Born on February 6, 1971, Simon Stephens is a British-Irish playwright and Professor of Scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University. He studied History at the University of York and taught the Young Writers’ Programme at the Royal Court Theatre before pursuing a PGCE at the Institute of Education. In Edinburgh, he met his wife, Poly, and transitioned from teaching to playwriting in the early 2000s.
Now an Artistic Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith and the inaugural Associate Playwright of Steep Theatre Company in Chicago, Stephens has earned acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Known for his raw and often dark portrayals of human experience, his plays explore themes like isolation, grief, and the search for meaning in chaos. His work has resonated throughout Europe, making him one of the most-performed English-language playwrights in Germany, with a strong record both on and off Broadway.
His first major success as a playwright came with his play Herons, which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2001. The play tells the story of a teenage boy who seeks revenge against a group of bullies. It was praised for its raw, uncompromising depiction of youth violence and won the 2002 Olivier Award for Best New Play and established Stephens as a major new voice in British theatre. He continued to write plays that explore the darker side of human nature. His work often deals with themes of isolation, grief, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. Some of his most notable plays include Pornography, which examines the impact of the 7/7 bombings on the people of London, and Birdland, which explores the life of a rock star struggling with addiction and fame. His Broadway debut, Heisenberg, premiered in 2016.
Stephens describes theatre as an attempt from a performer or collection of performers to use fiction to interrogate something metaphorically that a collection of people might engage in and think about for a bit.
In addition to theatre, Stephens has written for film and television, including the 2008 film A Respectable Trade (adapted from Philippa Gregory’s novel) and Holby City. His stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on Mark Haddon’s novel, remains one of his most celebrated works.
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 which offers an inside look at his creative life in 2014.
The Arts at CCBC presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as part of its 2024-25 season under the theme Belonging. The season is filled with performances that celebrate stories of people finding a home, building their own community, and carving a place for themselves.
See The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) November 21 – November 25 at CCBC Essex, Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center, F. Scott Black Theatre.
Performance Dates: November 21 at 11:10 a.m., November 22, 23 at 7 p.m., November 24 at 3 p.m. ASL Interpreted, November 25 at 10 a.m.
General admission $10, Seniors, Students, CCBC Faculty/Staff/Alumni $5, FREE for CCBC Students with current ID
Purchase tickets online at www.ccbctickets or call the Box Office at 443-840-ARTS.
CONTENT WARNING: This production includes mature themes, such as domestic violence, bullying, and death of an animal; depictions of sensory overload and self injury; use of strong language, bright and flashing lights, as well as an intense soundscape.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. www.dramatists.com