Not that long ago I happened to run into James J. Johnson, an actor in the DC area who did a pretty tremendous thing a few years ago: he devoted many long hours of labor to interviewing and posting profiles of African American theater professionals on Facebook. Day after day, week after week, he introduced people to some really talented folks, and he did it out of the kindness of his heart, nothing more. He wanted to show off what a great community we have in DC, and he didn’t ask for anything in return. I followed his work with great passion, and when he expanded the criteria for his interview subjects, I was honored to be included. In part to return that honor, I wanted to call attention to him now… and say thank you.
I also wanted to try to pay that honor forward in a slightly different way.
For a long while now, I’ve been advocating for the need to restore what I call the import-export balance of culture in DC. Right now, we’re a net importer of theater; more work gets made elsewhere and brought into the city than made here and exported elsewhere. We desperately need to be focusing on finding our own voice in this city. We’re the nation’s capital, for goodness’ sake: we definitely have stories that need to be told.
And yet… I happen to know that plays are being written here by a great many talented playwrights with diverse voices. (For a variety of reasons, I suspect the number is close to, if not over, 200.) We just don’t get as much attention as I believe we deserve. And so, taking a page out of James Johnson’s play book (and with a nod to Adam Szymkowicz and his highly estimable “I Interview Playwrights” series), I thought I might offer this admittedly modest platform of mine as a way for us all to show the world how many of us there are.
The following is an alphabetical list of playwrights living and writing in the DC area with whom I am familiar. I know this list is incomplete; my hope is that theater practitioners in the area will circulate the link as widely as possible and send me (via the Contact Info link on the right, via Twitter, on Facebook, or anywhere) any names I might be missing. I’d like to grow this list until it really does represent the depth and breadth of storytelling voices in our city. I’d like to change the perception that we don’t have a lot to say… because we do. With that in mind, I’ve also included the names of people who might not typically identify primarily as playwrights, but who I happen to know have written and produced plays. Feel free to be loose and inclusive in who you suggest.
Oh, and once we get a really good list going, we’ll get everybody together to start the revolution. Or at least to hang out. Or both.
And so, with no further adieu… the DC playwrights list.
Please add Jennifer Nelson to your list!
I surely will!
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Sent from my iPad, so please pardon both any errors and my brevity.
Martin Blank
Added!
Martin Blank
Added!
You may add Paul Handy to the list. You could also add Scott Bloom, but I haven’t written anything in about 6 or 7 years.
I’d like to share the list with AACT at some point also.
Scott
Paul I will add. And I’m happy to add you, too, if you like… just say the word!
Please do feel free to share!
Bob Bartlett.
Bob’s my buddy. He was in from the very first draft.
 This is great, Gwydion! Especially with the Dramatists Guild Conference coming up so soon… Please add Tom Shade, Donna Sellinger, Lola Pierson, and David White – some of my fellow Charm City playwrights with their own theatre companies up here… David White – some of my fellow Charm City playwrights with their own theatre companies up here…
Hey, Juanita — I added all three, but… I’m starting to wonder whether I should have included any Baltimore playwrights at all. Am I confusing the point of the list? Sigh…Â
Great, now, when’s the potluck dinner where all 187+ of us all hang out?
I have a meeting about what’s next tomorrow :)Â
Eric Peterson should be on this list.Â
And now he is!
Nicole Jost and Blake RobisonÂ
Adding now. Thanks!
please add Amanda Andrei to the list!
Done!
Um… Marni Penning? And Jack Powers.
Added! D’oh!
Carl Brandt Long
Added! Thanks.
I am working on my first play, and would love to be added to your list!
Daphne White
Done!
Hi Gwydion, Shelley Herman Gillon should be on the list. I didn’t see her name. Thanks! Pat Connelly
Done. Thanks!
Please add Patricia Wakely Wolf.
How had I missed you? D’oh!
Don Connolly here, please add me.
Done!
Hello I’m Pamela Jafari and I’d like to be added to the list.
Done! Thanks for reaching out.
________________________________
From: Disqus
To: gwydions@yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:53 PM
Subject: [gwydionsuilebhan] Re: DC Playwrights
Disqus generic email template
I’m William Avery. I mainly write educational songs/stories for children. You can check out my website at http://www.yesnack.com and it would be great to also get websites or facebook accounts of other playwrights for some possible collaboration. Feel free to drop me a line on my contact page. Thanks
Christoph Jenkins of Christoph Writes, LLC would like to be included! Thanks!