Ben SantaMaria

Really Want to Hurt Me (photo: Ben SantaMaria)

Really Want to Hurt Me (photo: James Duffy)

Ben SantaMaria is an award-nominated writer for stage and screen.

They tell tender and transgressive stories about the big and small ways that we rebel, trust each other and survive.

Ben is a BAFTA Connect member, 2024-25 Paines Plough mentored writer, an experienced theatre director, devisor, producer and workshop leader, and a dramaturg/senior reader for Theatre503.

Ben’s company Flaming Theatre makes passionate new work that explores and explodes sexuality and gender. Sometimes it smoulders. Sometimes it bursts into flame.

Ben’s critically acclaimed work has been seen across the UK at Soho Theatre, Sheffield Crucible, Nottingham Playhouse, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Riverside Studios, Theatr Clwyd, Everyman Cheltenham, Harlow Playhouse, Theatre503, The Finborough, The Old Red Lion, Camden People’s Theatre, The Space, Exeter Phoenix, ARC Stockton, Key Theatre Peterborough, The Marlborough in Brighton and Assembly Hall in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

It’s been supported by Arts Council England, shortlisted for the Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence and a finalist for the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award.

Ben’s writing has been shortlisted for BFI NETWORK South East Script Lab, longlisted for the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award and reached the Verity Bargate Award’s top 100 longlist from 1060 entries and the top 10% from 1493 entries. Ben was selected for the National Theatre Directors’ Course, Criterion Theatre New Writing Programme, Mercury Playwrights Programme and Soho Theatre’s Edinburgh Lab.

See Ben’s work and find out more here.

IMG_7576.jp — *REALLY WANT TO HURT ME*

The Arts Council-supported published playtext of Flaming Theatre’s hit queer dark comedy is available to buy.
“An absorbing, moving, deeply personal testimony.” (The Stage)
“Hilarious, occasionally terrifying and utterly authentic. It’s pure storytelling.” (Fringe Review)

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Ben SantaMaria is an award-nominated writer for stage and screen.

They tell tender and transgressive stories about the big and small ways that we rebel, trust each other and survive.

Ben is a BAFTA Connect member, 2024-25 Paines Plough mentored writer, an experienced theatre director, devisor, producer and workshop leader, and a dramaturg/senior reader for Theatre503.

Ben’s company Flaming Theatre makes passionate new work that explores and explodes sexuality and gender. Sometimes it smoulders. Sometimes it bursts into flame.

REALLY WANT TO HURT ME