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Stephen trained at Goldsmiths College, University of London, gaining an honours degree in music. In 1990 he was chosen by Sir Cameron Mackintosh to be one of twelve writers to study with Stephen Sondheim during the latter’s year-long tenure at Oxford University as the Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre.

During his time with Stephen Sondheim at Oxford, he composed the music for Maddie (book and lyrics by Shaun Mckenna and Steven Dexter), which was subsequently workshopped at the Royal National Theatre Studio before receiving its first full production at the Salisbury Playhouse. The production then transferred to the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in London’s West End in 1997, produced by Kenny Wax Productions. The original London cast recording of Maddie is available.

He was the co-composer of the music for La Cava (with Lawrence O’Keefe, book by Dana Broccoli and lyrics by John Claflin and Shaun Mckenna) which transferred from the Churchill Theatre, Bromley to the Victoria Palace Theatre, London in 2000 and then later transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End of London. The original London cast recording of La Cava is available.

Stephen composed the music for a critically acclaimed musical adaptation of Heidi (book and lyrics by Shaun Mckenna), which combines the story of Johanna Spyri’s first Heidi novel with the life of the author. Heidi opened in Switzerland in 2005.

In 2007 a sequel, Heidi and Johanna (intertwining the second Heidi novel with the final years of Johanna Spyri’s life and ending with her death), was nominated for a Prix Walo award. The original cast recording of Heidi and Johanna is available.

His recent collaborations with Shaun Mckenna include The Return of Peter Pan, a musical sequel to Peter Pan commissioned in Germany, and Anastasia, A Musical Riddle.

Stephen has also composed the music for My Father’s Son, a musical set in nineteenth century Sheffield and based loosely on Shakespeare’s Hamlet (book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, directed by Steven Dexter at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and the Lilian Baylis, Sadler’s Wells). For children he has composed The Other Side, a musical about the Children’s Crusade (book and lyrics by Peter Spafford) and written the music for a musical adaptation of The Amazing Mr. Blunden (book and lyrics by Edward Hardy). With the noted academic author Dr. Jonathan Miles he has written the music for several new musicals, including The Sewing Circle which explores the relationship and rivalry between Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo.

He has composed the music for several plays including Jonathan Church’s production of The Broken Heart at the Lyric Hammersmith Studio as well as music for Peer Gynt, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest and The Indian Wants The Bronx. 

Music Director:
Stephen has worked extensively in the UK at the Library Theatre Manchester, York Theatre Royal, Leicester Haymarket, Sheffield Crucible, Lyric Hammersmith,Oldham Coliseum and Salisbury Playhouse as well as with the National Youth Theatre of Wales and on tour working with Stephen Daldry.

Other: 
Appeared with Stephen Sondheim and Shaun Mckenna on the Radio 2 programme ‘In Company With Sondheim’ talking about ‘Maddie’.
Founder member of the Mercury Workshop.
Corporate Video: Thomas Cook.
Stephen also composes choral music including a setting of The Night Before Christmas which has received several performances.

www.stephenkeeling.org