John McCluggage was Associate Artistic Director of San Jose Rep from 1989-2006, where he directed over 30 productions, including A Flea in Her Ear, Enchanted April, Cyrano and A Christmas Story. In 1992, he founded Red Ladder Theatre Company, using improvisational theatre and the creative process to develop and foster life skills for thousands of participants. This work included residencies at Elmwood Correctional Facility, Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall, James and Holden Ranches in Morgan Hill.

For the last four years, under the auspices of Buck Hill Productions (check out our FaceBook page!), he has produced and directed ShakesBEERience, a quarterly, FREE informal staged reading held at Café Stritch in downtown San Jose.

While continuing to direct professionally across the country (Cleveland Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, San Jose Children’s Musical Theater, City Lights, Barnstormers Theatre, NH, Center Rep in Walnut Creek and Buffalo Studio Arena, among others), he has taught Improv and Community Outreach at Webster University, Directing at University of New Hampshire, Acting and Improv at Evergreen Valley College as well as Vitality Arts’ ShakeXperience, a workshop on the Bard for older adults.

Allowing older adults the opportunity to share their life experiences and interpret them through Shakespeare is something I truly enjoy. A little improvisation, lots of text work and exploration-- based on input from participants, empowers them as well as demystifying Shakespeare's language through understanding context and meaning. I always learn something new with every workshop, and have heard from my participants the same thing!