What's new ?
30.09.2021 Joanna directed a staged reading of DIE EMIGRANTEN for the Kultursommer Wien 2021 starring Jihad Al Khateeb and Stephan von der Decken.
She co-produced and directed a staged reading of PYGMALION, featured at the Schloss Juliusburg in Stetteldorf am Wagram for Art for Charity in September 2021.
Joanna starred in the timeless, Noel Coward comedy RELATIVE VALUES at Le Studio, Vienna. playing a lead ensemble role "Moxie" November 2021
03.06.2021 Joanna opened the 2020/2021 season at Theater Drachengasse with her company vienna theatre project. Kindly sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Vienna, she directed the musical show NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN by Christina Ham. Sadly her show re-run THE MOUNTAINTOP had to be cancelled due to the pandemic
On 22nd May she enjoyed the Anniversary Reading of 1001 NIGHTS at Palais Hansen Kempinski with Saman Giraud and live music by Kamyab Sadeghi. After over a year reading they are now on Night 443 and have had over 3 milion views.
20.03.2020 Joanna started reading 1001 Nights, live on-line Tuesday - Friday due to the pandemic.
01.12.2019
FInished casting A BEDFULL of FOREIGNERS, currently working on set and staging for this show and THE MOUNTAINTOP.
02.10.2019
RED has recieved rave reviews from audience members
18.07.2019
Currently working on shows for next season.
16.10.2018
After a successful sell out run of "Crossing Jerusalem" by Julia Pascall, which included a visit and Q&A with the playwright, Joanna is now working on a show in January/February 2019 potentially colaborating with the US Embassy Vienna
05.07.2018
Joanna has thrown herself into the excioting challenge of directing an opera and is thoroughly enjoying the experience.
13.06.2018
Joanna was honoured to moderate at the first Indian Film Festival Vienna 2018 at Reaktor
03.01.2018
Second round of auditions for "Guards at the Taj" will be held in London's Umbrella Rooms 12th - 14tth January.
Excited to be directing her first Opera, auditions will be held on 26th and 27th January.
12.03.2017
After a turbulent few months casting and rehearsing, Joanna is thrilled with the successful run of "The Who and The What" by Ayad Akhtar. Press reviews available on www.viennnatheatreproject.com. She is currently working on a re-run of this project and a new show in May 2017. She is also working on choosing plays for the 2017-2018 season.
24.12.2016
Still casting for her next directing work "The Who and The What", looking for Afzal, see www.viennatheatreproject.com Joanna and the team are always conscious not to white wash the cast in this or any other show.
20.12.2016
Joanna is thrilled with the sell out success of "The Last Five Years" by Jason Robert Brown, as well as the final week's re-run of "The Invisibile Hand"by Ayad Akhtar. Both shows received great reviews from national press and radio.
16.10.2016
An exhausted Joanna (doing 2 shows at once) is pleased that "Sarg Niemals Nie" finally came together thanks to a great cast and the musical director Birgit Zach. Sold out almost every show it re-opens in January 2017
20.06.2016
Please find press reviews to Joanna's show "The Invisible Hand" on her company website www.viennatheatreproject.com. She is pleased to say the show was sold out every performance and is still receiving rave reviews.
If you want to check out Joanna's successful British Embassy garden party gig, see the pictures on www.flickr.com/viennatheatreproject where she had a lovely time working with actors Alan Burgon, Lynsey Thurgar and David Wurawa as they performed Shakespeare's most challenging monologues.
25.02.2016
What an exciting start to 2016 as rehearsals for the European Premiere of "The Invisible Hand" by Pulitzer Prize Winner Ayad Akhtar began. Joanna is lucky to be able to once again work with an amazing cast. Ihsan Ottman was replaced by the award-winning actor David Wurawa. Select photos in gallery.
23.11.2015
The image for "The Invisible Hand" is ready for the poster - above, Joanna is very excited about this project which once again stars some great actors: Dave Moskin, MIchaek Smulik, David Rodriguez-Yanez and Ihsan Ottman.
20.09..2015
Joanna is going through the process of finding the final cast for her next project "The Invisible Hand", she is really looking forward to directing this piece, which she has not been able to put down since first getting the script in her hand. Ayad Akhtar is one of her favourite playwrights currently and after the success of "Disgraced" last year - every night sold out - she hopes to be able to hit the sensitive topic of Islamaphobia, capitalism and the current crisis in the MIddle East with a kind hand.
19.09..2015
Joanna is in the final week of directing "Marry Me a Little" by Stephen Sondheim. It's been a very challenging experience, different from all the other musicals she has done so far. But the music is beautifu and the performers are amazing and she is very excited to see the final "product" on premiere night.
20.05.2015
Joanna just finished co-managing and taking part in the internationally acclaimed Robert Castle Method Acting Workshop (new dates in Vienna in August) and is now working with the US Embassy Vienna & Theater Drachengasse (amongst others) on next season's shows.
13.03.2015
DISGRACED was sold out every night and Joanna was once again thrilled to receive great reviews. We hope for a revival in 2015/2016 or to do another great Akhtar show. She is currently working on her next show with her team and working on the next season. Joanna is also hoping to find work across Europe next year and some acting roles.
As of April Joanna will asst. at the Robert Castle Method Acting Workshop in Vienna for 2 weeks.
13.10.2014
[title of show] has just closed to great crtical acclaim, Rehearsals started in September 2014, starring Oliver Watton, Nazide Aylin, Alan Burgon and Lynsey Thurgar. Joanna immensely enjoyed the stage direction working together with Birgit Zach (music director) and her wonderful team Silke Müllner, Christina Koeppl, Kathy Firli and Meli Helvin.
