John Farmanesh-Bocca is a multi-award-winning Iranian-American theatre creator who is best known in the U.S. and abroad for his many modern adaptations of ancient theatrical works. He is the founder of Los Angeles’ award-winning Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble, where he now serves as emeritus director. In 2014, Backstage Magazine ranked the ensemble as one the 13 most innovative physical theatre companies in the world and top three in the United States. His most recent adaptation, Lear Redux, which he also directed and choreographed, played at The Odyssey Theatre, and was named as one of the Top Ten Productions of 2025 by Arts Beat LA, and Top 20 of 2025 by Los Angeles Stage Mag. An American Theatre Wing Scholarship recipient, John trained at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in Acting (1994) before serving as a directing fellow at the Juilliard School Drama Division (2003-2005).
