MY JOURNEY SO FAR
David A. VanCleave (he/him) was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. His theatre career started at the age of 10, when he was cast as Guard #4 in Sleeping Beauty. Throughout middle school and high school, he worked as an actor (Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac, White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, Piglet in House at Pooh Corner and more), props designer (Stinky Cheeseman, There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom), stage manager (Disney's High School Musical, Metamorphoses), assistant director (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) and more.
In 2007, David moved to Chicago, IL to earn his BFA in Theatre Arts/Directing at The Theatre School at DePaul University. During his sophomore year, David partnered with the Office of LGBTQIA Student Services to present The Laramie Project, which he directed & produced. At The Theatre School, David gained valuable experience as director (Closer, Death of Gaia Divine, A Raisin in the Sun), dramaturg (Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said) and stage manager (Spinning Into Butter). David also studied Performance Studies with DePaul's College of Communication, where he co-wrote and performed The Unspeakable: A Gay Future Project, produced by Dustin Bradley Goltz with DePaul University, Center on Halsted, and SAGE.
In the fall of 2012, David returned to Des Moines to co-direct Little House Christmas at Plum Creek at the Des Moines Playhouse. Over the next year and a half, David would go on to direct The Laramie Project (Playhouse), Iphigenia 2.0 (Des Moines Social Club), My Name is Rachel Corrie (Des Moines Onstage) and more.
In February 2014, David became the Artistic Director of Des Moines Young Artists' Theatre, a position he held until March 2020. During the six years under David's leadership, DMYAT's programming and opportunities for students increased approximately 200%. Some of these new opportunities include HOPE! Drama Troupe, the Student Design Apprentice Program, audience enrichment guides & post-show discussions, and more productions each season. For DMYAT, David directed Little Women, RENT (Best Director Nominee, Cloris Awards), I Never Saw Another Butterfly, Dog Sees God, School of Rock, Lost Girl, 13, Hairspray Jr. and more. He also worked as a scenic designer (I Never Saw Another Butterfly, Lost Girl) and lighting designer (columbinus).
David continues to work as a freelance director, dramaturg, & teaching artist. He as directed at the Des Moines Playhouse (Matilda the Musical, Cabaret, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing), Noce (The Normal Heart, The Last Five Years), Des Moines Onstage (Cabaret), Waukee Theatre Arts (Steel Magnolias) and more. His dramaturgy credits include The Sound of Music and With Their Eyes: September 11-The View from a High School at Ground Zero. As an educator, David has worked with DMYAT, Des Moines Playhouse, Class Act Productions, ArtForce Iowa, Drake University, Hoover High School, Waukee High School, River Woods Elementary, Des Moines Performing Arts, Adolescent Anarchy, and more.
David is the Education Coordinator for AACT - American Association of Community Theatre and one of the directors of HOPE! Drama Troupe, a child abuse prevention group.