Dylan Southard is a dramaturg, producer, writer and teacher working in the interactive entertainment and performing arts industries.
He was the founding creative director of VR Playhouse, where he worked with companies like Red Bull and Time Life and with artists like Moses Sumney and Dawn Richard in the production of 360° virtual reality experiences. Notable credits include Defying The Nazis VR, the companion piece to the PBS documentary co-directed by Ken Burns; the 360° short film Girl, featured at The Tribeca Film Institute; and the VR escape room Mr. Mercedes: Lair Escape, which premiered at Comic-Con 2018.
Dylan works in new play development with theaters throughout Los Angeles and has served as dramaturg on more than fifty productions, including more than a dozen world premieres. Credits include Speed-The-Plow (dir: Daniel Fish) and Permanent Collection (dir: David Schweizer) for Centerstage Baltimore; Native Son (Antaeus Theatre Company); Wood Boy Dog Fish, Cowboy Elektra and The Kaidan Project (Rogue Artists Ensemble); Her Portmanteau (Boston Court Pasadena); Dontrelle, Who Kissed The Sea (Skylight Theater); and Elmina's Kitchen, Bulrusher, Pure Confidence and Safe Harbor (Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble)
He previously led the Playwright's Lab for the Robey Theatre Company from 2006 to 2020 where he developed a curriculum that includes feedback, writing exercises and discussion topics designed to help emerging writers find their voice over a ten-week course. Several scripts developed in the Playwright's Lab have gone on to world premiere productions, both at the Robey and throughout the country.
In addition, Dylan previously served as the Literary Manager and then co-Artistic Director of the experimental company Needtheater. Dramaturgy credits there include the world premiere of Michael John Garces' The Web, Scarcity by Lucy Thurber, Mercury Fur by Phillip Ridley, tempOdyssey by Dan Dietz and Fatboy by John Clancy. He produced G.O.Ne, an adaptation of David Foster Wallace's short story, "Good Old Neon," as well as the acclaimed production of Stephen Belber's Tape, staged in a Los Feliz motel room, and he directed the world premiere of Guided Consideration of a Lamentable Deed at the famed South Los Angeles music venue Cafe Fais Do Do.
Dylan has taught at Long Beach State, Fresno State and Cal Poly Pomona, and he is a resident artist with the Jewish company Theatre Dybbuk. He has written about immersive entertainment for Howlround, VR Scout and American Theatre, and has spoken at Youtube, USC, NextCon, Digital Hollywood and the Open Innovations Forum in Moscow.
He is the author of several stage plays, a screenplay, and the novel Red Willow.