Biography
What a director is actually for, and how I try to do it.
Shinshin Yuder Tsai is a director working across theatre, sketch comedy and devised work in Los Angeles and Orange County. He graduated from UC Irvine in 2016 with a BA in Drama, directing emphasis, and directed his first professional production — Cowboy Vs. Samurai at the Long Beach Playhouse — the year after.
Since then his work has been staged at Chapman University, STAGEStheatre, the Morgan-Wixson Theatre, A Place Called Home, Rio Hondo College, OC-Centric and the Long Beach Playhouse, with assistant credits at Vanguard University and Chance Theater. The range runs from published plays — She Kills Monsters, Love/Sick, The Hatmaker’s Wife, Yellow Face, Metamorphoses — to original devised work and pandemic-era film–stage hybrids, including a film noir sock puppet musical that most of its company still lists among their favourite things to have made.
He came to directing from acting and improv, and it stuck for a straightforward reason: “I realized I was more suited to looking at a scene from the outside.” That instinct shapes the room he runs — attentive to detail, generous with the people in it, and unbothered by an idea that might not work.
In 2019 he co-founded No MSG Added, an all-AAPI sketch comedy team, and continues as its artistic director. He has also served as an adjudicator for the OCPA Erica Bennet Playwriting Competition, captained Improv Revolution at UC Irvine, and raised more than $7,500 in university grants for the annual Coup-de-Comedy festival.
In the room
The rehearsal room I try to build
Four things come up again and again when collaborators describe working together. They are the closest thing I have to a method.
Safe enough to be bad
New things only get tried where failure is cheap. The room stays open and low-stakes on purpose, so actors and designers reach for the choice they are not sure about yet.
Consent is explicit
Boundaries get asked about rather than assumed, and checked on again as the work gets harder. Nobody is pushed into something they have not agreed to.
Designers get the destination
A clear picture of where the show is going, then the room to get there their own way. Support without hovering.
Rehearsals respect the clock
Focused, concise, and finished when they said they would finish. Most of this work is made by people with day jobs; their time is the budget.
References
What collaborators say
In their own words — written references from actors, designers, playwrights and performers who have worked in the room. Some are excerpted for length.
Shin has served as the director of our comedy troupe for the past three years on several live in-person performances as well as online comedy shorts. His notes and direction have always been honest and insightful, and gave me as a performer clear, specific areas to work on each time, ranging from general character arc and motivation all the way down to choice of individual gestures or word inflections.
What has surprised me the most is how kind and respectful Shin is as a director. While remaining frank and truthful, he is consistently supportive of every single performer and gives everyone equal time and attention. He respects our time by keeping rehearsals focused, concise and to the point. He is respectful of each person’s feelings and boundaries, and checks in regularly to make sure everything’s OK. While he’ll push us as performers, he’s clear about consent and I’ve never seen him ask someone to do something they’re not comfortable doing as an individual.
Jhemon LeePerformer, No MSG Added
Naive and daring. His direction is full of heart. What I mean by this is Shin has a willingness to try something that may not work, which is perhaps the greatest value to hold, when working in new collaborations. I felt as a designer that I was supported, and that I had a clear destination to arrive at. As the helpful and generous person Shin is, there is a well mannered degree of control to allow the designer to do their job without being overbearing. As captain of the ship, he wasn’t afraid to leave each person responsible for their duties while keeping them abreast of what our final destination was, and when we landed slightly off shore of where we thought we were going, he celebrated the process. He’s a very process driven director.
Jeremy HohnDesigner
When I worked with Shinshin on a movement-based new work, I was consistently encouraged by his effort to collaborate with myself and the rest of his cast. He made it a point to keep the rehearsal room a safe place where we could try new things, flex our creative muscles, and work as a team. His open-mindedness and encouragement kept us constantly reaching for new heights, while his strong leadership kept the show on a clear and concise trajectory.
Seanna Moens
Working with Shin is the very best experience I’ve ever had as a playwright. Just sitting in the room with him during the audition process is an education. He was willing to listen to and try almost anything and everything I suggested in the script or came up with impromptu during rehearsals, no matter how wild, and he was equally generous and giving with the actors. Watching my play come alive under his direction was fantastic.
Jordan R. YoungPlaywright
Shin is one of the best directors I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. He has a knack for pulling out the best performances in people. He gives honest feedback and kind encouragement. He’s always open to suggestions. Plus his hard work ethic pushes all of us to rise to the occasion.
Helene Kay
I’ve worked with Shinshin on 3 different shows. He is equally capable of directing gut-bustingly funny bits as well as heart-wrenchingly bittersweet moments. His directing style allows the actors to be their best selves, and I’ve stolen my fair share of his techniques to use in my own directing.
Jeremy Cooley
From the moment I first worked with Shinshin I appreciated his directorial style and the way he helped guide me as an actor to find stronger choices. He is supportive and open to ideas but also not afraid to articulate his vision. Most importantly he is fun to work with! I would work with him again in a heartbeat.
Katie May Leo Porter
Shinshin has a way of bringing life to a work and a cast like no other director I’ve ever worked with. He will find hilarity and profundity in the text and present it an extremely unique way, all the while being a joy to work with.
Mady Durbin
Shinshin’s direction is fun, lighthearted, and extremely collaborative, all while genuinely exploring the emotional arcs of characters in an effective and efficient way.
Christian Jordan Skinner
Shinshin Yuder Tsai brings a deep understanding of the material with a wonderful sense of playfulness, which allowed me to find my characters organically.
Karen Owens
Shin is the most generous director I’ve ever worked with. Truly just such an AWESOME guy!!!
Dalia Anderton
Shinshin’s enthusiasm is infectious! Nobody gets a rehearsal room up, excited, and working like Mr. Tsai!
Ryan Brodsky
Shinshin has this amazing ability to instill confidence in all who surround him.
Scott Hogan
Shinshin Yuder Tsai brings scrutinous insight. He informed my performance with thoughtful direction.
Holland Renton
Probably the most creative director ever.
Jennifer Dellapina
Credentials
Training and recognition
Education
University of California, Irvine
BA in Drama, Directing Emphasis — 2016
Service
Adjudicator, OCPA Erica Bennet Playwriting Competition
Captain, Improv Revolution at UC Irvine
Grants
More than $7,500 in university grants raised for the annual Coup-de-Comedy festival
Company
Co-founder and artistic director, No MSG Added — all-AAPI sketch comedy, 18+ shows since 2019
Let’s talk about your season
Scripts, new work, readings, sketch nights, and the thing you are not sure is a show yet.