about clay
clay wild munley is a fiercely creative, non-binary interdisciplinary artist, deviser, and intimacy director whose work pushes the boundaries of movement, queer embodiment, and theatrical invention.
Based between New York and Europe, Clay creates experimental and absurdist worlds that place gender-queer bodies and radical intimacy at the heart of storytelling. Their practice is recognized both through institutional accolades and high-profile media coverage, with features in The New York Times, Broadway.com, and HowlRound Theatre Commons.
Rooted in major New York, New Jersey, and international theatre institutions, Clay has assisted productions at Off-Broadway venues including Mabou Mines, Under St. Marks, and TheatreLab. They hold an undergraduate dual arts degree in Theatrical Directing & International Performance and Women’s & Gender Studies from Pace University and the Institute of the Arts Barcelona.
Clay is certified in Artist Consent through IDC Professionals NYC and has a Stage Combat Certificate from the Society of American Fight Directors—underscoring their commitment to safety, collaboration, and embodied practice. Their academic research in intimacy direction, queer performance, and devised theatre earned them the Denis Diderot Grant, awarded by The Château d'Orquevaux Artists and Writers Residency in Chaumont, France, for March 2026.
Clay has collaborated with a diverse array of companies and collectives, including The New York Neo-Futurists, Two River Theater, Broken Box Mime, The Tank, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Big Beef Pro, and Small Boat Productions. They’ve participated in festivals such as The New York Theatre Festival 2026, Frigid’s Queerly Festival 2026, Dixon Place’s HOT Festival 2025, Industry City and Brooklyn One’s Total Theatrical Takeover 2025, and The International Human Rights Art Festival 2024.
They’ve worked with seasoned creatives such as Emil Weinstein, Cristina Angeles, Kelindah Bee, Orion Johnstone, and Bob Cline. Clay’s experience includes arts administration, production assistance and accessibility service roles in various entertainment events at esteemed venues such as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The 25th Annual Tribeca Festival, The FIFA World Cup 2026, The Second City, and The New York Comedy Festival 2026.
Whether producing, directing, devising, or serving as an intimacy director, Clay brings a bold, queer-first sensibility, a deep commitment to embodied storytelling, and a willingness to challenge and rethink theatrical form. Their work invites audiences not just to watch—but to feel—and to experience the transformative power of performance in new and unexpected ways.