Joyce Lao (legal last name: Laoagan) is a New York City - based actress, performer, producer, director, arts educator and arts administrator. She moved to New York City in the 2000's to work as a music director, arranger and arts educator until she started branching out to acting, screen and playwriting, film and theatre production. She is a full blooded Igorot - an indigenous group from the Northern Philippines. She has a degree in Psychology (pre-med), Special Education, MA in Music, MA in Arts Administration from Baruch College and attended Juilliard, Stella Adler School of Acting and HB Studios.  She grew up competing as a dancer, singer, orator and created her versions of performance art. She has produced, acted and written several films that have been screened in the film festival circuit. Her Directorial debut, “Hecuba” won Runner – up as Best Ensemble and for Best Director at the Ancient Drama Festival and has produced and created theatre experiences for The NYC Fringe festival, Midtown International Theatre festival and lately, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival - all well received. Her latest short film, Eva's Gabriel received nominations and awards. She has appeared and booked several shows on TV and in online streaming platforms. As an artist and performer, she also has the passion to help and promote other talents - most especially multi-talented people of color especially talents of Asian, POC, and Indigenous descent. This passion turned into a vision. She has been establishing herself as a creative professional and founded The Ally Artists Group (www.allyartists.org). She also introduced her own arts education programs and founded The Young Artist .  In 2022, she collaborated with fellow indigenous creative - Natalia Yandyganova - the founder of the experimental theater company -  Angry Fish Theater to establish one of the first AI Immersive Theater collective in the United States called The Waiting Room Series. Their first work, "Soulmates (Not) Found" was performed at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with much success. She is also working on projects that would potentially re-introduce indigenous art and culture to the modern world. 

She is passionate about social justice, arts education, human rights and interested in exploring the social emotional aspect of the human psyche. She is also an avid traveler, foodie, and an adventurer. She is an avid scuba and a free diver.  

She is currently the Program Manager of Dance Education & Family Programs at The Joyce Theater - the international leader in dance presentation.