William Virchis, Professor and artistic director, has been an instructor in the SWC Theatre Department since 1973, earned his Associate in Arts degree at Southwestern College and his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at San Diego State University, where he was the recipient of the Sybil Eliza Jones Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement in Drama, the school's highest award in the field of drama. His post graduate work was done at the University of Mexico City.

Mr. Virchis has directed numerous productions at San Diego Civic Light Opera (Starlight), San Diego State University, Southwestern College, University of California at Riverside, Lyric Dinner Theatre, San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Repertory, Centro Cultural de La Raza, California Pacific Community Theatre, Teatro Meta and On Stage Productions in conjunction with the Bowery Theatre.

Under the Department of Interior, Mr. Virchis staged the reenactment of the Landing of Cabrillo. Mr. Virchis directed the first Old Globe Theatre Education Tour and received an Atlas Award for his portrayal of Pancho in The Night of the Iguana. He is the co-founder and former artistic director of Teatro Meta-Old Globe Theatre. He has worked on Tri-Star and Walt Disney films and musical scores for records, plays, television and commercials. Mr. Virchis directed 18 world college premiere plays including Pippin, Evita, Nine, Leader of the Pack, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Nightshriek, Fantasma, Matador, Metropolis, the Who's Tommy, Bandido, Zoot Suit and The Miser of Mexico at the University of Riverside. He produced the Mariachi Festival and directed the Latin-American Cultural month in San Diego. Bill is also the director of the highly acclaimed musical "Selena Forever".

As a freelance artist and director he directed the Old Globe's bicultural production of La Fiaca and the famous Dos Rosas de Dos Amores which was presented at the Centro Cultural Theatre in Tijuana. Mr. Virchis serves on the Public Arts Advisory Council for the County of San Diego, Chula Vista 21, and most recently was appointed to the Commission of Arts and Culture for San Diego, the Board of Directors of the San Diego Theatre League, and the ALBA 80 Society. Mr. Virchis has formed the multi-ethnic Teatro Mascara Magica: a common ground theatre company that has been associated with San Diego Repertory Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre, and the Bowery Theatre. Mr. Virchis has directed the successful production of Blood Wedding, the classic Lorca play, for the San Diego State Theatre Department and his most recent film work can be seen in Warner Brothers theatrical feature Bitter Revenge.

Mr. Virchis was honored for professional leadership at Southwestern College from the Governing Board and Faculty and was recognized as the Theatre Educator of the Year by the Southern California Theatre Association. He recently received the Rayo del Sol Award from El Sol Newspaper for his contribution to the Latino community in the field of entertainment. Mr. Virchis has been inducted in the "Who's Who Theatre Educator Hall of Fame" in 1998 and was Awarded the California Center of the Arts Education Achievement Award, 1998. Mr. Virchis has recently been inducted into the "Who's Who Among America's Teachers".