John Simpkins is a Stage Director and Educator. His directing work includes New York, Regional, and International theatres and venues – and his directing portfolio focuses on a wide range of shows, styles, and genres – as well as a large emphasis on the development and direction of new musicals.
Among the many writers he loves working with, he has had the pleasure of a decades long collaboration with Tony nominee Joe Iconis – directing his shows Family Album, Love in Hate Nation, The Black Suits, Bloodsong of Love, Things to Ruin, Rewrite, The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks, and all 13 years of The Joe Iconis Christmas Extravaganza.
As an educator, John is the Head of Musical Theatre at Penn State University. Among the new initiatives he has created are a New Musicals commissioning program and a wellness center for young artists.
RECENT NEWS & CURRENT PROJECTS
MUSICALS IN DEVELOPMENT
THE MORRISTOWN LINE
Music by Joshua Salzman, Book & Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham
A suburban mother’s midlife crisis collides with her child’s coming of age--all in one trip on New Jersey Transit. Take a ride with this new musical from the Larson Award-winning writers of "I Love You Because"
ME AND MY FRIENDS KILLING NAZIS
Music by Alexander Sage Oyen, Lyrics by Lauren Marcus, Book by James Presson
A musical comedy set in 1940’s Holland about a girl who gets together with her friends to kill Nazis through a honeypot-type operation. Hannie Schaft rose to prominence participating in a Dutch resistance group and became known as one of the bravest fighters in Europe.
TYRANTS
Music & Lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen, Book by Nora Brigid Monahan
Politics is personal as two brothers, Edwin and John Wilkes Booth, find themselves on opposing ends of one of the most important moments in American history. Tyrants examines responsibility as it pertains to family and country…and oneself.
IN-GAUGED
By Christian Thompson and Maria Wirries
With love there’s nothing you can’t do, unless it kills you. Take a journey through a cyber punk electronic wonderland at the dawn of a revolution and get InGauged!
