Eric Simonson is an ensemble member and Artistic Associate of Steppenwolf Theatre of Chicago. There he has directed Tony Kushner’s SLAVS!, John Olive’s EVELYN AND THE POLKA KING, INSPECTING CAROL, and THE SECRET RAPTURE. Also for Steppenwolf, he directed the Chicago, Australian, and Broadway productions of THE SONG OF JACOB ZULU, for which he received a Tony nomination. He has also directed his own adaptation of BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY for Huntington Theatre in Boston, Next Theatre in Evanston, Los Angeles Theatre Works, and for radio stations WFMT and KCRW, and his adaptation has been performed on National Public Radio Playhouse and at New American Theatre in Rockford, IL. He is a director with Chicago’s “Stories on Stage,” which airs classic short stories on WBEZ. Other directing credits include THE MAGIC FLUTE at Minnesota Opera, OTHELLO at Court Theatre, CORIOLANUS, THE NORMAL HEART, ABINGDON SQUARE, and KNUCKLE at Next, SNEAKY FEELINGS at Remains, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN at Pegasus Players, Scott McPherson’s TIL THE FAT LADY SINGS at Lifeline Theatre, WAITING FOR GODOT and AS YOU LIKE IT at Bailiwick Repertory, and ROMEO AND JULIET and THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS… for Steppenwolf’s Outreach Program. As an actor, Mr. Simonson appeared in Steppenwolf’s Chicago, La Jolla, London, and New York companies of the Tony Award-winning production of THE GRAPES OF WRATH. He has also appeared on television episodes of “Missing Persons,” “The Untouchables,” and “The Ben Stiller Show.” He is an Instructor at The University of Chicago and has developed an opera with composer Evan Chen and lyricist FiFi Servoss entitled BOKCHOY VARIATIONS for Minnesota Opera, and a theatre/music piece with singer Joseph Shabalala and poet Ntozake Shange called NOMATHEMBA for Steppenwolf Theatre. Mr. Simonson is the recipient of the Joseph Jefferson Award for THE SONG OF JACOB ZULU, the Nathaniel Prussy Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement from Lawrence University, and the Princess Grace Foundation Award for his work at Steppenwolf Theatre. Mr. Simonson received training from The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and graduated from Lawrence University in 1982.
https://www.ericsimonson.org/
Instagram: @theericsimonson
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