Professor Dr. John Simpkins

Biography

John Simpkins is a Professor and Head of Musical Theatre at Penn State University, holding the Nagle Family Chair. His directing credits include the Drama Desk nominated Jonathan Larson Project and Bloodsong Love, as well as World Premieres like Love Hate Nation and Black Suits. He has experience in Off-Broadway productions and has directed notable pieces such as Bus, ReWrite, and Plant Ate Dirty Socks. Simpkins has worked internationally with productions like Legendale in Denmark and regionally with Raging Skillet and Hairspray. As Artistic Director for Sharon Playhouse, he directed many productions, contributing significantly to the development of new works and initiatives at Penn State. He is also a member of the National Alliance Musical Theatre and has partnerships with NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Music from Miami University and a Master of Arts from NYU.

Research Interests