Joe’s work in the theatre encompasses the musical direction of plays and musicals, as well as occasional forays into acting.

Most recently he was Musical Director for Operation Mincemeat at Riverside Studios.

Before that, he was Associate Musical Director for Spring Awakening at the Almeida Theatre

and the MD of Rags, both in its run at the Park Theatre and on its London Cast Album.

The Rags London cast album is now available from Ghostlight Records.

In 2019 Joe won the Off West End Award for Best Musical Director for his work on The Rink at Southwark Playhouse.

The Rink won five 2019 Offies in total, including Best Musical Production.

He works extensively with writers of new British musicals, helping develop shows from workshop into performance.

Joe’s musical / vocal direction credits include:

• Operation Mincemeat - Riverside Studios

• Rags - Park Theatre

• P.S. I’m a Terrible Person - Cockpit Theatre

• The Station Master - University of Chichester

• Wasted - Southwark Playhouse

• The Rink - Southwark Playhouse

• My Fair Lady - The Mill at Sonning

• 35mm: A Musical Exhibition - The Other Palace

• Superhero: A One Dad Musical - Southwark Playhouse

• The Events - UK & US Tour / Queen Elizabeth Hall

• Assassins - Pleasance Theatre

• Side by Side by Sondheim - Headliners Club

Credits as associate / assistant MD include:

• Spring Awakening - Almeida Theatre

• Ghost Quartet - Boulevard Theatre

• Guys and Dolls - Sheffield Crucible

• Love is Only Love - The Other Palace

Joe has also been MD for student productions of Sweet Smell of Success, Sister Act, Cabaret, Me and My Girl, The Hot Mikado, The Last Five Years, The Witches of Eastwick, Bare: A Pop Opera, Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

In 2014, Joe played the role of Professor Willard in David Cromer’s acclaimed re-imagining of the Thornton Wilder play Our Town at the Almeida Theatre.

During the run, he curated a charity cabaret at the Almeida, featuring the cast of Our Town, including Annette McClaughlin, Anna Francolini, Richard Lumsden, Rhashan Stone and David Cromer. 

Joe’s other cabaret MD work includes concerts and open mic nights at the Phoenix Artist Club, and two star-studded concerts at the Other Palace: Crazytown: The Musical World of Ryan Scott Oliver, and Adam Gwon: The New American Musical, which celebrated the work of these American composers, with performances by Fra Fee, Alexia Khadime, Stuart Matthew Price, Helena Blackman, Cassie Compton and the composers themselves.

Banner image credit: Marc Brenner

SUPERHERO

★★★★★ ‘An engaging, emotive and immaculately crafted one-man musical… The writing is superb and this is matched by intuitive musical direction from Joe Bunker.’ The Stage

★★★★ ‘A massively endearing, genuinely funny and touching musical.’ Time Out

★★★★ ‘Bittersweet, funny and genuinely moving… Michael Rouse is thrilling.’ Broadway World

★★★★ ‘Hughes, Finlay and Conley have crafted a musical that tells a fresh, original story in an exhilarating and refreshing manner.’ Musical Theatre Review

★★★★ ‘An ambitious one-man musical delivered with raw emotion and powerful energy by Michael Rouse. Clever, moving and captivating.’ The Upcoming

THE RINK

★★★★★ ‘A masterclass in acting, directing and design, The Rink at The Southwark Playhouse is dazzling... Musical theatre at its best.’ West End Wilma

★★★★★ 'That famous score is in good hands with musical director Joe Bunker.’ Theatre Weekly

★★★★★ ‘Sat hidden above the action, Joe Bunker’s band make fine work of this all too rarely heard score.’ Jonathan Baz

★★★★★ ‘Joe Bunker’s small but splendid band with new orchestrations by Greg Arrowsmith perfectly compliment the cast and make John Kander’s score shine... This production of The Rink is a real masterclass in just what can be achieved when you assemble your A team. It’s as good as anything in the West End at the moment.’ britishtheatre.com

★★★★ ‘A big, bursting powerhouse of a revival’ The Stage

★★★★ ‘Musical numbers are vivacious and pitched perfectly for the size of the space we are in, with a seven person band tucked up on a mezzanine level above the back of the stage. The live music again is an enormous pleasure, adding depth and spark to this show with all the fullness of a complete orchestra.’ Upper Circle

‘A great showcase for an inspired creative team - choreographer Fabian Aloise and a punchy powerhouse of a band led by musical director Joe Bunker.’ theartsdesk.com

MY FAIR LADY

★★★★ ‘A masterclass in paring down a major musical for a small stage.’ The Stage

★★★★ ‘The production is full of subtle and original touches… They do full justice to the evergreen songs.’ The Express

★★★★ ‘Not the biggest, swirliest production you’ll ever see, but it truly works because it has the right energy and polemical spirit. And of course all the songs – from ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly’ to ‘I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face’ – are simply irresistible.’ The Mail on Sunday

★★★★ ‘A delight’ Pocket Size Theatre

WASTED

★★★★★ ‘An inspiring new rock musical.’ Daily Mirror

★★★★ ‘A fantastically witty, mischievous and camp musical. Wasted manages to be a lot of fun and gives the Brontë legend a mischievous new spin.’ The Guardian

★★★★ ‘Inspired. It’s delightful to see the formal boundaries of the genre given such a joyously energetic workout and heralds rich creative times to come.’ Evening Standard

★★★★ ‘This grittily exhilarating show is essential viewing if you’re interested in the future of the British musical.’ Whatsonstage

★★★★ ‘An anthem of independence and creativity.’ Broadway World