Ben SantaMaria
WriterBen SantaMaria (they/them) is an award-nominated writer for stage and screen. Ben's passionate about creating multidimensional, thought-provoking images of LGBTQ+ lives – and all others – that speak to diverse audiences and push beyond familiar narratives and characters. They also love to roam into unknown territory and write in a range of forms, naturalistic and fantastic, intimate and widescreen.
Credits
Writing credits include:Demons - BFI NETWORK South East Script Lab 2023 shortlist
Develop - short film made by BAFTA Connect members.
Is This Desire? - rehearsed reading, Omnibus Theatre '96 Festival, director: Matthew Parker, June 2024.
Really Want to Hurt Me - writer/director/producer, Assembly Hall (Edinburgh Fringe); Theatre503; Old Red Lion; Soho Theatre's Soho Rising festival; Arts Council England-supported UK tour: Sheffield Crucible, Nottingham Playhouse, Theatr Clwyd, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Everyman Cheltenham, Exeter Phoenix, Key Theatre Peterborough and The Marlborough in Brighton, 2018-19. Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence shortlist. The Guardian’s 2021 Hottest Front-Room Seats list of best online theatre.
In Need - Verity Bargate Award top 10% longlist.
Lulla - Verity Bargate Award top 100 plays longlist.
Jarman Garden - writer/director/producer, Riverside Studios; Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award longlist.
Training
BAFTA Connect member 2022-25.Paines Plough mentored writer 2024-25.
National Theatre Directors Course.
Soho Theatre Edinburgh Lab.
Mercury Theatre Playwrights Programme.
Criterion Theatre New Writing and Story Development Programmes.
Location
EssexExperience
5-10 years
Art forms / Disciplines
- Comedy
- Film - feature
- Film - short
- Literature
- Live art
- Multi-disciplinary / cross art form
- Theatre / Live perfomance
- TV - drama
What I do
- Devising
- Directing
- Dramaturgy
- Facilitating
- Performance Art
- Producing
- Teaching / Coaching
- Theatre making
- Workshopping & Development
- Writing
