Harrison Simmons

Harrison Simmons, an emerging director based in New York City, has been immersed in the world of theatre since his early days at performing arts camps, a performing arts high school, and throughout his college years. Focusing largely on contemporary topics such as politics, religion, and LGBTQIA+ narratives, Harrison’s passion for storytelling shines through in his directorial work.

In 2020, Harrison graduated from Brown University with a degree in Theater Arts and Performance Studies. During the pandemic, he dedicated himself to the arts scene in Dallas, Texas, eventually securing a fellowship at the prestigious Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center. Subsequently, he made the move to New York City and, prior to relocating to Sydney for NIDA, contributed to the vibrant theatre community at the Brick, an experimental theatre space in Brooklyn.

At the Brick, Harrison spearheads the Aux Reading League, a play reading program aimed at uniting theatre enthusiasts and fostering a sense of community. This initiative reflects Harrison’s commitment to creating spaces where theatre professionals can come together, share ideas, and build lasting connections.

Among Harrison’s directing credits are productions like The Diary of Anne Frank (Brown University), Boom! (University of Sydney), and Waterless Places (Linden Grove Theater Co.).

In the grand tradition of contemporising ancient Greek mythology for entertainment, Medusa Uncut presents a campy re-telling of the Medusa myth. A kitsch and colourful frame belies the serious message of a play cautioning against blind faith in religious doctrine. Do we need the gods, or do they need us?

In this production, I hope to question the divine provenance of suffering as some holy rationale for personal growth and use this story to explore why religion and pain always seem to stand hand-in-hand.

– Harrison Simmons

The production explores liminal spaces within the chaos of an ever-changing myth, reflecting the evolution of cultures and the fluidity of storytelling. Drawing on Brechtian conventions, the design actively engages the audience, reminding them they are watching a play and encouraging them to consider how every design decision serves a specific purpose. The rigid use of colour and levels separates mortal from immortal, emphasising the gods imperious nature, and mortals who never think to rise above them. Costumes blend contemporary fashion with ancient Greek elements, suggesting a dissonance in time. The lighting envisions the fusion of two worlds, highlighting the power and influence within both. One of worlds, belonging to the gods, is full of playful colours and unrealistic intentions. While the other is populated by the mortals, of truth and consequence. The sound design ties everything together, blending modern gay pop with subtle moments of silence, like the effect of flicking through radio stations, ever-changing, ever-evolving.

– Joey McKenzie, Chaii Ki Chapman and Matthew Phillips

Medusa Uncut discusses contemporary themes with ancient storytelling, looking at how humans continue to believe in institutions even when they continue to hurt us, done through the use of the Medusa and Perseus myth. To convey this, design elements clash contemporary and ancient themes together to help create a dynamic playing space for the story to come to life. For Sound Design, the clashes are seen through pop culture references and pop music of the current generation, mashed with the silences and atmospheric illusions for traditional Greek mythos storytelling to come to life on stage.

– Matthew Phillips

Explicit language and adult themes with references to sexual assault, physical violence, depictions of sexual intimacy. Flashing / strobe lighting.

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