Christine Stoddard

Christine Stoddard is a writer, director, and performer born to a Salvadoran mother and American father. She is the author of the award-winning play "Mi Abuela, Queen of Nightmares," which was first recognized by Table Work Press in a national competition in 2020. The play premiered at Gene Frankel Theatre in New York City in 2022 and has a filmed version now streaming on Vimeo On Demand. "Mi Abuela" was a national finalist in the 2022 Fulton Festival of New Works: Stories of Diversity at Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA. The play will next run at The Tank in September 2023. Stoddard is also the creator of "Quail Tales," a monthly comedy show featuring absurdist sketches and short plays, at The Players Theatre as part of the venue's comedy residency, as of 2023. "Quail Tales" showcases Stoddard's original writing and occasional direction, as well as the work of guest directors. Each show boasts a cast of 10-12 performers. At this time, Stoddard is developing her drama "Heartbreak in Tompkins Square Park," which will have a staged reading at Theatre Row as part of the Rogue Theater Festival in June 2023, and touring her character act Art Bitch.
Stoddard created the character "Art Bitch," which she premiered in a one-woman comedy show at The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) in the 2023 SOLOCOM Festival. Art Bitch is performed as a one-woman show, a character act in other shows, and a social media video series. The show originated as an online video series in 2019. Now videos live on TikTok and Instagram @artbitch100 and @stoddardsays.
In 2023, Stoddard workshopped her choreopoem "Cleansing/Limpia" at Irondale Center in Brooklyn as part of the inaugural Revolving Door Festival, and developed it into a solo act at the Kraine Theater. This feminist work was meant to inspire personal and community healing.
Since 2021, several of Stoddard's comedy plays have premiered to full houses at the Broadway Comedy Club and Greenwich Village Comedy Club. These include "Forget Fairytales," "Hashtag Mountain Girl," "My Favorite Sex Toy," "Cyber Cinderella," and "Clowns & Otters." Stoddard has hosted themed storytelling nights, variety shows, and other comedy events at BCC and GVCC since 2022. She got her start at the Broadway Comedy Club in 2019 while acting and writing for Beverly Bonner's comedy play "Donna & Darilyn's Pitbull Lounge."
Stoddard was one of four developmental poets on Theater Alliance's "A Chorus Within Her," a choreopoem that premiered at Anacostia Playhouse in Washington, D.C. in 2021. The show was directed by Alina Collins Maldonado.
In 2021 and 2022, Stoddard directed shorts written by Cris Eli Blak and Meny Beriro for theater festivals staged at Theatre Row, Abrons Arts Center, and The Players Theatre. During that same time frame, she also performed in Meagan J. Meehan's short plays in theater festivals, both in person and on Zoom.
Stoddard originated the role of Delores in Melanie Maria Goodreaux's "The White Blacks" at Theater for the New City in 2020 and revived it in 2022. An excerpt of the play was performed at The Players Club in 2023.
Stoddard was the original assistant director on "Case Close: The Dorian Corey Story," written by Jeffery S. Jones. The play had its world premiere at Gene Frankel Theatre in 2021 and was directed by Laurence C. Schwartz.
In 2019, Stoddard starred in a reading of "Jailhouse Confessions: Bloodcurdling and Bizarre Stories from the Lock-Up," a comedic tall tale show written entirely by inmates and directed by an ex-convict at the Page-to-Stage Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
In 2014, Stoddard premiered a staged reading of her script "Ladies of Lore" at the Annapolis Fringe Festival in Maryland; the reading featured projections of original illustrations by visual artist Christine Skelly. In 2013, Stoddard served as one of two literary translators for the live Spanish-English interpretation for "Club de Caballeros [Rotos de Amor]" by Rafael Bruza at Teatro de la Luna in Arlington, VA. This was the play's U.S. premiere and was directed by Mario Marcel.
Stoddard holds an MFA in Digital & Interdisciplinary Art Practice from The City College of New York-CUNY and undergraduate degrees in Film, English, and Product Innovation from Virginia Commonwealth University. She founded Quail Bell Press & Productions, including Quail Bell Magazine, as an undergrad. In addition to her theater work, Stoddard has earned credits as a published author, independent filmmaker, exhibited visual artist, radio host, magazine writer, and television producer. As of August 2023, Stoddard is pursuing her MA in Oral History at Columbia University to deepen her work in memory and personal narratives.