Candy Simmons Bio and Resume

Candy Simmons is a professional Twin Cities-based theater artist with a 18-year performance career. In addition to being an accomplished actress, she also holds a 8-year history of performing, producing and touring original works across North America. As lead performer and Artistic Director of Minneapolis-based theater company SunsetGun Productions she has toured and performed in her original works across North America to much praise from audience and critics alike. Her most recent solo work BLUEPRINT, premiered to Minneapolis audiences November 2015. Lauded for her emotionally evocative performances and strong character work, Candy seeks to create theatrical works that are highly tour-able, enabling work to move with ease into a variety of community settings. She believes people are funny, ridiculous and fascinating, and that everyone has a story to tell if given the opportunity. Outside of her work with SunsetGun Candy is an accomplished actress and has worked with

a number of Minneapolis and New York City theater companies such as: The 92nd Street Y (NYC), Emerging Artists Theatre (NYC), Abingdon Theater Co. (NYC), Carolinian Shakes. Festival (NC), Red Eye Theater (MN), Alan Berks & Co. (MN), Gremlin Theatre (MN). Candy received her BA in Theatre from Florida State University.

PERFORMANCES OF ORIGINAL WORKS (history since 2012)

2016 AFTERLIFE (performer, co-writer, producer) Intermedia Theater, Minneapolis, MN A one-woman play exploring women’s changing roles throughout the 20th century.

2015 BLUEPRINT (performer, creator, producer) Red Eye Theater, Minneapolis, MN Premiere of this original one-woman play with video, movement, and audio montage that follows a modern-day cowgirl as she explores what it means to be a woman today.

2014 EXPIRATION DATE (performer, creator, producer) North American Tour A one woman play, drawn in part from real-world testimonials, exploring the subject of death and dying in America. Candy toured this play to the following venues in 2014:

• St. Richards Catholic Church, Richfield, MN Performed for the MN Metro Area Hospice Volunteers Spring Education Event

• Rachel Browne Theatre, Winnipeg, MB Remounted in association with the Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

• C103 Theater, Edmonton, AB Remounted in association with the Edmonton International Theater Festival.

2013 THE BLUEPRINT PROJECT (performer, creator, producer) Red Eye Theater, Minneapolis, MN First stage development workshop for this new one-woman play was presented to a small audience November 2013.

AFTERLIFE (performer, co-writer, producer) Jon Hassler Theater, Plainview, MN A one-woman play exploring women’s changing roles throughout the 20th century. Presented in conjunction with the 1st Annual Adventure Theater Festival.

EXPIRATION DATE (performer, creator, producer) Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis, MN

2012 EXPIRATION DATE (performer, creator, producer) Premiere and MN tour

• Old Arizona Theater, Minneapolis MN. Premiere of this original work with assistance from the MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative grant.

• Landmark Center, St.Paul, MN. Presented in conjunction with Hamline University’s Health Law Institute.

• Episcopal Homes of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN. Presented in the community room of this senior residence.

SCARLET WOMAN (performer, collaborator, producer) Jon Hassler Theater, Plainview, MN This two-woman film-noir thriller explored the extreme female archetypes of the film noir genre. This new work was commissioned exclusively for SGP from NYC playwright, Matthew Wells.

REPRESENTATIVE PERFORMANCE CREDITS (outside of self-producing)

v MERONYMY Rhyme Red Eye Theater, Minneapolis, MN dir: Steve Busa

v AN ABSOLUTE TURKEY Armandine Gremlin Theater, St. Paul, MN dir: Brian Balcom

v HOW TO CHEAT Meredith Alan Berks & Co. / Gremlin, St. Paul, MN dir: Alan Berks

v MOTHERING INSTINCT Woman Emerging Artists Theatre, NYC dir: Jennifer Boutell

v BREUCKELEN Bathtub Gin Collective Unconscious, NYC dir: Matthew Didner

v THE TEMPEST Miranda Carolinian Shakespeare Fest, New Bern, NC dir: Mary McGinley

v COMEDY OF ERRORS Dromio of Ephesus Carolinian Shakespeare Fest, New Bern, NC dir: Mary McGinley

AWARDS and ACCOLADES v Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Arts Activities grant to produce BLUEPRINT, November 2015 v Tofte Lake Center Artist Residency, Ely MN, August 2013 v Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Community Arts grant to develop BLUEPRINT, April 2013 v Studio 206 Physical Theater Workshop Scholarship, June 2011 v Audience Choice Award for SCARLET WOMAN, FRIGID Fest NYC, March 2011 v Minnesota State Arts Board Artists Initiative grant to create EXPIRATION DATE, February 2011 v Tofte Lake Center, Women’s Artist Retreat Residency Scholarship, Ely, MN, August 2010 v Montreal Gazette’s #1 Must See Show at Montreal Fringe for AFTERLIFE, June 2009 v Best Female Performer Award for AFTERLIFE, Victoria Fringe Festival, September 2008

TRAINING v Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, BA / Theatre, Magna Cum Laude v ACTING: Raye Birk, Larry Singer, Jose Quintero, Theatre de Complicité, Norman Ayerton, George Judy,

Ed Smith v CAMERA: Marci Phillips v SPEECH: Charlie Leader, Lucinda Holshue v MOVEMENT: Theatre de Complicité, Rob O’Neil, Katie Kimball (trapeze)