Stephen Atkins

Current

• Associate Artist at Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre
• Artistic Director at Human Theatre
• Theatre Faculty at Capilano University

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Past

• Freelance Writer (Self-employed)
• Faculty at Tooba Physical Theatre Centre
• President / Lead Designer at Modus Internet Ltd.

• bon.vivant at a travel / entertainment site near you
• Sessional External Instructor at Simon Fraser University
• Interim CEO at Pibase LLC
• Instructor at University of Lethbridge
• Voice Instructor at The Main Dance Place

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Education

• IUGTE Intensive Training
• Robert McKee Story Seminar
• SITI Intensive at Skidmore College, NY

• The Sanford Meisner Center
• Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company Internship
• British Columbia Institute of Technology
• Simon Fraser University
• 3 National Voice Intensives
• Simon Fraser University
• Mount Royal College
• Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School

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Recommended

3 people have recommended Stephen

Connections

17 connections

Industry

Performing Arts

Websites

• Capilano University
• Human Theatre
• Vice Theatre International

Stephen Atkins’s Summary

Stephen Atkins, BA Theatre/Art History, MFA Theatre/Film (SFU) has performed, taught and directed in Brisbane, Melbourne,Vancouver, Calgary and Lethbridge. He was a founding member of the Tooba Physical Theatre Centre in Vancouver, BC. and is currently the Artistic Director of Human Theatre and Assosiate Artist with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre.

Recent directing credits include The Skriker, by Caryl Churchill. Other selected credits include The Queens for the University of Lethbridge, The Woman, Forever Yours Mary Lou, Mad Boy Chronicle, Woyzeck, Les Belles Souers for Exit22 at Capilano College, Samuel Beckett: 5 Short Pieces for Human Theatre / Zen Zen Zo and Trigger, a collaborative creation.

Writing credits for theatre include Just Measures (1989), Four & Twenty Blackbirds (1992), Black Angels (1997), Dracula (2007) Sub-Con Warrior 2.0 (2008). Articles include Virtual Reality and the Actual Performer (CTR 1994), and several contributions (1994-2005) on science fiction, art history, food and travel.

Film work includes working in the Locations Department for the TV series Psych and 2nd AD on the short film Verna.

Internet experience includes 11 years of website development on projects varying from HSBC, America to one of Canada's first television/internet sites. Stephen Atkins is an amateur photographer.

Current: Stephen Atkins is the Artistic Director of Vancouver-based Human Theatre and an Associate Artist with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre in Brisbane, Australia. Stephen is also a faculty member of Capilano College in the Acting for Stage and Screen Program and the Musical Theatre Program where he teaches Voice, Acting, Improvisation & Mask, Creative Movement, Styles and Theatre History. Stephen has also been an advisory Director of Education for the Vancouver Physical Theatre Society.

Stephen Atkins’s Specialties:

collaborative writer, development of new works, creative movement and composition, internet development skills

Stephen Atkins’s Experience

• Associate Artist

  Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre

  (Partnership; 11-50 employees; Entertainment industry)

  August 2007 — Present (2 years 4 months)

  Collabration in the development of new works, creating training materials and helping with the delivery of residencies, workshops and intensives.

• Artistic Director

  Human Theatre

  (Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Entertainment industry)

  February 2006 — Present (3 years 10 months)

• Theatre Faculty

  Capilano University

  (Entertainment industry)

  January 1990 — Present (19 years 11 months)

  Teaching post-secondary level classes in Voice, Creative Movement, Mask, Improvisation, Acting, Scene Study, Acting Styles and Theatre History. Duties include student evaluations, committee work, sitting on the audition panel.

• Freelance Writer

  Self-employed

  (Self-Employed; Myself Only; Entertainment industry)

  September 1993 — January 2008 (14 years 5 months)

  Wrote a variety of fiction and non-fiction including full-length plays, a teleplay, theatre journal articles, travel articles and a sourcebook for a science fiction role-playing game.

• Faculty

  Tooba Physical Theatre Centre

  (Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Entertainment industry)

  August 1994 — December 2007 (13 years 5 months)

  Training physical theatre performers in proper use of the voice for the stage. The work concentrated on strengthening the voice and increasing range while maintaining emotional subtlety.

• President / Lead Designer

  Modus Internet Ltd.

  (Internet industry)

  May 1997 — August 2007 (10 years 4 months)

  Designed internet sites and online solutions for small to medium sized businesses. Client base was focused on the arts and media industries as well as travel and tourism.

• bon.vivant

  a travel / entertainment site near you

  (Entertainment industry)

  May 2000 — June 2007 (7 years 2 months)

  I write travel and entertainment articles under the handle "bon.vivant".

• Sessional External Instructor

  Simon Fraser University

  (Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

  January 1988 — December 2002 (15 years )

  Occassionally teaching Voice classes and assisting Prof. Marc Diamond with the Black Box Theatre seasons 1990-1994.

• Interim CEO

  Pibase LLC

  (Computer Software industry)

  October 2000 — October 2002 (2 years 1 month)

  For one and a half years I assisted in the technical research and documentation for this comapny's lead software developer. In the last seven months of my work with Pibase, I was asked to assume a management position over the Vancouver-based product development office. During this time I liaised with overseas clients from Japan, Turkey and France.

