Stephen Downs began his stage career at the age of eight when he appeared in a concert to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's coronation. From there he worked steadily in and around his home county of Surrey, England, as a singer, impressionist and ventriloquist.  At the age of 12, he landed a role in the West End production of Damn Yankees, directed by George Abbott, the first of many appearances in the London's West End. At age 15, Stephen signed with HMV/EMI and began a recording career that was to last for over a decade, with a top ten single and culminating in opening for the Beatles at the height of Beatlemania.  At age 17, Stephen became Mel Tormé’s protégé, an achievement he rates as one of the highest moments in his career; he was also the youngest performer ever to headline at London's legendary Astor Club.  In 1965, Merv Griffin signed Stephen and brought him to New York as a regular on his show. Stephen's career has encompassed stage, television, radio, recording and cabaret. His music and dramatic experience have run the gamut from Classics to Pop and from voice-overs to Shakespeare. Stephen appeared on the Tonight Show and made regular guest appearances on other prime time television shows, including Hallmark Hall Fame with Roddy MacDowell, and ABC Stage 67 with Rick Nelson. He also made two albums for MGM Records, the second of which afforded him the opportunity to display his talent as a composer and lyricist. Stephen's first musical, FESTIVAL, starring Tony Award winners Brian Stokes Mitchell and Michael Rupert and TV star, Gregory Harrison, opened in New York after a successful tour of regional theaters, including the Ford's Theater, Washington, D.C.  FESTIVAL, published by Samuel French, is a favorite with High Schools and Colleges. Stephen's second musical, IN THE BLUE ROOM, again starring Michael Rupert,  was a huge hit in Los Angeles.

 Toni Handcock Downs has worn many hats in her career.  She is an accomplished actress, writer, producer, director, and acting teacher. She has done guest appearances on numerous television shows and worked extensively in theater both here and in her second home, London, England, where she is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.  Back in the States, Toni studied with Stella Adler and various other teachers.  Toni began her career as an acting teacher with Jenna McMahon, and then taught for Stella Adler, Guy Stockwell and Rudy Solari, before starting her own school in the late 70s.  While working with Guy Stockwell, Toni created a very successful children's acting program; Toni also taught at the Lee Strasberg Institute and created an after school acting program for children of the homeless. Toni was on the Board of Directors at Betty Garrett’s Theatre West and produced the 1990 Theater West Fest.  She was also a founding member and Co-Producer of the Hollywood Center Theater Repertory Company and The New Playwrights Foundation.

 TONI and STEPHEN began their creative partnership in 1989 when they formed their production company, Hands Down Productions.  As a writing/producing/directing/teaching team they have written for stage, film and television, as well as being published authors. They also created the very successful Musical Comedy Workshop in Los Angeles and New York. They have written several musicals, including LOVE 40, a four character book musical about love in your 40s; JOANNA’S DAY, about 12 year-old Joanna Murray's adventures in Camelot; IN THE GOLDEN AFTERNOON, a journey back to Wonderland in the company of the real Alice, 85-year-old Alice Liddell Hargreaves, and her beloved friend Charles Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll; and JOURNEY’S END: SOS TITANIC, a mystical, musical visit with the ghosts who haunt the wreck of the Titanic. Toni & Stephen were also hired by STEPHEN SPIELBERG to adapt his made-for-TV Civil War movie, CLASS OF '61, into a Broadway musical. Their current musical, THE MAJOR & THE MINOR, has had successful reading in New York City and is being readied for production. In 2007 Toni and Stephen formed Hands Down Press with Julie Duquet as Creative Director.  The first two books published under their imprint are  THE HIDDEN LIE, A Battle & Hastings mystery; and the first book in the JOANNA IN TIME series, JOANNA'S DAY.  Both books are available in the Hands Down Press Bookstore, and on Amazon.com.