Joel Rainey

Teaching Artist

Joel Rainey holds Masters’ Degrees in Shakespeare, Acting and Directing from Bowling Green State University and Louisiana State University. His directing credits include such diverse titles as Bent, Titus Andronicus, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Pirates of Penzance, The Secret Garden, Antigone, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Of Mice and Men, Peter and the Starcatcher, to name a few. Among his favorite performance credits include Jean Valjean, Scrooge, Petruchio (Taming of the Shrew) and Huey Long. Joel is always proud and excited to work alongside his number one collaborator, his wife, Paige, on many productions with young people that have included 13, Honk, Snoopy, Fancy Nancy, Peter Pan, Lion King, jr. etc.

As a college and university instructor, he has taught at the University of Toledo, Louisiana State University, Bowling Green State University and Meredith College. A certified actor/combatant with the Society of American Fight directors, he has choreographed fights for numerous Shakespeare and contemporary productions. Joel has had the privilege of producing Romeo and Juliet-A rock musical for Broadway legend, Terry Mann, opened for Dove award winner, Cece Winans and appeared onstage alongside film icon, Paul Sorvino. Rainey’s artistic efforts have also included everything from tours of Children’s Theatre, film and television to appearances as Ronald McDonald for the McDonalds Corporation. The beginnings of his career included two years with the Disney Character and Creative entertainment department and serving as the Louisiana state Representative for Children’s Theatre in the Southwestern Theatre conference. Former students have gone on to perform around the world in National tours and have performed on the Broadway stage.