RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab 2024
Stephan Collins-Stepney
Stephan Collins-Stepney (He/They) is a screenwriter and playwright who holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing for the Stage and Screen from Queens University of Charlotte. His original play Freedom and one-person Black history play, B.A.D. (Black And Defiant), were in the ‘Best Bets’ category at the Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, D.C. Collins-Stepney’s play Williams & Walker: The Legacy of Two Real Men was featured at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C. Their play Omar’s Best Friend was performed for Arkansas Tobacco Control. Collins-Stepney participated in The 48 Hour Film Project Chicago as a screenwriter for the film short The Winning Number and wrote the screenplay for the film short The Groundskeeper for the independent production company JayisBack productions. Collins-Stepney also wrote and produced a one-woman Black history play If I’m Lyin’, I’m Flyin’: The Story of Bessie Coleman. His pilot, “Shorty Doo-Wop, Esquire is a finalist for The Script Lab’s Screenwriting Competition and was in the top 18 percent of all projects on Coverfly in 2023. One of his plays was a finalist in the 2023 Morgan-Wixson Theatre New Works Festival. They are also a 2024 Kidscreen Diverse Voices Mentee and a Loreen Arbus Fellow for the Screenwriting Lab at Athena Film Festival.
Collins-Stepney’s goal is to expand the representation of Black, disabled, and neurodivergent people on the big and small screen with relatable three-dimensional portrayals.
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After an extensive search and interview process, 5 individuals were invited to participate in an intensive session for disabled writers interested in writing for children’s animation, taking place May 20-23, with additional virtual sessions taking place in partnership with the virtual cohort, May – September 2024. Participants include people with a variety of disabilities ranging in age from the 20s through the 40s. This intensive elevates disabled creatives, focusing on building community, networking, and career advancement through a variety of speakers and a pitching workshop. This intensive is in collaboration with Disney Television Animation, DreamWorks Animation, LeVar Burton Entertainment, and PBS KIDS.
