Keith Batten

Directing Bio

Keith Batten has directed over 60 productions in twelve countries around the world. He recently directed a new production of LA NOVICIA REBELDE (THE SOUND OF MUSIC) in Mexico City, which opened in March, 2009. From 2008 - 2011 he was the Associate Director of the Broadway production of SPIDERMAN (both versions 1.0 and 2.0), directed by Julie Taymor with music by Bono and The Edge.

For ten years as Associate Director for Walt Disney Theatrical, he directed the productions of Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA in Amsterdam (in Dutch), in Essen, Germany (in German), in Seoul, Korea (in Korean), in Osaka and Kyoto, Japan (in Japanese) and the European Tour beginning in Munich (in German). As Associate Director of the Broadway Company and The US Tour (originally directed by Robert Falls), he directed such stars as Toni Braxton, Simone, Michelle Williams and Deborah Cox in the title role. As Associate Director of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (originally directed by Robert Jess Roth), Keith directed 16 productions worldwide, staging Mexico City (twice) and Buenos Aires (in Spanish), Stuttgart and Vienna (in German), Sapporro, Nagoya and Fukuoka (in Japanese) as well as the London, Toronto and Sydney, Australia productions. For seven years as Associate Director of the Broadway production, he directed such names as Cheyenne Jackson, Elena Roger, John Barrowman, Bianca Marroquin, James Barbour and Ashley Brown.

Before his years with Disney, Keith worked for seven years for Cameron Mackintosh and Mirvish Productions as Associate Director of LES MISERABLES and Executive Producer of MISS SAIGON, the inaugural production at the Princess Of Wales Theater, Toronto. He was Associate Director of the Toronto productions of LES MIZ as well as two US/Canadian Tours traveling to Hawaii and Anchorage, Alaska. He was co-director with Richard Jay Alexander of the bilingual Montreal Production which won the Best Direction award in 1992, and he co-directed the mammoth LES MISERABLES IN CONCERT at Toronto’s Skydome as a benefit for an audience of 52,000. Keith also produced and directed CHESS IN CONCERT at The Royal Alexandra Theater, uniting the three companies of LES MIZ, PHANTOM and ASPECTS OF LOVE to raise $82,000. For Equity Fights Aids and The Actors Fund.

Keith began his career in New York City with one year in The Directors/Playwrights Unit at The Actors Studio developing new plays. He also directed at The Quaigh, Actors Rep, Westbeth, Meridian, American Shaw Festival, Pennsylvania and The Clark Memorial Theater, Birmingham, Alabama. He also designed BROOKLYN BRIDGES THE WORLD at The Brooklyn Academy Of Music, a festival in all three theaters.

Keith graduated from York University in Toronto with an Honors Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, then began his career with five seasons at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Ontario. He was a Member of The Company performing in fourteen productions, Assistant Director on five, Co-Director with Robin Phillips of PRIVATE LIVES with Maggie Smith and Brian Bedford and Director of HELOISE AND ABELARD starring Roberta Maxwell.

KEITH BATTEN INFO

Address:	Box 110	Unions:	SSD&C
	Climax, New York		AEA
	12042		CAEA
			AFTRA

Email: kab@keithbatten.com