Artist Statement

My work as a playwright leans into the point where comedy meets drama. I seek to capture truth in the ordinary work of living. I draw inspiration from human experiences and the emotional currents that underlie them. Heartbreak is balanced by humor. I explore themes of love, loss, and the strange beauty of being human.

I have worked with Theater SilCo for years and currently serve as its Board President. I maintain a strong boundary between my engagement with SilCo and my professional writing; however, being so directly involved with a theater company enriches my skills as a playwright. I understand the financial implications of performance, and while that does not drive my work, I strive for small cast sizes and simple sets. As an audience member, I sense when the audience leans in, laughs, and shifts their experience. I can see how physical space, movement, lighting, and sound shapes a story, and I craft scenes that give directors and designers room to play. Theater is a living, collaborative art form, and I view my words as just the starting point of something much larger. Watching live performances reminds me why I write plays—to create a shared and intimate moment between people in a room, hopefully moving them emotionally.

Current Project

My current project is THE HUT TRIP. A group of three unlikely strangers meet at a Colorado cabin and confront what it means to lose — jobs, love, family, and control — and how grief, in all its forms, can bind people together.

A short list of favorite plays to read

A good writer is a good reader. These are just a few of my favorite plays.

  • A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry: a family drama about racism, hypocrisy, poverty, and the American Dream

  • Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley: a play about morality, trust, and power in a Catholic school setting

  • Night Mother by Marsha Norman: a mother and daughter spend the evening discussing suicide, life, purpose, and relationships

  • Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller: this play tackles aging, truth, success, identity, betrayal, and the American Dream

  • The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarias: a funny and fresh comedy about books, the people who love them, and so much more

Links and Resources for playwrights and theater-goers

  • Dramatists Guild of America: A professional organization that provides resources and advocacy for playwrights, composers, and lyricists.

  • New Play Exchange: A public, digital library of scripts from living writers, allowing for easy script sharing and discovery.

  • Backstage: A platform that includes casting calls and auditions, but also offers advice and has a blog with professional tips.

  • Howlround: A digital commons for the theatre community, including a blog, reviews, and a user-generated map of theaters. 

  • Internet Broadway Database (IBDB): A comprehensive database of shows produced on Broadway, with historical information and production statistics.

  • The Playbill Vault: Search for playbills, production details, articles, and videos for Broadway productions.

  • Spectra: Provides a catalogue of shows produced Off-Broadway.

  • New York Theatre Guide: news and updates with more resources

  • Simply Scripts: a database of downloadable scripts for plays, musicals, screenplays, and more