Current & Upcoming..
- I was recently awarded a Certificate of Merit in Directing from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for the SCSU production of Rob Matsushita's CIVIL.
- CIVIL was also awarded the Golden Hammer Award from KCACTF for Excellence in Preparing and Executing an Invited Production.
"Curns brings vibrancy to his Shakespeare productions...a sense of seeing the plays in a totally new light despite strict fealty to the texts; or, rather, because of his strict fealty, as what he finds in the texts has been there all along but their implications overlooked. As an actor-director, he has a kindred spirit with the actor-playwright that was Shakespeare, and that kindred spirit he shares with the actors in his cast."
- Eric Minton on Romeo & Juliet (ASC) Shakespeareances.com |
CIVIL by Rob Matsushita. Southern Connecticut State University. 2022
Richard III, Hoosier Shakespeare Festival 2021
Coriolanus, Shakespeare Academy @ Stratford 2019
Macbeth, American Shakespeare Center 2017
- "Here is Shakespeare as it was “meant to be performed” …a certain gritty realism was added to the
witches, Banquo’s ghost and Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking…The cast was nothing short of superb.
Ally Farzetta, in particular, should also be singled out for a tour-de-force performance as Lady
Macbeth, by turns winsome, charming, mocking and ever cold as ice…" -The Sentinel
Romeo & Juliet, American Shakespeare Center 2016
- "Curns [shows] thorough scrutiny of Shakespeare's script, finding not so hidden but often overlooked treasures and exploring their consequences through the finely honed performances of his talented cast." -Shakespeareances.com
Julius Caesar, American Shakespeare Center 2015
- "It is is especially heartening to see how vital and memorable some of the supporting roles here are...take Andrew Goldwasser, whose Casca becomes newly prominent in the assasination plot led by Cassius (the passionate Tim Sailer) and Brutus (the solid Josh Innerst)...Chris Belinger is every inch the willful Caesar...Jenny McNee gives us some truly elegant Renaissance wear..." -Broadway World
Much Ado About Nothing, American Shakespeare Center, 2014
- "...under the direction of Benjamin Curns...this production renders an incredibly believeable storyline progression easily gliding over perceived plotholes...Curns maintains the plot's credibility with text-centric character development and focused pacing." -Shakespeareances.com