Bruce Akpan Hostetler

Director: The Hobbit

Northwest Children's Theatre

Portland, OR

May, 2009

This production was a dynamic and beautiful telling of the classic JRR Tolkien story, with a cast of professional actors and students from the Northwest Children’s Theatre school. The story was told as though in a “Great Hall” where tales of heroes were told to pass the long cold nights. The cast took on different roles throughout, and changed costumes in front of the audience. The dragon Smaug was a stunning bamboo frame puppet, who dazzled and terrified both Bilbo and the audience. (check out Smaug at The Hobbit - NWCT in/set-72157625129519806) A wonderful and successful production. (R. David Wyllie as Gollum, photo by David Kinder)

what people are saying

Kathleen Alaks, Grants Pass Courier

“director Bruce Hostetler makes it shine!”
- Kathleen Alaks, Grants Pass Courier

Carol Wells, The Oregonian

“Perfect casting drives this energetic production”
- Carol Wells, The Oregonian

Chuck Mercer, Sun Valley Local Favorites

“Shakespeare like a night at the movies. . . . the best I've ever seen, anywhere.”
- Chuck Mercer, Sun Valley Local Favorites

Audience Award, Ashland Sneak Preview

“WINNER - Best Director of a Play (Beauty Queen of Leenane)”
- Audience Award, Ashland Sneak Preview

A. Levine, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

“Bruce's direction never slips.”
- A. Levine, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Richard Rauh, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

“Bruce Hostetler staged the play with precision, building to perfection!”
- Richard Rauh, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Glenn Mitchell, The Vernon Morning Star

“[A] remarkable feat of pace and focus in a first-class production.”
- Glenn Mitchell, The Vernon Morning Star

Goings on

January 2012: Producing HOMELESS IN PORTLAND; a CompassWorks original interview-created production.

April 2013: Production Manager of the Ashland Independent Film Festival in Ashland, OR.

May 2013: Beginning research for CompassWorks DIVORCED DADS project.

June 2013: Directing MERCHANT OF VENICE for Portland Actors Ensemble.

July 2013: Producing REVELS SUMMER FAIRE for the Portland Revels.

August 2013: Directing at CAMP LITTLE LAUGH in Sun Valley, ID.

December 2013: Directing THE CHRISTMAS REVELS in Portland, OR.

Bruce in brief

Born in Nigeria to missionary parents, Bruce lived in Southern Africa through the 70’s and early 80’s. He returned to the USA to attend university, receiving a BA in Theatre and Art from Goshen College. After an eight year stint as an AEA stage manager in Indianapolis, Bruce attended the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, and eventually emerged (somewhat dazed and blinking slightly) with a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Stage and Television Directing.

In his twenty-something-year directing career Bruce has directed well over one hundred theatre, musical, and opera productions from New York to Santa Cruz, with with a few excursions into Canada. He founded and ran a summer Shakespeare Company in Indiana; was Producing Director for the Carnegie Mellon Summer New Plays Project, where he worked with playwrights Craig Wright (Pavilion) and Aaron Posner (The Chosen); and from 1999 through 2003 he worked for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, ending as a Producer for the Festival (producing the Green Show and running the understudy system).

Bruce is currently Resident Stage Director for the Portland Revels, Artistic Director of CompassWorks (www.compassworks.org), and a free-lance theatre/opera director and playwright. His four operas have toured the west coast, and his developing musical Hamburger Square was a part of the 2010 Fertile Ground Festival in Portland. Bruce is also serving as the President of the Portland Area Theatre Alliance.