Philip Wm. McKinley is the creative force behind the "reimagined" Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark presently running on Broadway at the Foxwoods Theater. He directed the five-time TONY-nominated Broadway musical"The Boy from OZ" starring Hugh Jackman and the revival of "The Most Happy Fella" starring Paul Sorvino at the New York City Opera. He directed the New York critically acclaimed hip comedy "Thwak" which received a Drama Desk Nomination for "Unique Theatrical Event." The NY Times said it was..."a tightly scripted, technically impressive hour of inspired anarchy..." McKinley also directed the wonderfully zany, Off-Broadway musical "Zombie Prom." He was nominated for a Barrymore Award as Best Director of the new musical "Nerds:// A Musical Software Satire" which played at the Philadelphia Theater Company and garnered seven Barrymore awards including Best Score and Best Book for a Musical.

Recent work includes co-conceiving and directing  "Voyage de la Vie," a multi-million dollar circus spectacular for Resorts World Sentosa. McKinley directed "Ben Hur Live", an operatic sports spectacular which had its world premiere in September 2009 at the "02 Dome in London. The production will open in fall of 2011 in Rome.

Showing his versatility and creative prowess, this dynamic director/choreographer has been called, " ...the great Ziegfeld of our generation" by Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey. He conceived, directed and staged the 128th - 133rd and 135th editions of "Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey's The Greatest Show on Earth", earning him the prestigious distinction of directing more editions of the American icon than any other living person. NY Newsday's Liz Smith said: "…McKinley has reworked, revitalized, and energized Ringling Bros. in a way I thought wouldn't have been possible. 'The Greatest Show on Earth' is funnier, faster, more glamorous, and amazing than ever."

Other New York directing credits include "Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS 8th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition" at the Minskoff Theater. The cast featured Bea Arthur, Victor Garber, Geoffrey Holder, Judy Kaye, Bebe Neuwirth, Chita Rivera, and Gwen Verdon as well as dozens of stars from past and present Broadway productions. New York's Backstage Magazine stated that it was "...one of the most exciting shows seen on Broadway..."

His international productions include "The Boy From OZ" for Fuji Television in Tokyo, Japan. The critically acclaimed production ran for only four weeks but recouped its entire investment for the producers. He directed and choreographed an international company of the rock musical Hair. The company was composed of Japanese, Filipino and British actors and performed in English and Japanese. He also directed the world premiere of William Luce's five character drama "Chanel" in Tokyo, Japan for which he received the honor of being the first American director to direct an American commissioned work. His German production of the Yeston/Kopit Phantom was hailed as "the most successful tour in Germany".

McKinley's past directing credits also include "W;t", "The Glass Menagerie", "The Effects of Gammar Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds", "The Lion in Winter", "Vanities", "The Subject was Roses" as well as musical credits that include helming "Peter Pan" starring B.D. Wong and David Ogden Stiers, "A Little Night Music"starring Betty Buckley, "The Merry Widow" (his own adaptation), "Phantom", "Candide", "The Desert Song"featuring the New York City Opera principals, and the world premiere of "Rhythm Ranch" choreographed by Susan Stroman. These productions have been seen at leading theaters in America including Paper Mill Playhouse, Theatre Under the Stars, Sacramento Music Circus, 5th Avenue Theater, North Shore Music Theater, Casa Manana etc...

McKinley is presently working on projects with Michael Cohl/S2BN, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Bruce Nash and the music publishing company Primary Wave. He is also developing with producer Dean Zanuck the original movie musical "State of Affairs."