Simon Phillips - Director

Simon Phillips

Simon began his career in New Zealand before emigrating to Australia in 1984 to take up a position as lecturer and director at the West Australian Academy for Performing Arts.

In 1987 he joined Melbourne Theatre Company as associate director and in 1990 he was appointed artistic director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia.

After freelancing nationally and internationally between 1994 and 1999, he returned to MTC as artistic director in 2000.

His directing credits range from new works to contemporary and Shakespearean classics to musicals to opera.

Simon’s musical credits in Australia include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Urinetown the Musical, Company, The Threepenny Opera, Cabaret and High Society (in an adaptation by his wife,  Carolyn Burns) which toured nationally as well as regionally in the UK.

In New Zealand he directed Oliver!, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Pirates of Penzance.

He has directed works by most of the great contemporary writers: Albee (A Delicate Balance), Shepherd (A Lie of the Mind), Orton (What the Butler Saw/Entertaining Mr Sloane), McDonagh (The Pillowman), Churchill (Cloud Nine/Serious Money), Stoppard (Arcadia, Rock ‘n’ Roll), Hare (The Blue Room) and Beckett (Happy Days). He has also directed the premieres of many new works by leading Australian writers, including David Williamson,
Hannie Rayson and Joanna Murray-Smith.

Among his many classical productions, The Tempest, Julius Caesar, A Comedy of Errors and The Importance of Being Earnest all toured nationally in Australia.

Simon’s opera credits include: La Bohème, Falstaff, L’Elisir d’Amore and Lulu for Opera Australia, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni for Opera New Zealand, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Billy Budd for Hamburg State Opera.

His many awards include: Green Room Awards for Best Direction and Best Production Lulu (Opera Australia 2004), Best Direction Proof (MTC 2002), Best Direction Bombshells (MTC 2001) and Best Direction of a Musical Company (MTC 2001); Helpmann Awards for Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (MTC 2006), Best Play and Best Direction of a Play for Inheritance (MTC 2004), Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production and Best Presentation for Children Twinkle Twinkle Little Fish (Windmill Performing Arts 2003). Bombshells won Best Solo Performance at the Theatregoers’ Choice Awards in London and a Fringe First Award at the 2004  Edinburgh Fringe.