Steven Strafford is an actor, playwright, director, dramaturg, educator, and storyteller. (But not always in that order) As an actor, he played Prince Herbert in  Monty Python's Spamalot  (dir. Mike Nichols/chor. Casey Nicholaw) The Herald in  Cinderella  (Asian Tour starring Lea Salonga) Cecco in  Peter Pan  (National Tour) and Eugene in  Grease . (European Tour) His NYC credits include Hening in  To Paint the Earth  (NYMF) Man One in  Songs for a More Funnier World  (NYMF) Bruce in  The Mad Show  (The York) and Pauly in  For the Love of Christ!  (NYC Fringe) He also appeared in developmental workshops of  The Seven Year Itch  (The York)  Ghosts  (The York)  Love and Other Fables  (54 Below) and  Island Song . (Kef productions)   

His Chicago credits include Chick Clark in  Wonderful Town  (dir. Mary Zimmerman) and  David/Crumpet  in Santaland Diaries both at the Goodman Theatre; Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. et al in  Little Shop of Horrors  at Drury Lane Theatre; Hortensio in  Shrew'd  at First Folio Theatre ;  Thurio in  Two Gentlemen of Verona at  TheatreHikes; Jesus/Stephen Hawking in  End Days  at Windy Cindy Playhouse; Mordcha in  Fiddler on the Roof  at Lyric Opera Chicago; Hennesey/Captain in  Dames at Sea  at Theatre at the Center ;  Johnny Sandwich in  Honeymoon in Vegas , (dir. Gary Griffin) Headwaiter in  She Loves Me , Lord Fahrquaad in  Shrek , Shylock in  Something Rotten , Cord Elam in  Oklahoma! , and Wiesel, et al in  Newsies,  at The Marriott Theatre; He also appeared as a solo performer in  Jesus the Jew, As Told By His Brother, James  and  The Trump Card .  

His regional credits include Lord Fahrquaad in  Shrek,  Margaret Meade, et al in  Hair , and Prince Herbert in  Spamalot , at Sacramento Music Circus; Sir Henry, et al in  Hound of the Baskervilles , Bob Cratchit in  A Christmas Carol,  Jane/Lord Edgar in  The Mystery of Irma Vep , at Portland Stage Company ;  Costard in  Love's Labour's Lost,  Antonio in  Twelfth Night , Otto in  Design for Living,  and Solyony in  The Three Sisters  at Bakerloo Theatre Project; Morris Kaden, et al in  As Bees in Honey Drown  at Cape Playhouse ;  Mr. Banks in  Mary Poppins  at Cardinal Stage ;  and he swung the world premiere of  Sense and Sensibility, the musical  at The Denver Center.  

 His TV credits include  Somebody Somewhere  on HBO and  Chicago Fire  on NBC. His film credits include  Movers Ultimate ,  The Thanksgiving Guest, Homecoming , and  Make . Steven has also appeared in several industrials and commercials, including one with his husband that aired during The Olympics and paid for their car.  

As a playwright, Steven is the author of his award-winning solo-show,  Methtacular!  which has had productions in NYC, Chicago, New Jersey, Maine, Ohio, and California. In 2019, it was performed and recorded at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. The recording is available for free on YouTube. His play,  Small Jokes About Monsters , is licensed and published by Dramatists Play Service. It had productions at 16 ^th  Street Theater in Chicago, Lamb Theatre in Sioux City, and Landing Theatre in Houston. His play,  The Match Game , will be receiving its world premiere production in April 2024 at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. His play,  Greater Illinois , will receive its world premiere production in January 2024 ,  Playhouse on the Square in Memphis. His play,  The Model Congressman , was workshopped at About Face Theatre in Chicago. Steven has workshopped shows at Route 66 Theatre, Road Theatre, Landing Theatre, About Face Theatre, Greenhouse Theatre, Portland Stage Company, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Tantrum East, and Great Plains Theatre Conference.  

Steven's Chicago directing credits include  Where All of It is Real  at Chicago Dramatists,  Do You Wanna Dance , Steppenwolf LookOut Series,  Songs for a More Funnier World  at Uptown Underground. In NYC, Steven directed  Sing Happy  and  Lemme At 'Em  at The Laurie Beechman Theatre. At Ohio University, Steven directed  Natural Shocks  as part of Lab Show Series.  Steven also served as director and advisor for four Ohio University cabaret productions.

As a storyteller and writer, Steven has been seen on the stages of The Moth, You're Being Ridiculous, Story Sessions, and Porch Stories. His essay, "College Dreams," was published in  The Anatomy of Silence . He also has several essays on the Undeniable Writers website.

As an educator, Steven has taught workshops and classes at Columbia College of Chicago, Drew University, Colby College, and North Central College. He also taught several classes for professional actors at Vagabond Studios in Chicago. Steven has a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Drew University (Go Ranger Bears!) and an MFA in Playwriting from Ohio University. (Go Bobcats!)