Meet the Director: Tom Schwans

Tom Schwans (He/Him) is the visionary bringing The Book of Will By Lauren Gunderson to life at the Black Hills Playhouse this summer. Having Tom as a part of our Season 79 Company has been a dream, and we are so proud to share The Book of Will with audiences this summer.

Get to know Tom a little better!

Can you share a little about your background?

I grew up in Belle Fourche and would come to the BHP every summer to watch the

amazing work being done here. When I became a professional actor in my 20’s, I was

always excited to return to the Black Hills to be part of the BHP experience. I am now a

professional actor, director, and professor living in New York City. I founded an Off-Broadway

company called the Guerrilla Shakespeare Project while I was a graduate student at Brown

University. Guerrilla Shakespeare moved to NYC with the founding members. We’ve been

featured in the New York Times and American Theatre Magazine twice.

Have you worked with the Black Hills Playhouse before this season?

My first season with BHP was in 1997. I returned in 1998 & 1999. In 2008, I played

Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure by Steven Dietz. I returned again

in 2011 to do The 39 Steps with Dan Workman & Jason Reuter (two of my favorite

performers to work with).

What has your experience been like working with the Black Hills Playhouse? Are there

any especially unique aspects of working at a historic summer stock theatre?

I’ve done theatre all around the country, and the Black Hills Playhouse is a very

special place. Every summer, some of the best talent in the United States comes to Custer

State Park to collaborate and perform. The company lives and works closely together that a

special short-hand is developed. It is amazing to witness and be a part of. Of course, being a

part of great performances inside the outlandish beauty of the Black Hills is truly divine.

What do you love about theatre?

Theatre is immediate and it only exists in real time. Like every great experience, it

is perishable – in that it only exists in a moment. If you miss the moment, it is gone forever. I

also love theatre because it is the only truly collaborative art form. Every single member of

the team must bring their own talents to the project. This makes every theatrical production

unique. Change out one member of the team and you will have a different show.

How does it feel to bring this show to life?

I have only one feeling when it comes to working on this show with these

remarkable artists: BLESSED.

Catch The Book of Will before it's gone! Learn more about the show and purchase tickets here.