The Official Website of Playwrights and Screenwriters from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama
Archives
SHOWCASE 2009 IS HERE!
Here's your chance to meet America's next top playwrights.- Los Angeles: May 3, 2009
- New York: May 20, 2009
News and Events
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Playwright Bio - Rob Smith (2008)
Rob Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Catawba College and this spring he completed his Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing at Carnegie Mellon University. Recently Rob co-adapted Carlo Goldino’s The Servant of Two Masters, which will tour Pittsburgh, PA as a Commedia Dell’Arte production presented by Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, under the direction of Mark Bell. His most recent play, Tightrope, received a student workshop at the 2008 Winter New Play Festival at Carnegie Mellon University.
His one-act plays “Trash” and “Fine” have received awards from the American College Theatre Festival, American Theatre Co-Op, Theatre Publicus. In 2003 Rob was named a National Team Fellow in Playwriting by the Kennedy Center. Rob’s newest one-act play “Dust” won the 2008 American College Theatre Festival Region II One-Act Play Competition. “Dust” will have a reading at the Kennedy Center in April and is a national finalist for the 2008 John Cauble Short Play Award. Before returning to school, he was a member of the Hypothetical Seven, one of Kansas City’s oldest Improv and Sketch Comedy Troupes.
Other works include: Double Lub Dub (two readings 2006, 2007), “HAVETO-DONTWANNA” (student production 2007), “Whistling in the Dark” (student production 2005), “Mrs. Adventure” (student production 2005), “Flop Flip (2006), Sycamore (2005), “Minor Song” (2005), “The Packer” (2004) For the screen, Rob wrote Match, for the Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Competition (2007) and produced and directed “The Closed Theatre” a mocumentary about the world’s greatest avant-garde theatre company.
Twice he was the recipient of the Shubert Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University (2006-2007, 2007-2008). Rob is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
His one-act plays “Trash” and “Fine” have received awards from the American College Theatre Festival, American Theatre Co-Op, Theatre Publicus. In 2003 Rob was named a National Team Fellow in Playwriting by the Kennedy Center. Rob’s newest one-act play “Dust” won the 2008 American College Theatre Festival Region II One-Act Play Competition. “Dust” will have a reading at the Kennedy Center in April and is a national finalist for the 2008 John Cauble Short Play Award. Before returning to school, he was a member of the Hypothetical Seven, one of Kansas City’s oldest Improv and Sketch Comedy Troupes.
Other works include: Double Lub Dub (two readings 2006, 2007), “HAVETO-DONTWANNA” (student production 2007), “Whistling in the Dark” (student production 2005), “Mrs. Adventure” (student production 2005), “Flop Flip (2006), Sycamore (2005), “Minor Song” (2005), “The Packer” (2004) For the screen, Rob wrote Match, for the Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Competition (2007) and produced and directed “The Closed Theatre” a mocumentary about the world’s greatest avant-garde theatre company.
Twice he was the recipient of the Shubert Fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University (2006-2007, 2007-2008). Rob is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
Labels: Bio, Class of 2008
Playwright Bio - John-Paul Nickel (2008)
John-Paul Nickel holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon University (2008) and a BA in Acting from Point Park University (2000). Off-Broadway, his ten-minute play “Ziggy” has been seen at The Atlantic Theater and his ten-minute play “The Big Exit” at 59E59 (both produced by Theater Masters). At the Kennedy Center, John-Paul’s ten-minute play, “The Interview,” was given a reading after winning The Kennedy Center-American College Theater Festival’s award for Best Ten-Minute Play (Region II). This June, John-Paul’s ten-minute play “Writer’s Block” will be produced at the Source Festival in Washington, DC. On television, John-Paul’s teleplay, “Forwarding Address” has aired on Pittsburgh, PA’s PBS affiliate WQED.
At Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, his full-length comedy, Past Perfect, Future Tense, received two readings and a workshop, and his one-act play Page 104 received a staged reading. At The Pennsylvania Council for the Art’s Summer Festival of New Plays, John-Paul’s full-length comedy 22 Ways to Succeed & Be Seen was given a reading. In New York, John-Paul’s monologue “Handsome Me” was performed as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s 2007 Actor’s Showcase. In his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, John-Paul’s produced plays included: Family (Penn Ave. Theater), Comic Book Love (Gemini Theater), and “The Sign” (Unseam’d Shakespeare Co. for the Pittsburgh New Works Festival).
John-Paul is a two-time recipient of The Shubert Fellowship (2006 and 2007), a two-time winner of the Theater Masters’ National MFA Playwriting Competition (2007 and 2008) and a two-time finalist for the Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Award (2007 and 2008).
A managing director of the film production company Five Cent Productions, John-Paul is also an actor and an internationally award winning filmmaker. John-Paul’s films have screened at over twenty-five film festivals on four continents. Currently, he is in post-production on his first documentary, The Prague Quadrennial, which he shot on location in the Czech Republic.
John-Paul is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. and lives with his fiancé.
At Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, his full-length comedy, Past Perfect, Future Tense, received two readings and a workshop, and his one-act play Page 104 received a staged reading. At The Pennsylvania Council for the Art’s Summer Festival of New Plays, John-Paul’s full-length comedy 22 Ways to Succeed & Be Seen was given a reading. In New York, John-Paul’s monologue “Handsome Me” was performed as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s 2007 Actor’s Showcase. In his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, John-Paul’s produced plays included: Family (Penn Ave. Theater), Comic Book Love (Gemini Theater), and “The Sign” (Unseam’d Shakespeare Co. for the Pittsburgh New Works Festival).
John-Paul is a two-time recipient of The Shubert Fellowship (2006 and 2007), a two-time winner of the Theater Masters’ National MFA Playwriting Competition (2007 and 2008) and a two-time finalist for the Alfred P. Sloan Screenwriting Award (2007 and 2008).
A managing director of the film production company Five Cent Productions, John-Paul is also an actor and an internationally award winning filmmaker. John-Paul’s films have screened at over twenty-five film festivals on four continents. Currently, he is in post-production on his first documentary, The Prague Quadrennial, which he shot on location in the Czech Republic.
John-Paul is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc. and lives with his fiancé.
Labels: Bio, Class of 2008
Playwright Bio - Carol J. Godart (2008)
Carol J. Godart graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama with a Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing in May 2008. While pursing her Master’s degree, Grae Matters, a non-realistic, raw, poetic drama, received several readings, development and a staged workshop in the 2008 Winter New Play Festival. Thread Count, a full length play, received several readings and was selected for the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts’ 2007 Summer New Play Festival. Her one-act play, “A Dime and Some Change,” received a staged reading, after development and two prior readings.
In addition, her monologue, “Dis-ease,” was featured in the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama’s Los Angeles Actor Showcase in March 2007. Carol is a proud theater educator. She taught Introductory and Advanced Playwriting at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a two-time recipient of the Shubert Foundation Fellowship Award.
In 2004, Carol graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with an emphasis in Creative Writing and a Second in Theater from Colorado State University. As a student there, her play, A Quarter Turn received a fully-realized student production, in addition to a staged reading (2003). Carol was granted the Governor’s Opportunity Scholarship four consecutive years during her time as an undergraduate.
Carol is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
In addition, her monologue, “Dis-ease,” was featured in the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama’s Los Angeles Actor Showcase in March 2007. Carol is a proud theater educator. She taught Introductory and Advanced Playwriting at Carnegie Mellon University. She is a two-time recipient of the Shubert Foundation Fellowship Award.
In 2004, Carol graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with an emphasis in Creative Writing and a Second in Theater from Colorado State University. As a student there, her play, A Quarter Turn received a fully-realized student production, in addition to a staged reading (2003). Carol was granted the Governor’s Opportunity Scholarship four consecutive years during her time as an undergraduate.
Carol is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
Labels: Bio, Class of 2008
Playwright Bio - France-Luce Benson (2008)
France-Luce Benson graduates from Carnegie Mellon University with an M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing this year. She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from Florida International University. She founded Adunde Theatre Company in Miami, Fl and collaborated with African Heritage Cultural Center and Coconut Grove Playhouse.
In New York, she has participated in Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Going to the River Festival , 2002 - 2007. Her plays Silence of the Mambo, Destiny’s Edge, Ascension, and Floating Under Water have all had readings and/or workshops there. In 2000, she was honored as the Playwright in Residence for the Negro Ensemble Company, and was commissioned to write Barbara’s Keys; which premiered at the Lamb’s Theatre. Da Beat Trap, a one woman show written and performed by Ms. Benson, co-produced by NEC, debuted at the Producer’s Club. Fati’s Last Dance received a student workshop at Carnegie Mellon University. Later this month, Bricolage will present a workshop of Floating Under Water in Pittsburgh.
Ms. Benson is a two-time recipient of the Shubert Foundation Fellowship Award. Her screenplay, Healing Roots, was awarded the $10,000 prize in the Alfred P. Sloan competition. Fati’s Last Dance won an Honorable Mention prize in the Kennedy Center’s Lorraine Hansberry Award for Playwriting. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc., and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
In New York, she has participated in Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Going to the River Festival , 2002 - 2007. Her plays Silence of the Mambo, Destiny’s Edge, Ascension, and Floating Under Water have all had readings and/or workshops there. In 2000, she was honored as the Playwright in Residence for the Negro Ensemble Company, and was commissioned to write Barbara’s Keys; which premiered at the Lamb’s Theatre. Da Beat Trap, a one woman show written and performed by Ms. Benson, co-produced by NEC, debuted at the Producer’s Club. Fati’s Last Dance received a student workshop at Carnegie Mellon University. Later this month, Bricolage will present a workshop of Floating Under Water in Pittsburgh.
Ms. Benson is a two-time recipient of the Shubert Foundation Fellowship Award. Her screenplay, Healing Roots, was awarded the $10,000 prize in the Alfred P. Sloan competition. Fati’s Last Dance won an Honorable Mention prize in the Kennedy Center’s Lorraine Hansberry Award for Playwriting. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc., and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Labels: Bio, Class of 2008
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
All content herein copyright © 2009