Following graduation from LIPA in 2002, and based in Liverpool, Stephen took part in a number of TV and Theatre projects, including roles in the comedy Breezeblock Park at The Liverpool Playhouse, directed by Glen Walford; 7 Stories, directed by Jamie Lloyd, at The Etcetera Theatre, London; The Safari Party, directed by Stefan Escreet, at The New Vic; and The Borrowers, for West Yorkshire Playhouse, directed by Chris Wallis.

 

Stephen headed to London, appearing at The Donmar Warehouse and Apollo Theatre, in the original cast of Schiller's Mary Stuart, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, starring Harriet Walter and Janet McTeer. He also appeared at The Old Vic, as part of their New Voices Company, in the very first 24 Hour Play, written by Mike Bartlett and directed by James Grieve. He also workshopped a number of musicals and new plays, as well as voicing a variety of events and commercials, including the BAFTA awards ceremonies.

 

Stephen was heavily involved with Liverpool's programme of events for The Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008, as well as becoming a cultural ambassador for the city. He appeared alongside Cathy Tyson in The Liverpool Nativity for the BBC, written by Mark Davies Markham, and directed by Noreen Kershaw, and in Willy Russell's 30th anniversary 're-mix' of Stags and Hens at The Royal Court, as Peter 'the rocker'. He also played Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream in the magnificent gardens at the Liverpool Cathedral for the annual Shakespeare Festival for Lodestar Theatre Company, directed by Max Rubin, and took the lead role in Eric's: The Musical for The Liverpool Everyman, directed by fellow LIPA graduate and director, Jamie Lloyd. During this year he also appeared in the musical Betwixt! at The King's Head in London, before finishing the year as Prince Charming, alongside Cilla Black, in the massive sell-out Liverpool Empire Production of Cinderella.  

 

In 2009 and 2010, Stephen took on the title role in Hamlet for The Liverpool Shakespeare Festival at St. George's Hall Concert Room, as well as taking part in the tour of Up on the Roof at Oldham Coliseum and Ipswich New Wolsey, directed by Pete Rowe. He returned to Liverpool's Royal Court theatre, appearing in Willy Russell's sell-out musical, Our Day Out, and played Paul McCartney in the biopic musical, Lennon, directed by Bob Eaton and Howard Gray; before finishing the year as Dick Head (!) in local cult comedy hit, Scouse Pacific. 

 

In 2011 he appeared in a new comedy, Dead Heavy Fantastic at The Everyman Theatre, directed by Matt Wilde, and written by Robert Farquhar, and workshopped the opera, 57 Hours in the House of Culture, at The National Theatre Studio, written by Bryony Lavery and directed by Phyllida Lloyd. 

 

In 2012 he appeared in A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Gemma Bodinetz at The Liverpool Playhouse, while rehearsing his production of A Life In The Theatre at The Actor's Studio alongside Andrew Schofield- This was Stephen's directing and producing debut. 

 

Following the success of A Life in the Theatre, Stephen founded LIFE IN THEATRE PRODUCTIONS as an homage to the first production, and produced Jason Robert Brown's award-winning Broadway musical, The Last 5 Years, winning a Daily Post Culture award, gaining 5 star reviews across the board. 

 

Christmas 2012/13 was the company's biggest production to date. Stephen wrote a spoof musical of Mamma Mia!, affectionately called 'Mam! I'm 'ere!'. Set on a Welsh island on a failing camping site, it was staged at Grand Central Hall, Liverpool. The cast included Andrew Schofield, Helen Carter, Eithne Browne, Rachel Rae, Alan Stocks, Paul Duckworth, Keddy Sutton, Catherine Morris, Lauren Southwick, with musical direction by Simeon Scheuber.

 

It was a great success, employing a team of over 30 actors, musicians, designers, technicians, ushers- all completely unsubsidised, and was created using small funds from active practitioners in the arts, private donations and audience attendance. It was a competetive market that Christmas, and the show did well to make such a big impact on the audience and the city.  

 

In 2013, Life in Theatre Productions made a new home in The Epstein Theatre, Seel St, Liverpool. 

 

Formerly The Neptune Theatre, Stephen drew on the venue's rich history as a music hall and variety theatre and created a Broadway Double Bill with an upscaled version of 2012's sell-out musical, The Last 5 Years, and the award-winning comedy, The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon. The shows were a critical success as well as gaining another prestigious Culture Award in the final edition of Liverpool's Daily Post. It brought the best of Broadway to Liverpool and helped to showcase local talent and another venue.  

 

In 2014, Stephen also appeared in Mark Davies Markham's 'state of the nation' play, Special Measures, directed by Ken Alexander, and appeared as Gary LeJeune in Noises Off!, both for The Royal Court. 

 

In the same year, Stephen joined the cast of ITV's Coronation Street, as Doctor Robinson. 

 

In 2015, Mam! I'm 'ere! moved to The Royal Court Theatre reaching a family audience of tens of thousands, and remains one of Stephen's proudest achievements. 

 

Following his role in ITV's Homefires as Ian Lyons, at the end of 2015 Stephen joined the UK Tour of THE PERFECT MURDER by award-winning crime novelist Peter James, directed by Ian Talbot, starring Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie, and adapted for the stage by Shaun McKenna.

 

Stephen appeared in pantomime at The Liverpool Empire in Christmas 2017, before working as Creative Producer for Signature Living Group. Here, he presented live entertainment in a number of hotel venues throughout the city, as well as launching the opening of The Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay, and creating club nights and entertainment offerings across the company's many sites. He staged, designed, cast and directed all of the entertainment during his time there before returning to the stage in 2018, appearing in hit comedy show, The Scouse Nativity at The Royal Court, directed by Cal McCrystal. 

 

His show, Mam! I'm 'ere! returned in the summer of 2018, and Stephen also joined the cast of Audible's War of the Worlds, directed by Jeff Wayne, starring Michael Sheen. 

 

In 2020 he was due to direct theatre pieces- PETE PRICE IS DEAD, MAKING IT!, MAM! I'M 'ERE!, A LIFE IN THE THEATRE, and THE SCOUSE SLEEPING BEAUTY, all at Liverpool's Royal Court. Due to the pandemic, all of these shows were cancelled. Instead, he created new work; this included a new comedy web series, THIS IS OUR BEV (later MAKING IT) and a new show called THE ROYAL COURT SELECTION BOX, at The Royal Court. This show celebrated previous Christmas shows at the theatre, and celebrated the world of performing arts and the importance of the arts in the city. He also employed a team of 25 performers with support from the RISE Festival and Arts Council England in Liverpool, bringing live entertainment to the city's streets with a BUSKING BONANZA with the character BEV, co-created with Catherine Rice. 

 

During lockdown 3, he worked on a number of exciting projects as actor, writer, director and producer, as well as voicing for a Government campaign to support people facing domestic abuse. 

 

His work since then has included THE POP UP PANTO (raising £20k to take a panto around schools during the pandemic); Artistic Advisor to The Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse; he was Writing Associate on THE HOOK for Spiegelworld in Atlantic City alongside Cal McCrystal; he directed RENT The Musical, and A Thong for Europe, a musical comedy by Jonathan Harvey for Liverpool's 2023 Eurovision Celebrations. He has recently been the dramaturg and director of the biggest-selling comedy Christmas shows at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre, playing to tens of thousands of people each year.

 

He also directed NHS The Musical for Theatre Royal Plymouth, their first show out of lockdown. 

Current projects include  comedy, SISTERS OF MERSEY, for The Royal Court, Liverpool, written by Jonathan Harvey, and Associate Director on Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum for Lido 2 in Paris.