Bio

Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Steve O’Connell is a Chicago based actor, songwriter and director.

He graduated with a BA in Theatre from Fairfield University and an MFA in Acting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. O’Connell has spent over 15 year acting in the Chicago area, appearing on stage with Chicago Shakespeare, Victory Gardens, The Hypocrites, Boho, Paramount, First Folio, Timeline and Drury Lane among many others. His work on Chicago stages has earned him three Jeff Award nominations. Television credits include Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Low Winter Sun, The Mob Doctor, Betrayal and a recurring role on FOX’s Empire.

O’Connell made his feature film debut in the fall of 2021 with the award winning independent film The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain. He played lead opposite Frankie Fasion, who won the Gotham Award for his portrayal of the title character. The film is currently streaming on HBO Max.

In the summer of 2019 O’Connell joined the original San Francisco cast of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. HP closed in the fall of 2022 after over 300 performances with O’Connell stepping into the role of Ron Weasley in 2021.

As a songwriter, Steve’s original compositions and songs have been heard onstage with Boho Theatre (Cyrano); Haven Theatre (The Distance); Chicago Shakespeare (Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits!); Erasing The Distance (The Holidays Unwrapped); The Chicago Fringe Festival (What To Expect) and The New York Fringe Festival (The Masterz In Motion).

He also records and releases music with his collaborator Joshua Wentz under the name Silvergirl.

As a writer, Steve’s original adaptation of The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner won the award for Best Adaptation at City Lit Theatre’s Art of Adaptation Festival. His original one man show What To Expect was an official selection of the Chicago Fringe festival. He is a Chicago DCASE grant recipient for his musical Huge, a contemporary adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac set in a high school. Steve was also part of a team of writers who created The Masterz In Motion, a satirical look at the self help industry, that performed at both the Chicago Sketchfest and The New York International Fringe Festival.

Steve most recently directed Aaron Posner’s adaptation of Cyrano for Chicago’s BoHo Theatre. The production was nominated for three Jeff Awards, with Michael Woods taking home the win for Principal Actor in a play. Steve also has directed numerous projects with Erasing the Distance, a Chicago based documentary theatre company whose mission is to educate, disarm stigma, and promote dialogue around issues of mental health.

Steve currently lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three boys.