• Instructor

  University of Lethbridge

  (Educational Institution; Higher Education industry)

  August 1997 — May 1999 (1 year 10 months)

  I was a member of the Theatre Department where I taught, Voice, Acting, Acting Styles and Independent Production. I developed two courses for the department and Directed "The Queens" by Normand Chaurette for the 1998/1999 season.

• Voice Instructor

  The Main Dance Place

  (Entertainment industry)

  September 1990 — May 1996 (5 years 9 months)

  I taught voice classes and phychophysical performance techniques to dancers.

Stephen Atkins’s Education

• IUGTE Intensive Training

  Meyerhold Biomechanics 2009 — 2009

  Intensive daily study of Meyerhold's Biomechanics

• Robert McKee Story Seminar

  Writing for the Stage and Screen 2009 — 2009

• SITI Intensive at Skidmore College, NY

  Suzuki Method of Actor Training, Viewpoints and Composition 2008 — 2008

• The Sanford Meisner Center

  Meisner Technique 2008 — 2008

  The Sanford Meisner Center's goal is to get you working professionally. The intensives focus on one of the strongest acting foundation techniques and is delivered by master teachers. In the course of the training you learn how to make this very effective method second nature.

• Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company Internship

  Certificate , Master Class Study in Viewpoints, Butoh and Suzuki Actor Training , 2007 — 2007

  Classes included a wde range of master-level skill development. Viewpoints, Butoh and Suzuki Actor Training made up the core of the performance training with academic and practical workshops in advanced business management, networking, audiotion skills and developing new works.

  Activities and Societies:

  While doing the core training I directed two studio productions: 1) Samuel Beckett: 5 Short Pieces, an evening of Beckett's rarely performed 'drmamticules' and short plays. 2) Trigger, a performance art piece examining gun violence. I also wrote a new adaptation of "Dracula" for perforance in the company's "In the Raw" Season. I was given the opportunity to be an Assistant Director on the production, taking place in Brisbane's historic "Old Museum".

• British Columbia Institute of Technology

  Computer Programming 2000 — 2002

  Studied Elements of Programming Logic and completed with a 90% average grade.

• Simon Fraser University

  MFA , Theatre / Film , 1992 — 1996

  This was an Interdisciplinary degree requiring all members to study in two or more areas of the School of Fine Arts. Main areas of study were in Cultural Appropriation and Marginalisation in Contemporary Culture. Extra readings in mimesis and alterity in ritual and contemporary fetishism.pointed me in the direction of my main thesis. It explored inverted ritual and fetishism in the Victorian Gothic Romance. The work culminated in a perormance art piece called "Black Angels", an adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula

  Activities and Societies:

  While doing my grad studies, I continued to teach at Capilano College, which made me scarce when it came to all those social activities, discussion groups and salons that make up such an important part of being a grad student. I feel I missed out on a lot. In a recent "reunion" with a prominent Canadian film director who, it turned out, was in my year, she said I was often referred to as "the guy who wasn't there". In retrospect I wish I had taken more time to do the fun things.

• 3 National Voice Intensives

  Linklater Voice Technique, Classical Text, Phonetics 1987 — 1992

  During these three intensives I had the opportunity to work with David Smukler, Dale Genge, Linda Putnam, Rod Menzes and Judith Koltai among the other great professionals tat teach there. The five-week, all-day course of study was an incredible experience of group exploration, professional skills development and ensemble support. Each time deepened my knowledge of the work.

• Simon Fraser University

  BFA , Theatre , 1985 — 1988

  I was a busy undergrad. I performed in 5 department productions 3 student projects, 1 student film and 1 Fringe show. Main academic interests were in Art History and Political Science / Philosophy. Enjoyed Arts in Context and elected to do four semesters, studying the periods of Art History betweeen 12th Century to Early 20th Century. My favourite elective was in the Criminology Department; Crime, Poverty and Madness in Early Modern England. (It could have been the title of a play by Peter Weiss.)

  Activities and Societies:

  Wrote two plays. 1) Just Measures, a courtroom comedy taking place in an 18th Century English Assize Court. 2) Four and Twenty Blackbirds, a full-length play about William Herschell, his discovery of a new planet and the madness of King George III. I was influenced by Timberlake Wertenbaker at this time (She continues to be a great inspiration). It was written a couple of years before Alan Bennett's "The Madness of King George". Although I don't claim to say it was better or even as good. :-)

• Mount Royal College

  Certificate , Theatre , 1982 — 1984

  Study included basic classes in core performance and technical training: 2 years of base study in Dance (Jazz, Ballet, Modern), Corporeal Mime, Acting, Directing, Stagecraft and Design.

• Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School

  High School , 1980 — 1982

Additional Information

Stephen Atkins’s Websites:

• Capilano University
• Human Theatre
• Vice Theatre International

Stephen Atkins’s Interests:

Theatre, Film, Opera, Art Hisotry, Interactive Media Design, Travel and Food Writing, Photography

Stephen Atkins’s Groups:

Member of VASTA (Voice and Speech Trainers Association), Member of DGC (Director's Guild of Canada), Member of CAE (Canadian Actors Equity), Member of IFTR-FIRT (International Federation for Theatre Research), Wiki contributor and editor, supporter of local arts and training opportunities.

•    Theater in Museums
•    Theatre Sound Google Group
•    Film & Theatre productions
•    Human Theatre
•    Official Small Theatre Group
•    Playwrights
•    STAGE (Supporting Theatre Arts Growth Everywhere)

Stephen Atkins’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• reference requests
• getting back in touch