Joel Vig created touring productions for the Arkansas Art Center and the Nebraska Arts Council, is a contributor to the textbook Creating a Sense of Occasion (Holt), and is a guest lecturer at college theatre departments. He has worked as a director, stage manager, performer and designer, on Broadway, off Broadway, at Theatre at Sea and regional theatres. He originated the title role in the Off-Broadway "Best Musical," Ruthless, and appeared in the original Broadway cast of the Tony-winning musical Hairspray.