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John Simpkins

Stage Director

Professor & Head of Musical Theatre – Penn State University


(917) 838-0509

johnsimpkins11@gmail.com 

Agent:  Jonathan Mills, Paradigm: jmills@paradigmagency.com or (212) 897-6400
 

New York

 

     BloodSong of Love (Joe Iconis – book/ music/ lyrics)

          Ars Nova (Three Drama Desk Nominations)

 

     The Annual Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza

          54 Below

 

    Things to Ruin: The Songs of Joe Iconis (co-conceiver)

          Second Stage, NYMF

     

    Beatsville (Glenn Slater – book, Wendy Leigh Wilf – music/ lyrics)

          Provincetown Playhouse

 

    The Bus (James Lantz)

          59E59 Theatres 

 

     Party Come Here (Daniel Goldfarb- book, David Kirshenbaum- music/ lyrics)

          The Players Theatre

 

    Next Thing You Know (Ryan Cunningham – book/ lyrics; Josh Salzman – music)

          Ars Nova

 

     ReWrite: a musical comedy triple feature (Joe Iconis- book/ music/ lyrics)

          Urban Stages

 

     The Legend of New York (Ryan Cunningham – book/ lyrics; Josh Salzman – music)

          Provincetown Playhouse

 

     The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Joe Iconis- book/ music/ lyrics)

          Theatreworks, USA – Lucille Lortel Theatre

 

     The Black Suits (Joe Iconis- music/ lyrics, Joe Iconis & Robert Maddock- book)

          SPF at the Public Theater (Shiva)

 

     Queen Esther (Ryan Cunningham- book, Joshua Salzman- music/lyrics)

          Merkin Hall

 

     Go-Go Beach (John Wimbs - book/ lyrics; Mike Shaieb, Brent Lord - music)

          New York Musical Theatre Festival - 37 Arts Theatre

 

     Blood Drive (Rachel Sheinkin- book/ lyrics; Joel Derfner- music)

 

     29 (Gaby Alter- music/lyrics; Tommy Newman- book/ additional lyrics)

 

     Like You Like It:  The 1980’s Musical (Sammy Buck- book/ lyrics; Dan Acquisto- music)

 

International

 

     Legendale - World Premiere (Andrea Daly – music; Jeff Bienstock – words)

          Fredericia Teater, Denmark

 

Regional

 

     Two River Theater – Red Bank, NJ 

          Love in Hate Nation (World Premiere) – Joe Iconis – book/music/ lyrics

 

     Center Theatre Group (Kirk Douglas Theatre) – Los Angeles, CA

          The Black Suits - World Premiere (starring Annie Golden, Will Roland, Veronica Dunne)

 

     Theaterworks Hartford – Hartford, CT

          Raging Skillet – World Premiere (starring Marilyn Sokol, George Salazar)

 

     North Carolina Theatre – Raleigh, NC

          Hairspray (starring Dale Hensley, Dirk Lumbard)

 

     Weston Playhouse – Weston, VT

          A Very Vermonty Christmas

     

     Human Race Theatre Company – Dayton, OH

          Legendale - American Premiere (starring Max Crumm)

 

     Goodspeed Opera House – East Haddam, CT

          ReWrite (Festival of New Artists)

          Adam Lives (Festival of New Artists)

 

     Barrington Stage Company – Pittsfield, MA

          Hellraisers 

          The Black Suits (starring Ben Platt)

 

     John W. Engeman Theatre – Northport, NY

          Damn Yankees (starring André De Shields, Felicia Finley, Austin Miller)

          A Wonderful Life (starring Will Reynolds)

 

     Sacramento Music Circus – Sacramento, CA

          Cabaret (starring Jacquelyn Piro, Max Von Essen, Teri Ralston)

          Annie (starring Mark Zimmerman, Adinah Alexander, Jim Walton)

 

     Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma – Oklahoma City, OK

          Evita (starring Kate Chapman, Eric Michael Gillett, Dan Cooney)

 

     Berkshire Theatre Festival

          Next Thing You Know (Ryan Cunningham – book/ lyrics; Josh Salzman – music)

 

     Sharon Playhouse (Artistic Director) – Sharon, CT

          Quartet – starring Elizabeth Franz

          Merrily We Roll Along – starring Jason Tam, A.J. Shively

          Big River

          Judge Jackie:  Disorder in the Court – starring Klea Blackhurst

          Nine Wives

          True Love

          Georgie – written by and starring Ed Dixon

          Falsettos

          Les Miserables

          They’re Playing Our Song – starring Lauren Marcus, Eric William Morris

          Damn Yankees

          A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

          The Wedding Singer 

          Rent 

          The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

          Altar Boyz


 

New York Workshops/ Readings

     

     OHenry Productions:  For Better, For Worse (Reed Arnold)

     Ars Nova:  When the World Ends (Nick Blaemire)

     NAMT (National Alliance for Musical Theatre – New World Stages):  

             Ripper (Duane Nelsen)

             Bloodsong Of Love (Joe Iconis)

             Legendale (Andrea Daly, Jeff Bienstock)

     Sage Theatre:  Half Married (a new play by Ryan Cunningham and Charles Antin)

     Barrington Stage Company:  Bad Kid School (John Gregor- book/ music/ lyrics)

     York Theatre:  Plastic! (Robert Maddock- book/ lyrics; Joe Iconis, Reza Jacobs - music) 

                                  You Don’t Know Jack (Jay Falzone- book/ lyrics; Jason Loffredo – music)

     New Triad for Collaborative Arts/ Lincoln Center:  Lyrical Langston: His Muse for Music

     Loewe Theatre:  Beasts and Saints (Mindi Dickstein- book/ lyrics; Dan Messe- music)

 

Penn State University

 

Be More Chill (Joe Iconis/ Joe Tracz)

Love in Hate Nation (Joe Iconis)

The Last Day (Mike Reid/ Sarah Schlesinger)

The Lucky Boy (Kirsten Childs)

A Chorus Line

Nostalgia Night (Matthew McCollum/ Sofya Levitsky-Weitz)

Family Album (Joe Iconis)

 

New York University

 

The Fix, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Floyd Collins, Sweet Smell of Success, Violet, City of Angels, Urinetown, Merrily We Roll Along, Parade, A New Brain, Godspell, Fiorello!

 

Concerts

 

     Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

          Alan Menken:  A Musical Tribute (featuring Alan Menken)

     New World Stages:  NAMT Songwriters Showcase

 

Teaching/ Education

     New York University- M.A. 

     Miami University (Ohio)- B.M.

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