She has already cast for her next show "DISGRACED" by Ayad Akhtar which will be performed at the Theater Drachengasse Bar & Co in February 2015. She is very excited about this new project and is already ploughing into the pre production work.
13.06.2014
Joanna had a great time organising and overseeing the readings for a set of shows called "5 Plays/5 Nights". She is currently working on her next show which will be the award winning musical (Title of Show) opening the season at the Theater Drachengasse and opening the season of her company. This will be on stage in September/October 2014 . She is further working on the follow up award winning show after that, which she cannot reveal yet but will be on in February 2015. Watch this space. Both shows are amazing and she is very excited to have the opportunity to work on them.
13.05.2014
It's been such a long time since this website was finally updated. So much has been happening. Joanna directed the critically acclaimed play "Topdog/Underdog"starring award winning actor David Wurawa and Ricky Watson - at the Theater Drachengasse, It was sold out with great audiences. At the same time she co-produced the hit play "Sleuth" starring Dennis Kozeluh and Michael Smulik. Only 6 weeks later she was on stage herself playing the lead in Sarah Kane's thought provoking play "4.48 Psychosis"
What's up next? Whilst doing a set of staged readings at the new offices of her company www.viennatheatreproject.com, at the Theatercouch (www.theatercouch.at), Joanna is also preparing for next season and which will hopefullly include a trip to Berlin and Switzerland touring one of her plays.
26.11.2013
Joanna is thrilled to announce she will be reading "God of Carnage" in December 2013 as a staged reading.
30.10.2013
Next Joanna will be organising the new Actors Deli meeting to be held at an event location in Vienna in December 2013. In January Joanna will be co-producing the hit show "Sleuth" starring Michael Smulik and Dennis Kouzeloh.
She has also started casting for the next show she will be directing in January the Pultizer Prize winning play "TopDog/UnderDog" by Suzanne Lori Parks.
29.10.2013
Joanna was so busy she had not time to update her website. September through October saw her directing and producing her sell out success show "tick, tick...BOOM!" at Theater Drachengasse, starring: Kieran Brown, Alan Burgon and Nina Weiss. Music Birgit Zach.. Want to read reviews go to www.viennatheatreproject.com or www,facebook.com/viennatheatreproject photos on www.flickr.com/viennatheatreproect. She also produced the concert "Music That Matters" an evening with Kieran Brown and friends - another sell out success.
13.06.2013
Exciting news as Joanna will be directing the hit musical "tick, tick...BOOM!" by Larson, the award-winning author of RENT. This show will be preformed in Vienna in October 2013.
10.06..2013
The Actor's Deli will see Joanna perform 2 monologues in Schmerlingplatz 3, in Vienna's 1st district. A one night only gig, come and check it out.
01.05.2013
Joanna is currently working on a new theatre format for Vienna with actors Almut Mölk and Silke Müllner called "The Actor's Deli". News about this new show to follow soon.
27.03.2013
Joanna is thrilled to announce that West End Spring was a sell out success, with 26 people on the waiting list on the final performance. Reviews available on the vienna theatre project website.
20.03 - 22.03.2013
After popular demand, the West End show is back, Joanna will be directing "West End Spring SWITCH" at the Theater Drachengasse. "Perfect song choice, an evening of dreams." Musical Awakenings February 2013 on West End Winters
05.03.2013
Joanna will be directing a play reading of "How I Learned to Drive" which will be performed on 06.03.2013 at the International Ex-Pat. Centre in Vienna's inner city.
02.03.2013
Sleuth was a sell out success
15.01.2013
Sleuth is in full throttle, it opens on 19th February in the Theater Drachengasse Bar & Co. A new project(s) is also underway watch this space for more details as it becomes more concrete.
13.01.2013
Very pleased with the outcome of her show "West End Winters" there was standing room only on the last night. Queues on waiting lists every night at the door. Thanks to the artists Kieran Brown, Caroline Frank, Birgit Zach and Doug Andrews for their work. Photos in the portrait gallery.
10.12.2012
Joanna's theatre company has gone live with their new website.
01.12.2012
The English Lover's will be producing the world famous play "Sleuth" at the Theater Drachengasse, Joanna's theatre company will be producing the show for and with them. For more details check out the new www.viennatheatreproject.com website when it goes live.
17.11.2012
Joanna will be directing and producing "Westend Winters" a musical evening of cabaret at the Theater Drachengasse Bar & CO, Fleischmarkt 22, 1010 Wien, Performancess: 10th, 11th and 12th Jaunary 2013.
12.11.2012
Next possible shows with vienna theatre project and Theater Drachengasse Bar & Co to be announced soon.
20.10.2012
Having recently finished a critically acclaimed run of "Ordinary Days" by Adam Gwon, Joanna is currently working on 2 new projects due to come out in 2013/2014. Watch this space for details.
13.10.2012
Critics are out on "Ordinary Days"
http://www.kultur-channel.at/ordinary-days-das-sehenswerteste-musical-derzeit-in-wien/
http://www.thatsmusical.de/magazin/mit-charme-ordinary-days-in-wien-a101226.html
http://musicalawakening.blogspot.co.at/2012/10/vienna-theatre-project-ordinary-days.html?m=1
http://derstandard.at/1348284837433/Broadway-gibt-es-in-der-kleinsten-Huette
01.10.2012
My partner Sarah Hayes and I are looking forward to the premiere of "Ordinary Days".
© Ine&Thomas Photography