Neil Coppen
Neil Coppen is an award-winning South African playwright, director, and designer based between the cities of Durban and Johannesburg. In 2011 he was named the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama, which was followed by the ISPA fellowship award to New York in 2012. Coppen currently serves as Artistic Director for the company Think Theatre Productions and has written, directed and designed several award-winning productions under the company’s banner. As a playwright and designer Coppen’s works include Tin Bucket Drum (2005-2013), Suicidal Pigeons (2005), Abnormal Loads (2011, awarded the 2012 Naledi Award for Best New South African Script), Tree Boy (directed by Libby Allen), Animal Farm (2016), Ulwembu (2017), and Buite Land/Newfoundland (2017).