Theater

Rene Moreno (Deceased)

Princess Grace Award:
Theater Fellowship, 1986

After Mr. Moreno graduated in 1981 with a B.F.A. in Theatre & Dance, he moved to New York City where he performed as Romeo in Joseph Papp’s SHAKESPEARE ON BROADWAY, and in the Broadway Company of AMADEUS. Off-Broadway as a member of the New York Festival Players he performed in ROMEO AND JULIET, AS YOU LIKE IT, MACBETH, DE DONDE, THE MIRACLE, and THE DEATH OF GARCIA LORCA; all at the Public Theater.

In Regional Theatre he performed at Arena Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Alliance Theatre, Philadelphia Drama Guild, Hartford Stage, Alley Theatre, Center Stage, Pioneer Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, and A Contemporary Theatre.

After surviving a life changing accident in the autumn of 1991, Mr. Moreno returned to Dallas to recover and resumed his acting career appearing at Water Tower Theatre, Theatre Three, Wingspan Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, and Shakespeare Dallas; and in the films LATE BLOOMERS and DETENTION. At that time Mr. Moreno began to turn his talents to directing; he enrolled in the Meadows School of the Arts Graduate Studies program at Southern Methodist University, studying with Melia Bensussen with whom he had worked in New York. Having completed the course of study including a Directing Assistantship with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and a Directing Internship with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater he received an M.F.A. in Theatre / Directing in 2001.

Beginning in 1996 he was frequently honored with awards for Best Director, Best Direction, and Outstanding Direction receiving accolades from The Dallas Theater League Leon Rabin Awards, The Dallas Critics Forum, The Dallas- Ft. Worth Critics Forum, The Dallas Morning News, The Ft. Worth Star Telegram, Dallas Observer, Dallas Voice, The Column Theatre Award, and Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.

As an educator and guest artist Mr. Moreno lectured, conducted workshops, and taught at KD College Conservatory of Film and Dramatic Arts, University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, Collin College, University of Dallas, Booker T. Washington School of the Visual and Performing Arts, Episcopal School of Dallas, Shakespeare Dallas, and Junior Players.

Mr. Moreno became Artistic Associate at Shakespeare Dallas in 2006 and directed annually for the company. His last production with Shakespeare Dallas in autumn of 2016 was THE TEMPEST. 

Rene Moreno passed away on March 28, 2017 as a result of heart failure after complications from surgery.