Steve Connell

As an actor he has appeared in numerous independent films including Another Day in Paradise, The Beat (*Sundance), Blues, and ShangHai Kiss. TV work includes DirtySexyMoney and The List (both on ABC). His many roles on the stage include Macbeth (Macbeth), Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing), Tom (Glass Menagerie), and Danny (Danny and the Deep Blue Sea). He has performed with Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Adams, Sandra Oh, and Zachary Quinto and he was singled out as "outstanding" by Backstage West for his performance as Joe in the world premier of Robots vs. Fake Robots at the Powerhouse Theater in LA. As playwright/performer, he is garnering much acclaim for his solo work along with the work he has created and co-written with Sekou Andrews. They were invited by HBO to perform their play, no easy choice, at the 12th Annual U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, CO. Their celebrated play The Word Begins (originally developed at Ojai Playwrights Conference) earned 3 Helen Hayes Award nominations in addition to rave reviews. It has delighted audiences across the country, most notably at places such as the Signature Theater, Yerba Buena Center, South Coast Rep, and the renowned New York Public Theater. It headlined the inaugural LA RADAR festival where it was called "...a masterpiece" by the LA TIMES. His smash one-man show, 40 Days, (directed by Kristen Hanggi, Tony nominated director for Rock of Ages) was hailed as "breakneck, mind-boggling theatre," earning multiple critics picks, and being named the Best Solo Performance of the year from Entertainment Today. His work in the short film, "Downsizing", won him the "Best Actor" award and URB magazine declared him one of the "100 Faces To Watch." His newest solo work, Against Oblivion, ran at South Coast Repertory as part of their new Studio Series. In addition, by fusing poetry, comedy, and acting into a transformative and original experience, he has evolved into a powerful and compelling messenger for companies, organizations and non-profit groups looking to engage and elevate their audiences with a customized presentation. Featured on ABC World News, Good Morning America, HBO Def Poetry and others, he has created work for such prestigious organizations as TEDMED, NIKE, Sony/Universal, Pioneer Electronics, Farmers Insurance, and Gap Inc. and such celebrated luminaries as Oprah Winfrey, James Cameron, Norman Lear, Julie Taymore, and Quincy Jones. Private highlights include performing at Oprah Winfrey's celebration of Maya Angelou, the Quincy Jones Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Marion Anderson Gala (honoring Maya Angelou/Norman Lear); as well as special events for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, (special request: Quincy Jones), and President Obama, (special request: Oprah Winfrey). "Transit Space", (Music Center co-commission), a collaboration with visionary choreographer Jacques Heim, and the world famous Diavolo Dance Company, followed it's LA premiere at the Broad Theater with a performance at the Greek, and can be seen performing regularly in theaters and festivals all over the world. Currently, his work can be seen on PBS as part of a docu-series, Shelter Me, and he was recently honored to be given a commission to create a new piece for South Coast Repertory.