Mel Nieves was born and raised in New York City. He is an actor-playwright-screenwriter-arts educator. He is a graduate of The William Esper Studio and a long time member of the award winning LAByrinth Theater Company, artistic director Aaron Roman Weiner and The Actor's Studio Playwright-Director's Unit & Workshop under the artistic leadership of Lyle Kessler.
As an actor he has worked with Luna Stage, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Boomerang Theatre Company, Puerto Rican Travelling Theatre Company, INTAR and the legendary Ridiculous Theatrical Company under the artistic direction of Everett Quinton; as well as appearances on television soap operas All My Children, Another World and HBO's The Leftovers and the independent feature film The Children of Hip Hop.
As a playwright his work has been presented by Repertorio Espanol, HERE, Cherry Lane Theatre, Theatre for a New City, Orange County's Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble, Public Theatre, Apple Core Theatre Company, Chicago's Urban Theatre company, Los Angeles' Working Artist's Lab, Brooklyn-One Productions, Rochester Latino Theatre company, San Diego Repertory's Amigo's de Rep, Actor's Studio, Barefoot Theatre company and LAByrinth Theatre Company's Summer Intensive workshops at Bennington College, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Bard College and Connecticut College.