Simon Bennett
Director · Producer · Executive Producer · Showrunner
Simon Bennett is a New Zealand director, producer and creative leader working across theatre, television and film. His career began in theatre in 1987 and expanded into television and film, encompassing directing, producing, executive producing, showrunning and story development.
Theatre
Director
The Father — Florian Zeller, translated by Christopher Hampton
The Court Theatre, Christchurch · 2019
Cast included Mark Hadlow and Luanne Gordon.
Merrily We Roll Along — Stephen Sondheim / George Furth
Toi Whakaari / New Zealand Drama School · 2019
Shortland Street – The Musical — Guy Langford / Simon Bennett
Director and co-writer · Auckland Theatre Company · ASB Waterfront Theatre · 2018
Trees Beneath the Lake — Arthur Meek
Auckland Theatre Company · Maidment Theatre · 2014
White Cloud – Songs and Stories — Ken Duncum / Tim Finn
BATS Theatre, Wellington · 2012
Horseplay — Ken Duncum
Auckland Theatre Company · Maidment Theatre · 2010
Leah — adaptation of King Lear
New Zealand Actors Company · New Zealand International Arts Festival · 2002
A Way of Life — Roger Hall
New Zealand Actors' Company · 2001
A Midsummer Night's Dream — William Shakespeare
New Zealand Actors' Company · South Island tour / Christchurch Arts Festival · 2001
Flipside — Ken Duncum
Circa Studio, Wellington · 2000
Transferred to Court Theatre, Christchurch · 2001
Chapman Tripp Award — Production of the Year, 2000
A Midsummer Night's Dream — William Shakespeare
New Zealand Actors' Company · 2000
The Ballad of Jimmy Costello — Tim Balme
Downstage Theatre / Taranaki Arts Festival / national tour · 1997
Edinburgh Festival · 1997
Also performed in Israel, Ireland and the UK.
Chapman Tripp Award — Best Production, 1997
Assassins — Stephen Sondheim / John Weidman
Watershed Theatre, Auckland · 1996
Dead Funny — Terry Johnson
Auckland Theatre Company · Herald Theatre · 1995
Blue Sky Boys — Ken Duncum
Tasman Ray production · North Island tour · 1995
Filth — Anthony McCarten
Workshop presentation for Oceania Playwrights' Workshop · 1994
Into the Woods — Stephen Sondheim / James Lapine
Watershed Theatre, Auckland · 1994
Chicago — Kander / Ebb / Fosse
Director and set designer · Tauranga Operatic Society · Baycourt Theatre · 1994
Titus Andronicus — William Shakespeare
Director and producer · Maidment Theatre, Auckland · 1994
Don't Fence Me In — Tim Balme
Development seasons · Centrepoint Theatre / Baycourt Theatre · 1993
Developed into The Ballad of Jimmy Costello.
Blue Sky Boys — Ken Duncum
Director and producer · Maidment Theatre, Auckland · 1992
Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare
Director and producer · Watershed Theatre, Auckland · 1992
Close — James Beaumont
Co-director with the playwright · Circa Theatre, Wellington · 1992
The Bagmen
Devised performance · BATS Fringefest · 1992
The Art of Success — Nick Dear
Taki Rua / Depot Theatre, Wellington · 1991
The Shrew — adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew
Director and producer · Watershed Theatre, Auckland · 1991
Idol Adultery — Jeff Addison
BATS Theatre, Wellington · 1991
Aunt Daisy – The Musical — Peter Hawes and the 6 Volts
Theatre Royal, Christchurch · 1991
Harry and George — Vincent O'Sullivan
Downstage Theatre, Wellington · 1990
Aunt Daisy – The Musical — Peter Hawes and the 6 Volts
Centrepoint Theatre, Palmerston North · 1990
Blue Sky Boys — Ken Duncum
BATS Theatre, Wellington · 1990
Transferred to St James Theatre, Wellington.
Voted Best New Play by the Wellington Combined Critics.
Hamlet — William Shakespeare
BATS Theatre Fringefest · 1990
Tour to Wanganui and Masterton.
The Conquest of the South Pole — Manfred Karge
Director, set and sound designer · BATS Theatre · 1990
Twelfth Night — William Shakespeare
The Depot Theatre / BATS Theatre, Wellington · 1989
Man to Man — Manfred Karge
Director and set designer · BATS Theatre · 1989
Macbeth — William Shakespeare
Director and set designer · Scots College, Wellington · 1989
Gary's Cafe
Devised touring show for Yeah Yeah Yeah · 1989
3D – 3 Men on the Border
Improvised revue · BATS Theatre · 1989
Jism — Ken Duncum / Rebecca Rodden
BATS Theatre, Wellington · 1989
King Lear — William Shakespeare
Victoria University of Wellington Summer Shakespeare · 1988
Your Attention Please — Karl Buckley
AGC / Downstage Young Playwrights' Festival · 1987
BATS Theatre
Co-founder / Artistic development
In 1989, Simon Bennett and Simon Elson renovated BATS Theatre in Wellington and established it as a full-time developmental space and Wellington's fourth professional theatre.
