Artistic Leadership

Simon Phillips

Since becoming Artistic Director of Melbourne Theatre Company in 2000, Simon Phillips has directed more than twenty-five productions, while overseeing the planning and building of the Company’s new home, the MTC Theatre, and its new Headquarters in Sturt Street. He began his long association with MTC as an Associate Director between 1987 and 1989 and returned to the Company throughout the nineties. His work for MTC has crossed all genre boundaries and include acclaimed productions of Ninety, Rock ’n’ Roll, The Pillowman, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Cyrano de Bergerac, Urinetown, The Visit, The Blue Room, Proof, Company, Bombshells, Man the Balloon, Great Expectations What the Butler Saw, The Importance of Being Ernest, Serious Money, Tristram Shandy – Gent, Dreams in an Empty City, The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, Amy’s View and Arcadia.

Simon trained at the New Zealand Drama School and was Associate Director of the Mercury Theatre in Auckland and Artistic Director of Centrepoint Theatre, Palmerston North. In 1984, he became a lecturer and director at the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts, and from 1990-1993 was Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia. He has also directed for Sydney Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Western Australian Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Australian Dance Theatre, Opera NZ, Montreal’s Centaur Theatre, Hamburg Opera and on Broadway. He also directed Priscilla – Queen of the Desert the Musical.

Simon won Green Room Awards for Best Direction for Lulu (Opera Australia 2003) Proof (2002), Bombshells (2001), Company (2000); and Helpmann Awards for Best Direction of a Play for Inheritance (2004); Best Presentation for Children and Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production for Twinkle Twinkle Little Fish; and Best Direction of a Musical for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2006).