Stephen Near is a playwright and performer from Ottawa, ON and a graduate of York University. His plays have been performed across Canada in such festivals as the Ottawa Fringe, the Toronto Fringe, the Hamilton Fringe, New Ideas, and Summerworks. He is an alumnus of the Sage Hill Writing Experience and the Banff Centre and has studied playwriting with Linda Griffiths, David Copelin, Daniel MacIvor, Brian Quirt, and Beverley Cooper. In 2015, Stephen established the First Stage Series of new play development at the Players Guild of Hamilton. Stephen is a member of the Playwright’s Guild of Canada and the Theatre Aquarius Playwrights Unit. Recent writing credits include Monstrous Invisible (Theatre Aquarius), Interface (2011 Hamilton Fringe – New Play Contest 1st Prize), Plain Speak (2012 HamilTEN Festival), Test (2013 Hamilton Fringe – New Play Contest 2nd Runner-Up), The Conspiracy of Michael (2014 Hamilton Fringe), and Finding Mr. Right (2015 Hamilton Fringe). He lives in Hamilton with his wife Leanne, daughter Rebecca, and son Brenden.

Twitter: @snear23

Same Boat Theatre:
www.sameboattheatre.com
Twitter: @sameboattheatre

Your Own Sons:
Pauline’s son travels overseas to fight for ISIS while Dan’s son joins the Canadian Forces. Desperate to understand, both parents set out on a journey to confront the fate of their sons. But as their paths draw them closer to each other, will they be ready for the answers that await them? From the creators of Finding Mr. Right and Test, comes this searing and critically-acclaimed drama tackling the politics of faith and fear and the collision between love and loss.

Written by Stephen Near
Directed by Aaron Joel Craig
Stage Managed by Rose Hopkins

Featuring: Terri Brunsting, Adam Lemieux, Stephen Near, Jennifer Walton, Amber Wood, and Ramzey Zourob

VENUE: The Pearl Company Arts Centre, 16 Steven Street, Hamilton, ON
TICKETS: $20 (purchase at Brown Paper Tickets)
OPENING: Thursday, April 19 at 8:00 PM
Friday, April 20 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, April 21 at 8:00 PM
Thursday, April 26 at 8:00 PM
Friday, April 27 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, April 28 at 2 PM
CLOSING: Saturday, April 28 at 8:00 PM