Rene has built a very successful career as a stage director and performance coach. He is currently working on a new musical revue showcasing the songs of Award-winning composer Charles Fox. His greatest achievement to date has been as director and creator of the 2004 Off-Broadway acappella concept show TOXIC AUDIO. He originally conceived the piece for the 1998 Orlando Fringe Festival. The show broke ground "exploring the boundaries of the human voice" by combining acappella harmonies, contemporary and jazz styles and theatrical comedy. It has received critical praise and spawned four Original Cast Albums including "Chemistry" which won Recording Of The Year honors from the Contemporary Acappella Recording Awards. The Off-Broadway production was the winner of the 2004 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. Since then, the show has spawned several companies and has toured theatres around the world including Singapore, Japan, Barcelona and an extended engagement at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The group still performs around the world to rave reviews as VOX AUDIO. He has traveled the country as a performance coach for young and collegiate acappella groups.
His first production as a director was the musical SIX WOMEN WITH BRAIN DEATH, which took top honors at the Florida Theatre Conference, the Southeastern Theater Conference and represented the state of Florida at the American Association of Community Theatres Conference in 1993. He also produced and directed WEIRD ROMANCE for the Orlando Fringe Festival and the Civic Theatre of Central Florida Second Stage series. He has directed productions of IS THERE LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?, THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI, FOREVER PLAID, BABY, and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. He has been a featured performer and show director for the Walt Disney World Co. for over fifteen years. He also worked on the creative team for BARRY MANILOW- THE HITS at the Las Vegas Hilton and created and directed contemporary acappella shows for Six Flags New England, HersheyPark and Kennywood theme parks.
To download Rene's complete Director's Resume, click here: Rene Ruiz Director Resume
Photographer: Michael Cairns
Caricatures: Keelan Parham