Biography
Robert Ross Parker is a Brooklyn-based theatre artist. He is the co-artistic director of the Obie award-winning Vampire Cowboys with Qui Nguyen (Nguyen, he, and the company were listed among NYtheatre.com's 2004 people of the year.) For Vampire Cowboys he has co-authored and directed Vampire Cowboy Trilogy (published by New York Theatre Experience and Playscripts, Inc.), and A Beginner's Guide to Deicide, and directed Soul Samurai, Fight Girl Battle World (nominated IT award for best direction, best production, winner best ensemble), Men of Steel, and Living Dead in Denmark. Other recent directing credits include Goodbye Cruel World (Roundtable Ensemble) Hamlet{solo} (Edinburgh 07, SoloNOVA 08 at PS 122, Canadian tour), Children's Letters to God (national tour), Stained Glass Ugly, Slicing Andre (both by Nguyen), Lady Convoy (NYC Fringe) and numerous readings for Ensemble Studio Theatre where he spent a season as young director in residence. At the Toronto Fringe Parker directed Pseudolus and A Midsummer Night's Dream Project for Cabbagetown Theatre. He was the associate director for Silent Laughter off Broadway, the assistant director for High Fidelity on Broadway and has assistant directed at many theatres including EST, People's Light and Theatre Co, Toronto's Soulpepper and Barrington Stage Co where he served as assistant to the artistic director. For LAByrinth Theatre he co-produced the Barn Series in 2002 & 2003.
As an actor, Parker played the title role in The Flying Machine's Frankenstein at Soho Rep, and on tour. He has recently appeared in VCS Radio Monster Theatre for Vampire Cowboys Saturday Night Saloon (which he also wrote.) He spent three summers with the highly physical Odyssey Theatre and has toured his solo work Confessions of an Undead Actor extensively in Canada. Other work as playwright/performer includes Chasing Napoleon, Dunghill, Dinghill, Dunghill! and Jimmy Starshooter must Get Laid.
Parker is a graduate of Ottawa's Arts Canterbury High School and its BOFA improv team. He holds a BFA in theatre performance from Concordia University (Henry Gamer award for acting) and an MFA in directing from Ohio University. He is the editor of The Dramatist, the Journal of the Dramatists Guild of America.
