Florinel I. Fatulescu

One of the premier directors of his native Romania, Florinel Fatulescu won numerous National Theatre Awards for his daring and innovative style.

He studied theater directing at the Institute of Theatrical and Cinematographic Arts in Bucharest, receiving his Master’s Degree in 1977. While working as a resident director at the State Theater of Petrosani, the State Theater of Sibiu and the Dramatic Theater of Brasov, he established a national reputation as one of Romania's finest directors.

His work was rewarded with several national awards and he became an overnight sensation, being invited as a guest director at several professional theaters around Romania, including The Comedy and Giulesti Theaters in Bucharest.

Since 1987, when he moved to Los Angeles, he directed many critically acclaimed productions, among them THE SUICIDE by Nicolai Erdman (Drama-Logue Award for Direction), THE DRAGON by Evgheni Schwartz, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS by Michel de Ghelderode (Drama-Logue Award for Direction), THE EMIGRANTS by Slavomir Mrozek, THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS by Carlo Goldoni, JACK OR THE SUBMISSION by Eugene Ionesco, POE by Brent Fidler, THE CHAIRS by Eugene Ionesco (Drama-Logue Award for Direction), CERVANTES’ INTERLUDES an adaptation after Miguel de Cervantes, THREE SISTERS by Anton Chekhov, and THE DEVILS an adaptation by Elisabeth Egloff after Dostoevsky .

In 1993, he presented the Stages production of DON’T BLAME THE BEDOUINS by Rene-Daniel Dubois at the International Festival of Contemporary Theater in Brasov, Romania, for which he received the Best Direction Award. He also received the 1997 LA Weekly Best Comedy Direction Award for THE LESSON by Eugene Ionesco.

In spring 2000, he received a Grant from Étant donnés, the French-American Fund for the Performing Arts to direct the World Premiere of HOW TO EXPLAIN THE HISTORY OF COMMUNISM TO MENTAL PATIENTS by Matei Visniec at The Open Fist Theatre Company. This production was subsequently remounted in New York City as part of the N.Y. Public and French National Libraries' Joint Exhibition on Utopian Societies.

Other French plays directed in Los Angeles include WOMAN AS BATTLEFIELD by Matei Visniec, LE PERE NOEL EST UNE ORDURE by Splendide (in French), TALK SHOW FROM HELL by Jean-Noel Fenwick, PERCHANCE TO DREAM by Jean-Claude Grumberg, DIABLOGUES by Rene Dubillard, and THE CHEKHOV MACHINE by Matei Visniec.

In 2000, The Romanian government conferred upon Florinel “The National Order ‘Romanian Star’ with the title of Commander” for his contribution to promoting democracy and the Romanian culture in the world.

In 2006, he presented his acclaimed production of HOW TO EXPLAIN THE HISTORY OF COMMUNISM TO MENTAL PATIENTS by Matei Visniec at the Edinburgh Festival.

In 2007, he returned to Romania and directed HOW TO EXPLAIN THE HISTORY OF COMMUNISM TO MENTAL PATIENTS by Matei Visniec at The National Theater, and JACK OR THE SUBMISSION by Eugene Ionesco and A HOUSE NOT MEANT TO STAND by Tenneesse Williams at Teatrul Mic in Bucharest.

In 2018, he returned to the LA stage with the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble production of OLD CLOWN WANTED by Matei Visniec.