more empathic and thoughtful people. He relishes the opportunity to engage our Central Texas region in a lively, meaningful dialogue to cultivate a greater sense of community for everyone who calls Austin home. Dave envisions ZACH as the meeting tent where our community gathers because it has investment, ownership, and representation in our creative work.

With Dave as artistic leader, ZACH has produced multiple World Premieres by Terrence McNally, Anna Deavere Smith, Steven Dietz, Jaston Williams, Everett Quinton, John Walch, Allen Robertson, and The Flaming Idiots. ZACH served as the Central Texas hub of the nationwide 365 Plays/365 Days Festival by Suzan-Lori Parks. Dave created the first bilingual adaptation of Webber and Rice’s musical Jesucristo Superstar, and set The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess in Katrina-ravaged New Orleans with a jazz/RandB reinvention, which received national acclaim from The New York Times.

Dave has directed many ZACH productions, and some favorite experiences include: The Ballad of Klook and Vinette; Once; Sunday in the Park with George; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; The Great Society; All the Way; Disney’s Mary Poppins; Tribes; Mothers and Sons; The Who’s Tommy; The Gospel at Colonus; Next to Normal; August: Osage County; Rent; Metamorphoses; Caroline, or Change; The Clean House; Take Me Out; Crowns; Omnium-Gatherum; Jelly’s Last Jam; The America Play; Dreamgirls; Angels in America; and the first professional repertory production of The Laramie Project, and The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.

His regional directing credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, New Stage Theatre, American Heartland Theatre, WaterTower Theatre, and Pittsburgh’s City Theatre. He is the playwright of ZACH’s A Christmas Carol, Rockin’ Christmas Party, and Keepin’ It Weird, featured on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and American Theatre. Dave has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas Medal of the Arts, and the National Alliance for Musical Theatre.

The City of Austin Mayor declared, May 18, 2001 and October 22, 2011 as “Dave Steakley Day” on the occasion of his 10th and 20th ZACH Anniversaries. He is the recipient of the 2015 First Tee of Greater Austin Courtesy Award, the 2013 Human Rights Campaign Austin Visibility Award, 2010 Kick Ass Award, 2005 Austin Circle of Theaters’ “Outstanding Contribution to Austin Theatre” Award, seven Austin Chronicle “Best of Austin Best Stage Director” awards, the 2000 Austin Under 40 Outstanding Arts and Entertainment Award. In 2009, he was crowned Austin Dancing with the Stars Champion, and he has a cameo in Richard Linklater’s 2012 film Bernie with Jack Black.