Christopher Shinn | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 (age 49–50) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation | Playwright |
| Education | New York University (BFA) |
| Notable awards | Obie Award (2005) |
| Website | |
| www | |
Christopher Shinn (born 1975) is an Americanplaywright. His playDying City (2006) was a finalist for the 2008Pulitzer Prize for Drama, andWhere Do We Live (2004) won the 2005Obie Award, Playwriting.
Shinn was born inHartford, Connecticut in 1975 and lives in New York. He earned a BFA, Dramatic Writing, fromNew York University.[1][2]
TheRoyal Court Theatre in London produced his first playFour and commissioned several plays from him. Shinn said: "The fifteen years I was embraced by the Court allowed me to become the artist I am today."[3][4]
In an article about Shinn, Rob Weinert-Kendt observed: "If playwright Christopher Shinn has a signature character, it is the manipulative victim — the half-sympathetic, half-deplorable sort of person whose suffering is real but who uses it as rationale for bad behavior." As an example, inDying City, "Shinn conjured twin terrors: a pair of brothers, one a straight soldier shipping off to Iraq, the other a successful gay actor."[1]
Four was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in their Young Writers' Festival in 1998.[5] The play was produced by the Worth Street Company at the TriBeCa Playhouse, New York City, in July 2001, directed by Jeff Cohen.[6] It was produced by theManhattan Theatre Club at Stage II in association with the Worth Street Company in January 2002.[7]
Other People premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in March 2000, directed by Dominic Cooke and featuringDaniel Evans, Doraly Rosen,James Frain, andNeil Newbon.[8] The play opened Off-Broadway atPlaywrights Horizons New Theater Wing in October 2000. The play takes place in the East Village in 1997 shortly before Christmas, and involves roommates, current and former, all artists in various fields.[9]
Where Do We Live openedOff-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, running from May 11, 2004, to May 30, 2004. Directed by Shinn, the cast featuredEmily Bergl, Daryl Edwards,Jesse Tyler Ferguson,Luke Macfarlane, Burl Moseley,Jacob Pitts,Aaron Stanford, Liz Stauber andAaron Yoo. The play won the 2005Obie Award, Playwriting and was nominated for the 2005 GLAAD Media Awards, Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway and Off-Broadway.[10] It was first produced at the Royal Court in May 2002.[11]
His playDying City was produced Off-Broadway byLincoln Center Theater at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, from February 15, 2007, in previews, officially on March 4, 2007, to April 29, 2007. Directed byJames Macdonald the cast starred Rebecca Brooksher andPablo Schreiber. The play had its world premiere in 2006 at theRoyal Court Theatre in London.[12] The play was a finalist for the 2008Pulitzer Prize for Drama.[13][14]
Shinn's playNow or Later premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London from 3 September 2008 to 1 November 2008. Directed byDominic Cooke, the cast featuredEddie Redmayne, Matthew Marsh, Adam James,Domhnall Gleason, Nancy Crane andPamela Nomvete. The play takes place during a U.S. presidential election and focuses on the crisis that the gay son of the Democratic candidate is undergoing.[15] The play had its US premiere at the Huntington Theatre Company, Boston in October 2012.Adriane Lenox, Tom Nelis and Grant MacDermott are featured, with direction byMichael Wilson.[16]
His adaptation ofHedda Gabler premiered onBroadway at theRoundabout Theatre CompanyAmerican Airlines Theatre, from January 6, 2009, to March 29, 2009. The play was directed by Ian Rickson and starredMary-Louise Parker as Hedda Tesman,Michael Cerveris as Jorgen Tesman,Peter Stormare as Judge Brack, andPaul Sparks as Ejlert Lovborg.[17][18]
Teddy Ferrara was commissioned by theGoodman Theatre, Chicago, and premiered there from February 2, 2013, to March 3, 2013, directed by Evan Cabnet. The play involves a gay college student, Gabe, whose life is complicated by a tragedy on campus.[19] The play was produced in London at theDonmar Warehouse in October 2015, directed by Dominic Cooke.[20]
An Opening in Time premiered atHartford Stage, running from September 17 to October 11, 2015, directed by Oliver Butler. The play is set in New England and focuses on Anne, in her 60s, seeking to reconnect with a man from her past.[21]
Against premiered at theAlmeida Theatre, running from August 12 to September 30, 2017, directed byIan Rickson and starringBen Whishaw. The play is about a Silicon Valley billionaire who goes on a quest to try to get America to address its problem with violence.[22]
His adaptation ofJudgment Day premiered atPark Avenue Armory on December 5, 2019.[23]
The Narcissist premiered atChichester Festival Theatre, running from August 26 to September 24, 2022, directed by Josh Seymour and starringHarry Lloyd andClaire Skinner. The play is about a political consultant who is being courted by a Senator as his personal life faces crisis.[24]
He wroteSandcastle for "The 24 Hour Plays" which was performed on September 24, 2001, starringLiev Schreiber andLili Taylor.[25] He wroteDance of Life for the 2003 version of "The 24 Hour Plays", which was performed at the American Airlines Theatre in September 2003 and starredRachel Dratch, Catherine Kellner andSam Rockwell.[26]
He participated in theBush Theatre's 2011 projectSixty Six Books where he wrote a piece based upon a book of theKing James Bible.[27]
He wrote a short play forHeadlong's 2011 projectDecade about the impact and legacy of 9/11.[28]
He has also written short plays forNaked Angels, and theNew York International Fringe Festival.
Shinn's plays are published in collections fromTheatre Communications Group andMethuen, and in acting editions fromDramatists Play Service.
Shinn teaches playwriting atThe New School for Drama.[2]
Source: Internet Off-Broadway Database[29]
ForDying City, Shinn was a 2008Pulitzer Prize finalist, was nominated for the 2007Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, and was nominated for theTMA Award for Best New Play (2006).[32] Shinn won theObie Award in Playwriting (2005) forWhere Do We Live and was nominated for anOlivier Award for Most Promising Playwright (2003) forWhere Do We Live[33] He was shortlisted for theEvening Standard Theatre Award for Best Play (2008) forNow or Later[34] and theSouth Bank Show Award for Theatre (2008) forNow or Later.[35] In 2020, he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Adaptation forJudgment Day.[36]
He received aGuggenheim Fellowship in Playwriting (2005). He has received grants from theNEA/TCG Residency Program and the Peter S. Reed Foundation, and he is a recipient of theRobert Chesley Award for Lesbian and Gay Playwriting.[37]
He was a 2019–2020Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard.[38] In 2020–2021, he was a Cullman Fellow at New York Public Library.[39]
Shinn is openlygay.[1] In 2012, Shinn was diagnosed withEwing's sarcoma, a rare form ofbone cancer, and had part of his left leg amputated.[1]
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