Paul Lazar is a founding member, along with Annie-B Parson, of Big Dance Theater. He has co-directed and acted in works for Big Dance since 1991, including commissions from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Old Vic (London), The Walker Art Center, Classic Stage Co., New York Live Arts, The Kitchen, and Japan Society. Paul’s stage acting credits include Tamburlaine at Theatre For A New Audience, Mud at Mabou Mines, Peace For Mary Francis at The New Group, Young Jean Lee’s Lear, The Three Sisters at Classic Stage Company, Richard Maxwell’s Samara at Soho Rep, Richard III at Classic Stage Company, Svejk at Theatre for a New Audience, and Mac Wellman’s 1965 UU at The Chocolate Factory Theatre. Directing credits include Christina Masciotti’s Social Security at the Bushwick Starr, Elephant Room at St. Ann’s Warehouse, Young Jean Lee’s Obie Award-winning, We’re Gonna Die, which was reprised at the Meldown Festival in London, featuring David Byrne, Bodycast: An Artist Lecture by Suzanne Bocanegra starring Frances McDormand for the 2014 BAM Next Wave Festival, and Major Bang for The Foundry Theatre at St. Ann’s Warehouse. Paul has performed with The Wooster Group in Brace Up!, The Emperor Jones, North Atlantic and The Hairy Ape. Paul’s solo show, Cage Shuffle, has toured nationally and internationally since 2017. Paul has acted in over 30 feature films, including Snowpiercer, The Host, Mickey Blue Eyes, Silence of the Lambs, Beloved, Lorenzo’s Oil and Philadelphia. His awards include two Bessies (2010, 2002), the Prelude Festival’s Frankie Award (2014), the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award (2007), as well an Obie Award for Big Dance (2000). He has taught in many universities including the Theatre, Dance and Media Department at Harvard University (Spring 2018). He has also taught at Yale, Rutgers and Barnard. Paul currently teaches at New York University.