Paul Austin has been an actor, director, and teacher for all his professional life in the theatre. He has acted and directed On and Off Broadway, Off-Off Broadway, in summer stock and regional theatres around the nation, as well as acting for television and film. Recent stage appearances include the title role in Krapp’s Last Tape, Foreman in Vaclav Havel’s Audience. and Niels Bohr in Copenhagen. He has directed over 50 plays. In addition to his working life as actor and director, he has founded and been Artistic Director of three theatres: the Image Theatre in Boston, the Image Theatre and Studio on Theatre Row in Manhattan, and the Liberty Free Theatre, free for an underserved community in upstate New York. He has been a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre since its founding. All through his career, he has taught acting at his own studios and as a guest at various institutions. He was tenured acting and directing faculty at Sarah Lawrence College for eighteen years. Hundreds of actors who’ve worked with him have had continuing careers in the theatre.

Read more on the Theatre pages.

Paul Austin has written for and about the theatre in essays, poetry and plays. “Spontaneous Behavior, the Art and Craft of Acting,” published by Turning Plow Press, is now available for pre-order. Paul’s collection of poetry “Notes on Hard Times” was published by Village Books Press. His work has appeared in such publications as This Land, Sugar Mule, Oklahoma Review, More Monologues by Men, and Newport Review. His poems have also been included in Speak Your Mind, the 2019 anthology of Woody Guthrie Poets Bull Buffalo and Indian Paintbrush, an anthology of Oklahoma poetry, Behind the mask: Haiku in the Time of Covid-19, Jerry Jazz Musician, and LEVEL Land: poems for and about the I-35 corridor. Late Night Conspiracies, a collection of his writings was performed with jazz ensemble at New York’s Ensemble Studio Theatre.

Read more on the Writing page.