Nantsou, Stefo (Australia)

Born in Newcastle, Australia from Macedonian parents, Stefo Nantsou has written over 50 plays and co-devised a further 65 productions.

He co-founded the Ship-O-Fools in 1980, was an ensemble actor/writer with Freewheels T.I.E. (‘83-‘84) and Sydney’s Sidetrack Theatre (’85-’87), and founded Zeal Theatre in 1989.

Zeal has created over 40 original productions, notably “JOYRIDE” (over 600 performances throughout Australia & New Zealand 92-96) & “THE STONES” (performed with co-writer Tom Lycos over 1000 times worldwide, also translated in more than 20 countries).

Stefo has also directed his plays for companies around Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Hungary, New Zealand & Wales. He has also received 2 Australia Council Literature Fund grants for “ENERGY” (’93) & “THE BIG TOMORROW” (’94), co-founded Melbourne’s The Torch Company, writing/directing “THE ESSENTIALS” (’97), “MECHTRON” & “THE TORCH” (’99) and is currently the resident director at the Sydney Theatre Company where he will write/direct a large scale production about the history of Sydney called “LEVIATHAN” in 2010 & 2011. Zeal Theatre received the prestigious ASSITEJ President’s Award for ‘outstanding services to the theatre for young people industry” in Montreal in 2005.

For more information and to view the plays of this playwright, check out the playwright listings at australianplays.org.