Dennis Oliveira is a Brazilian-American director of Theatre and Opera based in NYC. 

With a particular focus on classical stories, his work illuminates the essential humanity within and beneath institutions of power through dynamic staging and grounded, biologically truthful performance. Dennis is a candidate for the MFA in Theatre Directing at Columbia University (expected May 2026), under the mentorship of Anne Bogart, Brian Kulick, Katie Mitchell, and Saheem Ali. He is also an alumnus of the Florida State University Graduate Opera Directing Program, as well as The Institute for American Musical Theatre in New York City and Montclair State University's BFA Acting Program. 

In the Summer of 2025, Dennis joined Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for their 50th season as an Apprentice Assistant Director, where he’s worked on Jim Robinson’s staging of the world premiere of This House and Tim Albery’s staging of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as directed scenes for OTSL’s yearly Center Stage Concert. 

Upcoming projects include: Measure for Measure (Columbia University), Romeo and Juliet (The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, asst. to Bonnie Monte) and Somewhere (The Guthrie Theater, asst. to Joseph Haj). Other directing and assistant directing credits include: Die Walküre and Norma (New Jersey Opera Theatre), Mavra and The Magic Flute (FSU Opera), The Bog Queen (Columbia University), Le nozze di Figaro (FSU Opera, asst. to Matthew Lata) and The Wild Party (Old Library Theatre).