Paribu Art Masterclass Series Continues with Sean Holmes, Simon Stephens, and Grace Smart on June 5-6-7
Sean Holmes, Simon Stephens, and Grace Smart—leading creative figures in English theatre—are coming to Istanbul.
This special masterclass brings together directing, playwriting, and stage design to offer participants a chance to experience the creative dynamics of the theatre production process through an interdisciplinary lens.
During this intensive three-day program on June 5-6-7, participants will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with international names in their own fields. They will also form creative teams with artists from different disciplines to jointly experience the process of bringing a performance to the stage.
Who is Simon Stephens?
Simon Stephens is one of the most important playwrights of contemporary English theatre. With a career spanning over twenty years, his works have been staged worldwide and he has won Olivier and Tony awards. He has reinterpreted works by Chekhov, Ibsen, and Brecht, achieving international success with adaptations of Mark Haddon and José Saramago. He has worked with major figures in the theatre world, including Andrew Scott, Ivo Van Hove, Katie Mitchell, and Marianne Elliott, and has produced numerous shows across Europe, America, Asia, and Australia. He also serves as a professor of writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Masterclass Content: Creative Team Creation Process in Performing Arts
This intensive 3-day workshop aims to bring together the fundamental creative disciplines of theatre production (playwriting, directing, and stage design) to offer participants a micro-level experience of a real production process.
The program balances deepening individual expertise with interdisciplinary collaboration. Participants first work one-on-one with masters in their own fields to develop practical methods; then, they come together with participants from different disciplines to form creative teams and simulate the process of bringing a performance to the stage.
No performance will be staged at the end of the training.
Who is it for?
Early and mid-career theatre professionals
Directors, playwrights, and stage designers
Creatives open to interdisciplinary production
This special masterclass brings together three leading creative figures from the international theatre world, offering participants a direct opportunity to experience the collective creation processes of contemporary theatre production.
Program Structure
June 5: Discipline-Based Deep Dive (1:1 & Small Groups)
Participants will conduct one-on-one and small group studies with Sean Holmes, Simon Stephens, and Grace Smart according to their own fields.
Directors → with Sean Holmes
Playwrights → with Simon Stephens
Stage Designers → with Grace Smart
One-on-one or small group studies
Focus:
Personal creative processes
Tools & methodologies
Discipline-specific ways of thinking
June 6: Interdisciplinary Team Setup
Teams consisting of directors, writers, and designers will begin developing joint production processes.
Participants from each discipline form mixed teams
In each team:
1 director
1 playwright
1 stage designer
Teams begin working on a short text / idea
Focus:
Establishing a common language
Decision-making processes
Balancing roles and responsibilities
June 7: Production & Sharing
Teams will develop their projects with mentors and process presentations and feedback sessions will be held.
Teams develop their projects and work on staging
Mentors work with teams in rotation
At the end of the day:
Process presentations
Feedback session
Tickets are valid for the three days, June 5-6-7, 2026.
*The event will take place through the collaboration of 3 separate groups (Playwriting - Theatre Directing - Stage Design). Participants can only purchase a ticket for one group and attend the training of that group. Tickets purchased by participants from multiple groups will be refunded.
Paribu Art
