SHIRLEY LAURO

Shirley Lauro’s THE RADIANT enjoyed its World Premiere in March, 2011, at New Theatre, Miami, starring Angelica Torn as Marie Curie. The play was commissioned by The Sloan Science Foundation, receiving their “Production Enhancement Grant,” in addition to grants from The Dramatists Guild and TCG’s Edgerton Foundation (honored as one of 40 World Premieres by American Playwrights). The play will mark its New York off-Broadway premiere in winter, 2013.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT enjoyed its World Premiere in Chicago, receiving a Jeff Nomination, as “Best New Play of the Year.” Its New York Premiere was at Red Fern Theater, off-Broadway in 2010, followed by 2011 NYC revivals both at The Living Theater and Infinite Variety Productions. Other productions include: Saskatoon, Calgary; Phoenix, AZ; Macon, GA and ArtsWest, Seattle, WA.

CLARENCE DARROW'S LAST TRIAL, had its World Premiere at New Theatre in Miami, receiving a Carbonell nomination for “Best New Play of the Year in Florida”, and an NEA “Access to Excellence” Enhancement Grant. It was also an honoree for the New American Play Prize.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, CLARENCE DARROW'S LAST TRIAL and SPECKLED BIRDS were all published in 2010 by Samuel French, and honored by the Drama Bookshop in an evening, TRIPLE PLAY, comprised of readings and a reception.

FRONT LINES: POLITICAL PLAYS BY AMERICAN WOMEN, co-edited by Ms. Lauro was a “2009 Honoree: Coalition of Professional Women in Arts and Media”.

Shirley’s best known work, A PIECE OF MY HEART, with over 2,000 productions around the world, was named by Vietnam Vets of America, Inc.: “The most enduring play in the nation on Vietnam”.

OPEN ADMISSIONS, on Broadway, received one Tony Nomination, two Drama Desk nominations, a Theatre World Award and a Samuel French Award,. It was a New York Times pick for “Ten Best Plays of the Year," received The Dramatists Guild’s Hull- Warriner Award and was adapted by Ms Lauro for CBS, starring Jane Alexander and Estelle Parsons. In 2008 the play was honored by publication in WRITING THROUGH LITERATURE, (by Anstendig & Hicks), where it joined works by Walt Whitman, Ionesco, Langston Hughes and Toni Cade Bambera in the book’s section, “The Lesson”.

THE CONTEST was directed by Jerry Zaks for Philadelphia’s Annenberg Center, and was published in 2000. It received the National Foundation for Jewish Culture Award.

Other work includes: THE COAL DIAMOND ( “The Best Short Play” Anthology; NOTHING IMMEDIATE (OOBA Festival Winner); RAILING IT UPTOWN; SUNDAY GO TO MEETIN'; PEARLS ON THE MOON(Stamford Theatre Works). Ms. Lauro’s novel, THE EDGE, published here and in Great Britain, was a Literary Guild Choice.

Major Fellowships: The Guggenheim, 3 NEA’s , NY Foundation for the Arts.

Major Affiliations: a director of The Dramatists Guild Fund; Playwrights/​Directors Unit, The Actors Studio; League of Professional Theatre Women/​NY; Ensemble Studio Theatre; PEN; Writer’s Guild East; Author’s Guild.

For more information on individual works, please visit www.shirleylauro.com and click on the individual work.