Steven Strafford, Actor, Writer and Instructor at Colby College

Steven Strafford is an accomplished one-man show performer who skilfully blends comedy, song and honesty through his tale of three years of crystal meth addiction. He recounts how this led to him engaging in meth-fueled sexual encounters at great cost to himself, his family, job and health.

Adam Fitzgerald directs “Methtacular!,” an entertaining piece of theater which never resorts to simple slap-stick or cheap laughs.

Early Life and Education

Steve Strafford (Stafford) is an actor, writer, and instructor at Colby College. Additionally, he is an award-winning playwright whose play Small Jokes About Monsters received an extended storefront-style production at suburban Chicago’s 16th Street Theater and has since been seen at various engagements across the United States.

Strafford’s latest play explores sexual trauma, family memory loss, and addiction through an emotionally wrenching yet comedically charged tale. Critics have praised his skill at exploring these serious topics while using humor as an avenue for exploration.

At its heart lies this musical show’s most poignant moment when, after telling of sleeping with men for drugs and money, Strafford looks directly into the eyes of his audience and expresses doubt as to his recovery process.

Professional Career

Steven Strafford is an accomplished actor and playwright. His one-man show “Methtacular!” has been performed across the country in theaters. Additionally, Steven works as a teaching artist at Colby College.

This play tells the tale of a man who becomes addicted to crystal meth, using comedy, song and audience engagement techniques. It has received rave reviews and is highly recommended to anyone interested in recovery from addiction.

His other plays include Greater Illinois, which was short-listed for both the Jackie Demaline play award and O’Neill awards, as well as Use Your Noodles and The Breakup Play which have both had multiple productions. He has also co-authored two CLE webinars on federal subpoena practice.

Achievement and Honors

On Monday night, students and community members flocked to Colby Theater and Dance’s Athena Cinema for a free screening of School of Theatre professor Steven Strafford’s one-man show “Methtacular!”; an entertaining yet heartbreaking tale about his three year run as an avid crystal meth user.

This autobiographical work takes great care to honor its subject while mocking it. The comedy in this autobiographical work never becomes cheap or sappy; its earnestness grounded by an irreverent sensibility that brings together musical theater tropes with those found on 1970s-style game shows.

Strafford has staged this play throughout the country at both LORT and LGBTQ spaces, including a sold-out run at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Space last year. His other plays include Small Jokes About Monsters, Greater Illinois, The Match Game and Mona Quimby: Age 38. Additionally he writes for television commercials and write scripts for television productions.

Personal Life

Director Adam Fitzgerald and Strafford (who wrote the play) keep things tight and focused in this hyperintimate show set on a sparsely furnished stage, where Strafford recounts stories about phone sex, pop culture references, sidebars with subset sidebars and drug dealers turning lovers – among many other issues all too common to an addict’s existence.

He tells his story with charm and candor, never losing focus of what’s important in his story. Sharing intimate details about sleeping with men for money or drugs takes courage – but Strafford does it with grace, making sure his audience feels both his pain and his triumphs.

Small Jokes About Monsters by Strafford reminds us all to share our stories – no matter how trivial – because every life deserves to be heard and told.

Net Worth

Steve Stafford specializes in domestic and international tax matters. He regularly advises business organizations and private equity funds on various corporate tax issues; additionally he handles both domestic and cross-border mergers & acquisitions, recapitalizations & restructurings.

He possesses extensive expertise in bankruptcy and creditor rights matters, successfully litigating multiple multimillion-dollar real/personal property and equity line financing cramdown cases. Furthermore, he advises and represents debtors in pre-bankruptcy, pre-workout and wealth management planning strategies/planning situations.

Methtacular is an intense yet hilarious comedy about an ex-crystal meth addict determined to fund his habit through any means possible. Anchored by actor Steven Strafford’s strong performance – complete with powerful vocals and unflinching humor – this show also includes original songs performed with blistering gusto by him as the story progresses.