He got back into directing, sharpening his skills in community theatre with productions of BUS STOP, THE UNDERPANTS and A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE (which won him Best Director honors for St. Louis community theatre). He then began a rich association with SATE (formerly Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble), acting in several shows and directing CUDDLES for them.

Joe continued work with other companies - acting in OF MICE AND MEN for SATE and directing THE FLICK for R-S, as he was also acting in Midnight’s TITLE AND DEED from Will Eno.

Midnight then produced one of its biggest shows, JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG at the Missouri History Museum, and the Company took part in Faustival - 5 St. Louis companies during their own version of the Faustus myth. Joe acted with SATE in John Wolbers’ original take on it, and Midnight reprised Mickle Maher’s Faustus show in a double bill with his HUNCHBACK VARIATIONS.

Joe then acted in THE CRUCIBLE for Stray Dog, and a number of Midnight shows - POPCORN FALLS, the one-person CHARLIE JOHNSON READS ALL OF PROUST, and his own script, an adaptation of a documentary film, A MODEL FOR MATISSE. During this time he continued to generate new scripts for Midnight appearances at the St. Louis Fringe and the St. Louis Crawl.

Going into the pandemic year, Joe squeezed in a couple of live performances before lockdown - GHOST at Metro Theater and SATE’s APHRA BEHN FESTIVAL.

COVID generated lots and lots of ZOOM shows and, and while Midnight had to cancel or reschedule its regularly scheduled shows, Joe contributed with a new script for St. Louis Shakespeare and a reading of one of his other scripts for the St. Louis Writers Group. He also acted in a number of ZOOM shows, including appearances in two scripts for playwright Hope Weiner for New York festivals. And Midnight did the ONLY live theatre performance during this terrible theatre-less time with a reprise production of Bogosian’s SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL in November.