Erwin Maas is a New York based theatermaker, curator, educator and international arts advocate from the Netherlands with extensive international experience across a variety of creative and community contexts. In New York, he directed numerous productions Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway as well as Site Specific. He is especially passionate about developing new or existing works with local artists and/or communities and has done so all around the world. His directing work ranges from plays by contemporary playwrights to devised, interdisciplinary immersive projects, opera, music theater & dance with performances for all ages. Maas is the Co-Executive Director of the Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE) and teaches as Adjunct Professor at CUNY Brooklyn College's MFA Performance & Interactive Media Arts Program (PIMA). He is a frequently invited director, curator, facilitator, sparring partner and speaker for international cultural organizations, festivals, universities, congresses and think tanks. As former Artistic/Creative Director of the International Society for Performing Arts (ISPA), Director of the Fellowship Program for the International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY), and Director of Performing Arts for the Cultural Department of the Royal Netherlands Embassy & Consulates in the USA - Dutch Culture USA, Maas offers an extensive knowledge and network in the international cultural field with a focus on international cultural relations and policy. Erwin is a core-member of Theater Without Borders, a member of Georgetown University's Laboratory for Global Performance & Politics and of the Netherland-America Foundation Cultural Committee. He also serves on the Artistic Advisory Board of the ISSUE Project Room in Brooklyn, the First Nation Spiderwoman Theater, and DecadesOut - an organization at the intersection of Arts, Science & Policy. Maas was a Fulbright Scholar for his MFA in Theatre Directing at Columbia University School of the Arts in NYC. He also holds an M.A. in Drama Teaching from the Academy of Dramatic Arts Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and an M.A. in Media Arts and Production/Documentary Filmmaking from the University of Technology Sydney - Australia.
An interdisciplinary immersive performance in English, Afrikaans, Sesotho, Zulu and Mandarin, exploring generations from Baby Boom to the newest Generation Alpha. Created by Stef de Paepe, Bram de Goeij, Guy de Lancey and Erwin Maas in collaboration with South African professional theater & opera artists and 5 different high schools in the city and surrounding townships of Bloemfontein.
A Symphonic Performance Experience in times of isolation and social distancing. In an old dairy factory, audiences experienced a socially-distanced immersive concert performance that moves through the factory following the structure of a Symphony. Inspired by the Norwegian cult novel and film De Dødes Tjern. Created by Hjørdis Steinsvik, Jørn Lavoll, Silje Sandodden Kise, David Alraek, and Erwin Maas.
An Immersive Theater Performance for Young Audiences (Ages 5+). A co-creation between Brush Theatre, Guy de Lancey, & Erwin Maas.
A project in development born out of the current Pandemic. It looks at new digital ways of interacting with young audiences and includes a vision for a future post-pandemic live performance as well. A performance project of theoretical and practical research of game devices (ephemeral, portable and transformable playgrounds) to be created and played within the space of the house (movement 1), with a focus on ‘creating together apart’ virtually; and in schools, theaters, parks & squares - the public space (movement 2), for the time we can all gather together again and ‘create together together’ in person. Created by Ieltxu Ortueta & Erwin Maas.