Simon began his career in New Zealand before immigrating to Australia in 1984 to take up a position as lecturer and director at the West Australian Academy for Performing Arts. He was an associate director at the Melbourne Theatre Company from 1987 to 1989, Artistic Director of the State Theatre Company of South Australia from 1990 to 1993, and artistic director at the Melbourne Theatre Company from 2000 to 2011, where he oversaw the design and construction of the company’s new headquarters and the Southbank Theatre.
Most recently seen on local stages with his 2023 season of North by Northwest (adapted for stage by his wife, Carolyn Burns) for Auckland Theatre Company, Simon’s extensive musical credits include Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (which has been performed internationally for the past 16 years including the West End and Broadway), a new Australasian version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, Muriel’s Wedding: the Musical, Phantom of the Opera and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. His opera credits include The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni for New Zealand Opera, The Turk in Italy, L’Elisir d’Amore, Falstaff, La Bohème and Lulu for Opera Australia, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Billy Budd for Hamburg State Opera.
Simon has received seven Green Room Awards and six Helpmann Awards.