Ben Stasny

Ben is a PhD candidate at CU Boulder. He graduated from CU with his MA in Theatre & Performance Studies in 2022 and has been a busy beaver ever since. Ben's research is situated at the intersection of improvisational pedagogy, queer futurity, and climate communications. While at CU, Ben has taught courses on Improvisation, American Musical Theatre History, Creative Climate Communications, Theatre & Society, and has TA’d for various others throughout Theatre & Performance and Environmental Studies. 

In addition to being a very serious graduate student, Ben also works as a theatrical director in the Boulder community having directed shows at Fairview High School, Parlando School of Musical Arts, and CU Boulder.

Ben traveled to Lisbon, Portugal on a fully funded research trip. Through Shift Cost Action and Nova University, Ben met and worked with like-minded artists, scholars, and dreamers to imagine urban sustainability in the Lisbon metropolitan area. 

A few other highlights from graduate school include: co-producing an international climate comedy show on CU’s campus, co-leading a social justice oriented improvisational workshop at the American Educational Research Association’s 2023 annual conference, directing the closing ceremony for the “Right Here Right Now Global UN Climate Summit” hosted by CU Boulder, traveling to London to lead an original workshop series centered around climate embodiment and improvisation, serving as artistic director for Climate Cabaret – a theatrical collaboration between CU Boulder Dept. of Theatre & Dance and Climate Change Theatre Action in New York City, working with young people through Side by Side – an interspecies collaboration with “Inside the Greenhouse”. 

Ben graduated with his BFA from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Ben lived and worked as a professional actor for several years in New York City. New York credits include: Off-Broadway: Harry in When Harry Met Nancy (New York New Works Festival), Voice of Mayor Humdinger in Paw Patrol (Event Box). Other credits: Tom Doerr in Stonewall (Benchmark Theatre), Tito/Beppo in A Comedy of Tenors (Okoboji Summer Theatre), The Narrator in The Soldier's Tale (Boulder Philharmonic), The Genie in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular (Disney Cruise Line), Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Henry Etches in Titanic (Arizona Broadway Theatre), Zach in A Chorus Line, Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret, Fred in A Christmas Carol (The Palace Theatre), Father in Ragtime (Interlakes Summer Theatre) Ernst Ludwig in Cabaret (Sierra Repertory Theatre), The Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical (Highland Summer Theatre). Touring Theatre: Punchin in A Commedia Cinderella (Sierra Repertory Theatre, Northern California), Shaggy in Scooby-Doo and the Mystery of the Pyramid, Maddie in Care Bears (Event Box in Saudi Arabia).