William Partlan (Artistic Director) directs each presentation of Triple Espresso and collaborates with directors around the world to adapt the play to other languages and cultures. Known for his work with new plays and playwrights, Partlan directed 44 plays at the O’Neill Center’s National Playwrights Conference including the premieres of August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Fences. He has directed such well-known actors as Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo, Mary McDonnell, Frances McDormand, Howard Rollins, and John Turturro. He founded a New Play Series at New York’s Bottom Line where he premiered the pre-Broadway musical Leader of the Pack, the music of Ellie Greenwich, featuring Darlene Love, Paul Shaffer, and Ellie Greenwich. Partlan directed the world premiere of All God’s Dangers, starring Cleavon Little at the Cricket Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Lamb’s Theatre Off-Broadway and for PBS American Playhouse. His American premiere production of Hugh Whitemore’s, The Best of Friends was produced off-Broadway by actor Michael Douglas. His Cricket Theatre premiere of Matt Witten’s Sacred Journey toured the U.S. and Great Britain twice. He has directed plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, The Empty Space in Seattle, Florida Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, New Mexico Repertory Theatre, Philadelphia Festival Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence, Virginia Stage, and Yale Repertory Theatre. Bill was the Artistic Director of the Cricket Theatre in Minneapolis for nine years, where he produced over fifty plays, including Triple Espresso.