Simon Stephens


Simon Stephens is a British-Irish playwright, musician and Professor of Scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University. Having taught on the Young Writers' Programme at the Royal Court Theatre for many years, he is now an Artistic Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith. He is the inaugural Associate Playwright of Steep Theatre Company, Chicago, where five of his plays, Harper Regan, ''Motortown, Wastwater, Birdland, and Light Falls'' had their U.S. premieres. His writing is widely performed throughout Europe and, along with Dennis Kelly and Martin Crimp, he is one of the most performed English-language writers in Germany.

Life

Originally from Stockport, Greater Manchester, Stephens graduated from the University of York with a degree in History. After university, he lived in Edinburgh for several years, where he met his future wife Polly, before later completing a PGCE at the Institute of Education. He worked as a teacher for a few years, before leaving to become a playwright. In 2017, Stephens was appointed to a Professorship at the Manchester School of Writing, at Manchester Metropolitan University.
He was a member of Scottish art punk band Country Teasers.
Stephens lives in London with his wife and three children. He has three cats, a dog, a snake and a capybara as pets. In 2016, Stephens published A Working Diary, an account of his activities in 2014.

Plays

Men's Business - translated from Franz Xaver Kroetz. Premiered at the Finborough Theatre, directed by Ross Gaynor. Performed by Lauren Farrell and Rex Ryan. Vanya. Premiered at Duke Of York’s Theatre, directed by Sam Yates. Adaptation of Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov. Performed by Andrew Scott.Morning Sun. Manhattan Theatre Club production premiered in October 2021 at New York City Center Stage I directed by Lila Neugebauer, with Blair Brown, Edie Falco, and Marin Ireland.Blindness. Premiered at Donmar Warehouse, directed by Walter Meierjohann. Adaptation of José Saramago's novel of the same name.Fortune. Premiered at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, directed by Sean HolmesLight Falls. Premiered at Royal Exchange Manchester, directed by Sarah Francomb. Irish Premier in Cork School of Music, directed by Regina Crowley.

Awards