Steven is a theatre director and actor from the Philippines. He has been involved in the arts industry for almost 20 years, mainly acting in musicals and directing for various professional companies and organizations in Manila and parts of Asia. He recently finished his MFA in Directing from the University of Calgary where he directed productions of A Monster Calls and Shakespeare in Love. In Calgary, he has also recently formed the first Filipino Canadian theatre company in Alberta called the FlipSide Theatre Collective which was launched through the original Filipino musical Good As Gold. FlipSide Theatre has opened up avenues for more Filipino representation in Calgary’s stages and has enabled the community to discover untapped Fil-Canadian talent in Calgary and across Alberta. Prior to coming to Canada, he was assistant director to director Bobby Garcia for the Singapore and Manila productions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street featuring Tony winner Lea Salonga and was also assistant directing the Southeast Asian premiere of The Band’s Visit. He also directed musicals such as Sideshow, Once Upon a Mattress, Madagascar the Musical, Rent Jr. and acted in Asian premiers of musicals such as Aladdin, Kinky Boots, Waitress, Jersey Boys, The Bridges of Madison County, Matilda, The Producers, Ghost the Musical, Shrek the Musical, etc. Most recently, he directed and produced the touring production of the University of Calgary’s children’s theatre troupe Wagonstage, Arts Commons TD Amplify Series for emerging artists and Storybook Theatre’s Kensuke’s Kingdom. Currently, he serves as assistant director to Tracey Flye in Stratford Festival’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and is part of the festival’s Langham Directors’ Program.