STAGES Episode 585: STEVEN KRAMER

Steven Kramer is a multi-faceted artist working as a music director, pianist, writer, composer, orchestrator, producer and cabaret performer.He has been the Associate Musical Director for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and previously served as the Assistant Musical Director for Chicago (GFO). A long-standing collaborator with the esteemed Hayes Theatre Co since its founding in 2014, his credits include Little Shop Of Horrors, Calamity Jane, Assassins, The Drowsy Chaperone, Rent, LOVEBiTES, She Loves Me, Side Show, Catch Me If You Can and Jekyll and Hyde for which he won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Musical Direction.As a pianist he has performed with leading orchestras and renowned artists, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Paloma Faith, The City Recital Hall, Trevor Ashley and Kate Ceberano, as well as in major commercial productions such as Mary Poppins, Frozen, Beautiful and The Sound Of Music.Dedicated to championing new Australian work, Steven has contributed as an arranger and orchestrator to productions including The Dismissal (Squabbalogic), Zombie: The Musical (Hayes Theatre Co), Evie May (Hayes Theatre Co), The Secret Singer (Darlinghurst), Never Let Me Go (Griffin) and Nosferatutu (Griffin). He collaborated with Courtney Act to compose the opening number for the Sydney WorldPride Domain Concert, which was broadcast nationally on ABC.As a writer and composer, his original musical Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical is set to premiere at Hayes Theatre Co in 2025. His award-winning one-man cabaret, I Sing Songs, has been performed across Australia, featuring his original compositions. He has also written original music for There's No One New Around You (Keira Daley, Mark Simpson), Neighbourhood Watch (Illuminate Educate) and In Stitches (Alex Giles), as well as a commissioned double concerto for saxophone, marimba and orchestra, performed by Translucent Duo.Steven is the co-director and co-founder of Curveball Creative, the production company behind the critically acclaimed live-streamed musical Who’s Your Baghdaddy, or How I Started the Iraq War, which he also musically directed. The production received a Critic’s Pick from The New York Times and was streamed on BroadwayHD. Curveball Creative continues to produce innovative musical theatre, including Once On This Island at Hayes Theatre Co.The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).www.stagespodcast.com.au