Mark Russell is the founder and artistic director of the Under the Radar Festival in New York City, a festival that celebrates contemporary theater and performance now in its 20th edition. Russell received a special Obie award in 2024 for his work reviving the festival.
He’s been an artistic advisor and curator for the Act French Theater festival in NYC; a programmer for the first New Works series at the Apollo Theater; has created festivals and performance series in L.A., Costa Mesa, and the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh; was the first guest artistic director of the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art –Time Based Arts Festival (TBA), creating three festivals for them from 2006-2008; and was the executive and artistic director of Performance Space 122 for 21 years. He is currently an adjunct teacher at Columbia University’s M.F.A. Directors Program.
Russell was awarded the Ross Wetson Obie for sustained achievement, received an Honorary Member of the British Empire (MBE) award by the British Government for his work on behalf of UK-based artists, and was honored at the Elevator Repair Service Theater's Annual Gala for his support of the company throughout its career.
At MacDowell, Russell wrote and organized his "Memoir/Manifesto" about his time running Performance Space 122 from 1983 to 2004 and his views on how those experiences can inform today's performance and theater artists and the challenges they face.
Portrait by Vincent Tullo
