Aaron Sawyer is the Founder and Artistic Director of Red Theater which boasts collectives in Chicago, Lincoln, Omaha, Tucson, and Purchase, NY. As a playwright his top Chicago credits include RED HAMLET and the bilingual Deaf/Hearing production of R+J: THE VINEYARD, heralded as a Top Ten Chicago Play of 2016 (Chicago Theater Beat). Aaron’s directing credits include the Chicago premieres of Bertolt Brecht’s unfinished musical SCHWEYK IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR and TASTE by Benjamin Brand (Jeff Recommended). The Chicago Reader named Aaron and Red Theater as runners up in their 2016 "Best of Chicago List” for Best Stage Director and Best New Theater Company respectively.

Articles by Aaron have been featured in American Theater Magazine and Howlround.com, and he is the curator of the Chicago Storefront Theater Interpreters Database. Aaron’s been featured as a Guest lecturer at Randolph College, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, and Northern Michigan University; co-owner of Redline VR, a virtual reality bar and escape room.

As a filmmaker Aaron wrote and directed a short film starring Emmy-winner Michael Badalucco, BROKEN CIRCLE, as well as a feature-length documentary titled ACT LIKE NOBODY'S IN TROUBLE which details Red Theater’s origin story via its banishment from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is streaming for free at redtheater.org. Aaron is an avid Arsenal FC fan who resides in Chicago with his spouse, son, and pug.