BATS opened in April 1989 and remains an important part of New Zealand's theatre ecology.
In 2014, Simon received the Wellington Mayor's Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre, recognising his contribution to Wellington's theatre community.
Television & Screen
Director
My Life Is Murder
Directed Season 4 Episodes 5 and 6 · Greenstone Pictures / Acorn TV · 2025
Power Rangers Dino Fury
Director / Executive Producer / Showrunner · 2021–2022
Power Rangers Beast Morphers
15 episodes, including Pilot and Finale · 2018–2019
Power Rangers Ninja Steel
11 episodes · 2016–2017
The NZ Wars – Stories from Ruapekapeka
Director / Writer · Great Southern TV / RNZ · 2017
Voyager Media Award — Best Innovation in Digital Storytelling, 2018
NZ Television Award — Best Māori Programme, 2018
NZ Television Award — Best Documentary, 2018
Dirty Laundry
4 episodes · Filthy Productions / TVNZ · 2016
Westside
Episodes 5 and 6 · South Pacific Pictures / TV3 · 2014
The Blue Rose
Episodes 3 and 4 · South Pacific Pictures / TV3 · 2012
Sione's 2: Unfinished Business
Feature film · South Pacific Pictures · 2011
Outrageous Fortune
Director / Executive Producer · Season 6 · 2010
Outrageous Fortune
Director / Executive Producer · Season 5 · 2008–2009
Diplomatic Immunity
Director / Executive Producer · 2008
Outrageous Fortune
Director / Executive Producer · Season 4 · 2008
Outrageous Fortune
Director / Executive Producer · Season 3 · 2007
Outrageous Fortune
Director · Season 2 · 2006
SDGNZ Achievement in Directing Award, 2007 Air New Zealand Screen Awards
Spies and Lies
Producer / Director · Telefeature · South Pacific Pictures / TVNZ · 2010
The Almighty Johnsons
Producer / Director · Seasons 1 and 2 · South Pacific Pictures / TV3 · 2010–2011
Mercy Peak
Director / Storyliner · Season 3 · 2003
Mercy Peak
Director / Storyliner · Season 2 · 2002
Shortland Street
Director · 1996–1997
Riding High
Director · children's drama series · 1995
Television · Producer / Executive Producer / Showrunner
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury
Executive Producer / Showrunner · 10 × half-hour episodes · Netflix · 2023
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers – Once & Always
Executive Producer / Showrunner · 55-minute Netflix Original · 2023
Power Rangers Dino Fury
Executive Producer / Showrunner / Director · 44 × half-hour episodes · 2021–2022
GLAAD Award — Outstanding Kids and Family Programming, 2022
Shortland Street
Executive Producer · 2001–2012
Producer · 1997–2000 and 2013–2015
Director · 1996–1997
Outrageous Fortune
Executive Producer / Director · Seasons 3–6 · 2007–2010
Director · Season 2 · 2006
The Almighty Johnsons
Producer / Director · Seasons 1 and 2 · 2010–2011
Maddigan's Quest
Producer · 13 × half-hour children's fantasy adventure series
South Pacific Pictures · 2006
New York Festival — Silver and Bronze Awards
Air New Zealand Screen Awards — Best Children's Programme; Contribution to Design; Original Music
Diplomatic Immunity
Executive Producer / Director · 2008
Spies and Lies
Producer / Director · Telefeature · 2010
Head of Drama · South Pacific Pictures 2004-2009
During this period Simon was Executive Producer of:
Shortland Street — serial drama
Outrageous Fortune — comedy/drama
Diplomatic Immunity — comedy
Go Girls — comedy/drama, Series 1
Selected Awards & Recognition
GLAAD Award
Outstanding Kids and Family Programming — Power Rangers Dino Fury, 2022
NZ Television Awards
Best Māori Programme — The NZ Wars – Stories from Ruapekapeka, 2018
Best Documentary — The NZ Wars – Stories from Ruapekapeka, 2018
Voyager Media Awards
Best Innovation in Digital Storytelling — The NZ Wars – Stories from Ruapekapeka, 2018
SDGNZ Achievement in Directing Award
Outrageous Fortune, 2007 Air New Zealand Screen Awards
Air New Zealand Screen Awards
Best Children's Programme — Maddigan's Quest
Contribution to Design — Maddigan's Quest
Original Music — Maddigan's Quest
Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
Best Production — The Ballad of Jimmy Costello, 1997
Production of the Year — Flipside, 2000
Wellington Mayor's Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre, 2014