Stephen Henry Biography

Stephen Henry (27 September 1968, London) is an award-winning theatre director and producer.

Early life

Henry read Education and Drama at St Mary's University College and Theatre Directing at Drama Studio London.

Early career

Henry started his career by directing, for his graduate school production, Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! which won both The Best Ensemble Award and The Best Actor Award at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival. The acclaimed production transferred to the Tristan Bates Theatre, London and sold out its limited run. He followed this inaugural production with Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London receiving The Bulldog Prinsep Theatrical Fund Award for New Directors. Henry's interpretation of Spring Awakening later moved to the Tristan Bates Theatre. He also directed the UK premiere production of To Have and To Hold by Paul Harris, with Cory English, and the European premiere of Terrence McNally's passion play Corpus Christi, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1999, with Stephen Billington and Mel Raido. The production transferred to the Pleasance Theatre, London, produced by Guy Chapman Associates and Sarah Earl Productions, breaking box-office records for the theatre and attracting political demonstrations and a fatwa for its author.

Henry"?s Oxford Playhouse revival of Another Country, by Julian Mitchell, reopened the Arts Theatre in the West End where he also developed a new play by Sam McCartney, Body Language (Being Olivia). Other projects include ecstasy + GRACE, by James Martin Charlton, at the Finborough Theatre, London where he produced Pains of Youth by Ferdinand Bruckner starring Stephen Billington, Stevie Jay in Life, Love and other works in progress and The Silent Treatment by Chris Pickles. He directed rehearsed workshops of Fuddy Meers by David Lindsay-Abaire for the National Theatre Studio/Southwark Playhouse and The Lightning Child by Elizabeth Hopley at The Old Vic.

Henry directed Five Flights by Canadian author Adam Bock at the Pleasance Theatre with comic Scott Capurro and developed Matthew Todd"?s new play Blowing Whistles at the Jermyn Street Theatre for Trilby Productions. His King's Head Theatre production of The Lisbon Traviata starring David Bamber and Marcus D'Amico was voted The Best Off-West End Production 2004 Whatsonstage Awards. He was also the original director of the London production of Visiting Mr. Green by Jeff Baron at the New End Theatre and has directed numerous productions and scene studies including Uncle Vanya, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and My Heart is a Suitcase for Drama Studio London where he works regularly directing and teaching acting and theatre directing.

Henry worked as a volunteer for the London Pride Festival (Theatre) 2004/2005 and host/produced The Pride Season of Theatre with main productions including the page-to-stage adaptations of Go Fish! (Zip Antics Theatre Company) and New Boy (Questors Theatre), a new play, Citizenship, by Mark Ravenhill as part of the National Theatre Connections Programme, and L'homosexual by Copi directed by Carole Menduni. The season also included Fiona Staniland as Darlene Meatrick, Nathan Martin in I wish it so! and The International Play Competition presenting rehearsed readings of 12 new plays. The first Pride Theatre Season also included Justin Bond in concert at Soho Theatre and Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Heaven Nightclub, with David Bedella.

Recent years

In recent years he has directed The Irish Curse by Martin Casella at the Edinburgh Festival prior to a transfer to Dublin, Ireland, and a new play, The Baby Box by Chris Leicester, in London during 2008. For Drama Studio London he directed Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband and Nol Coward's Blithe Spirit. In 2010 he directed Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard and the European premiere of Paula Vogel's new play The Long Christmas Ride Home in London.

Henry is Founder/Artistic Director for The Theatre 28 Ensemble, Great Britain, and a member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain. He is an Associate Member Teacher at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.