BIO

Rachel S. Bass (she/they) is a queer, jewish, disabled director and creative producer, who started in dramaturgy. They seek out stories with strong character development, that often grapple with loss, and finding hope through community.

With a background in planetary science, anthropology, and management, Rachel aspires to bring their eclectic experiences to their artistic work, and bridge disciplinary-lexicon barriers. This often results in colorful and stylized storytelling, incorporating science, music, and fantasy where possible.

Rachel has also completed the Consent Forward Artist Certificate from Intimacy Directors and Choreographers, Inc. In their free time, Rachel is a regular at trivia nights, reads cookbooks, knits with friends over Zoom, and grows an arboretum in her living room.

Projects in progress

Intimacy Coordinator of MUSIC FOR THE REQUIEM MASS, dir. Maïa Golden (Feature Film, post-production)

Producer of DOG DEAL, dir. Bix Giegerich (Short Film, post-production)

Producer for BACON JUICE, dir. Bix Giegerich (Pilot - Web Series, post-production)

Associate Producer on BLUEBIRD, dir. Jesse Barksdale (Feature Film, post-production)

Producer of RECEIPT, dir. Matthew Brennan (Short Film, festival submission)

Script Supervisor for SLEEPING ALONE, dir. Kelsea Bauman-Murphy (Short Film, festival submissions)

Production Manager for THE MAN AND THE SCARECROW, dir. Justin Knoepfel (Short Film, post-production)

Production Assistant on BEACH FLOATY THINGS dir. Amina Sutton (Short Film, post-production)

Co-Director of AN EXERCISE IN LOVE (Web Series, pre-production)

Co-Creator of ON THE BEACH (Web Series, pre-production)

Creative Producer on UNTITLED MUSICAL (One-Woman Show, pre-production)

Work Experience & Internships

ASSISTANT EDITOR at W. W. Norton & Co. (2021-2023)

ECO-DRAMATURGY CONSULTANT with Chickenshed NYC (2022)

DIRECTOR’S ASSISTANT (VR) with Double Eye Studios (2021)

CASTING INTERN at Jim Carnahan Casting c/o Roundabout Theatre Company (2018)

COURSE ASSISTANT “Theater in NYC” with Dyana Kimball at Columbia University Summer High School Program (2018-2019)

STAGE MANAGER for Sound Bites 5.0 with Theatre Now New York (2018)

CASTING INTERN with Lina Todd Casting (2017)

Trainings

Completion of Consent-Forward Artist Program for Intimacy Direction/Choreography, with IDC (2021-2023)

  • Foundations of Intimacy I with Colleen Hughes & Charlie Baker

  • Foundations of Intimacy II with Cessa Betancourt & Cara Rawlings

  • Intimacy as Storytelling: The Dramaturgy of Intimacy with Cha Ramos & Colleen Hughes

  • Intro to Kink & BDSM for Theatre, TV, and Film with Dr. Timaree Schmit

  • Scene Work with Kink & BDSM: for Actors, Directors, & Intimacy Professionals with Dr. Timaree Schmit & Dr. Ayshia Mackie-Stephenson

  • The Necessity of Closure with Renee Redding Jones

MBS Illumination Training Program for G&E (2024)

Scenic Design, with Salvatore Tagliarino (2020)

Devising, with Nancy Smithner PhD (2018)

Directing for the Twenty-First Century, with Kristin Horton (2017)

Historical & New Work Dramaturgy, with Dr. David Bisaha (2017)

  • Dramaturgy of Sondheim

  • New Work Dramaturgy (independent mentorship)

  • Building of Dramaturgy Concentration at Binghamton University, SUNY with Kasha Pazdar and Dr. Dave Bisaha

Please reach out if you’re interested in collaborating: rachelshaynabass@gmail.com