DEREK VAN BARHAM is the Producing Artistic Director of Kokandy Productions, and a member of the Red Tape Theatre ensemble. He previously served as Associate Artistic Director of Pride Films & Plays and Artistic Director of The Ruckus. Directing credits include Head Over Heels (Kokandy); The View Upstairs (Circle Theatre); Three Days of Rain (Boho Theatre); Baby with the Bathwater (Eclipse); Miracle by Dan Savage, Poseidon, Skooby Don’t (Hell in a Handbag); Hot Pink, TRASH (New American Folk); Taylor Mac’s A Walk Across America for Mother Earth (CCPA); From These Fatal Loins (The Ruckus); Homos, or Everyone in America, Perfect Arrangement, Angry Fags in Steppenwolf Garage Rep, Songs from an Unmade Bed (Jeff nomination), and PRISCILLA, Queen of the Desert (PFP). 

Choreography credits include The Civlity of Albert Cashier (Permoveo/PFP); Ghost Quartet, Evil Dead The Musical (Jeff nomination), Coraline the Musical, Goblin Market, Amour, Nevermore, and Shockheaded Peter (Black Button Eyes). He has also choreographed for Te Plagiarists, Inappropriate Theatre,  Brain Surgeon Theatre, and Salonathon. He also wrote, directed and choreographed BITE: A Pucking Queer Cabaret, Kill Your Boyfriends (PFP) and curated A Touch Unnatural and A Touch of Madness (CCPA).

He has performed with BoHo Theatre (Hauptmann), Red Tape Theatre (The Skriker, Stadium Devildare, The Life & Death of Madame Barker), and The Island Theatre (Wallace Shawn’s The Fever).He was named one of Windy City Times 30 Under 30, recognizing individuals from Chicago's LGBTQ community. MFA: Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. BFA: University of Mississippi. 

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UP NEXT: ​

Peter & The Starcatcher - Big Noise Theatre (Director)

Whisper House- Black Button Eyes Productions (Choreographer)

Two Remain - Chicago Fringe Opera (Director) 

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