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Paul Lucas (playwright)

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Paul Lucas
Born
New York City, New York.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materDwight-Englewood School

Fairleigh Dickinson University. B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) William Esper Studio Commercial Theatre Institute

Kennedy Center Arts Management Institute
Occupation(s)Producer, Playwright, Theatrical Management and Touring

Paul Lucas is an American playwright and producer based in New York City.

His first play Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women received a Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe,[1][2] as well as a High Commendation from Amnesty International for Freedom of Expression, in 2015.[3] The play was also produced at the Tony Award-winning American Repertory Theater in 2017, under the direction of Jo Bonney, where it received a $50,000 New Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.[4][5] [6]

He is currently working on a screenplay entitled Lavender Arms and Trans Scripts, Part II: The Men , the sequel to his first play.

Career

Lucas performed and worked in several theatrical offices in New York City before joining Paul Szilard Productions, where he worked booking the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for many years. While still working with Szilard, he produced several plays off-Broadway, including Messages for Gary"[7] which featured John Epperson (Lypsinka) and Alex McCord, who later went on to become an original cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City". TimeSlips, written by McArthur Fellow Anne Basting.[8] Nosferatu, starring Klaus Kinski’s son Nikolai Kinski, and Son of Drakula, written and performed by OBIE Award winning actor/writer/director David Drake.[9][10][11]

After a fellowship in Arts Administration at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lucas became the Director of Press and Marketing for Williamstown Theatre Festival before founding Paul Lucas Productions, his own theatrical Producing, Management and Touring organization specializing in producing work internationally. He soon became a fixture at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (with his associate, Gail Winar), winning a Herald Angel Award (as well as an Argus Angel Award and Latest 7 Award) for The Be(A)st of Taylor Mac, written and performed by Taylor Mac and directed by David Drake, and a Fringe First Award for What I Heard About Iraq.[12][13][14][15] Other notable productions under Lucas’s producing umbrella have included the Helen Hayes Award winning Woody Sez: The Words,[16] Music & Spirit of Woody Guthrie, Miss Coco Peru, and the Lucille Lortel Award winning DAI (enough), written and performed by Iris Bahr.[17]

In 2012, Lucas turned his attention to creating his own work. He spent several years conducting interviews with men and women of transgender experience and, after workshop productions at Rutgers University and at the Lyric Theater in Bridport (UK) and the Actors Center (London).[18] He created Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women with the guidance of his dramaturge, Morgan Jenness, and produced the play at the Pleasance Theater during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2015 under the direction of Linda Ames Key.

Trans Scripts received over 20 four and five star reviews and garnered a Fringe First Award,[19][20][21] a High Commendation from Amnesty International for Freedom of Expression, as well as nominations for the Best of Edinburgh Award, the Holden Street Theaters Award and the Feminist Fest Award.[22][23][24]

American Repertory Theater at Harvard University sponsored a one night reading of the script,[25] directed by Jo Bonney, in November 2015 that sold out in three hours, bringing the play back for a full production on its main stage (again directed by Bonney) in 2017.[26][27] This production was also extremely well-reviewed by the press.[28]

The National Endowment for the Arts supported this production with a $50,000 New Works Grant, and Opening Night of the play was introduced by Eve Ensler (creator of The Vagina Monologues), whose VDAY Foundation also awarded the original production with a $10,000 grant, and who facilitated the production at the A.R.T. [29][30]

Cast members of Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women have included Calpernia Addams, Eden Lane, Bianca Leigh, Rebecca Root, and Jack Wetherall.[31]

Lucas is currently at work on the sequel Trans Scripts, Part II: The Men.

Lucas House Retreat

In 2015, Paul established Lucas House Retreat, an artist retreat for theater makers, in Sparta, NJ. It is a dedicated space to write, rest, rehearse, and create.

Residencies are by invitation only, and artists in residents have included playwright, novelist and columnist Van Badham.

Awards and grants (writing)

  • Fringe First Award, Trans Scripts[32]

Awards and grants (producing)

  • Argus Angel Award, Woody Sez[33]

Producing and touring

Year Title Venue
1999 Messages for Gary New York International Fringe, NYC
1999 Flyer Six Figures Theatre Company. NYC
2000 Nosferatu HERE Performing Arts Center, NYC
2001 50 Minutes with Harriet & Phillis The Cherry Lane Theatre, NYC
2001 TimeSlips HERE Performing Arts Center, NYC
2002 Son of Drakula Dance Theater Workshop, NYC
2004 That Woman: Rebecca West Remembers Manhattan Theatre Source, NYC
2004 When Aunt Daphne Went Nude[34] The Mint Theatre, NYC
2004-2005 Kafka’s The Metamorphosis[35] Prague Fringe Festival / Edinburgh International Fringe Festival / UK tour
2006 What I Heard About Iraq Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2006-2008 The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac Edinburgh Festival Fring e/ UK tour

Australia tour/Sweden tour / Ireland tour

2007 Floating[36] Barrow Street Theatre, NYC
2007 A Conversation With Edith Head[37] Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2007 DAI (enough) Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2007-2009 Woody Sez: The Words, Music & Spirit of Woody Guthrie Edinburgh Festival Fringe / Brighton Fringe / UK tour / German tour
2008 Bouffon Glass Menajoree[38][39] Dublin Fringe
2008 Red Bastard Dublin Fringe
2009-2010 Die Roten Punkte: Robot/Lion Tour Edinburgh Festival Fringe / Dublin Fringe/ UK tour / US tour
2010 The Ziggy Stardust Meets Tiny Tim Songbook or Comparison is Violence Australia tour / UK tour / Ireland tour
2013 The 20th Century Abridged Concert of the History of Popular Music[40] Australia tour / UK tour / Ireland tour
2014 Ghost the Musical[41] National Tour – US and Australia

Production history as playwright

Year Title Venue
2012 Trans Scripts (reading) Rutgers University
2013 Trans Scripts (reading) Feast Festival, Adelaide Australia
2014 Trans Scripts (reading) Lyric Theatre – Bridport, UK
2014 Trans Scripts (reading) Invisible Theatre – Tucson, AZ
2015 Trans Scripts Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2015 Trans Scripts (reading) American Repertory Theater – Cambridge, MA
2017 Trans Scripts American Repertory Theater – Cambridge, MA

References

  1. ^ "Trans Scripts". Trans Scripts. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  2. ^ "Scotsman Fringe First Winners 2015". Joyce McMillan - Online. 2015-08-27. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  3. ^ "A Girl is a Half Formed Thing wins Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award". Fest Magazine. 2015-08-27. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  4. ^ "A.R.T.'s Trans Scripts Receives $50,000 from NEA | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  5. ^ "NEA Awards $50,000 for Trans Scripts: Part I, The Women - Color Magazine". Color Magazine. 2017-01-04. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  6. ^ "Statement Regarding the Proposed Elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts | A.R.T. - American Repertory Theater". americanrepertorytheater.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  7. ^ Willis, John; Lynch, Tom; Hodges, Ben (2003-03-01). Theatre World 1999-2000. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9781557834775.
  8. ^ "Talkin' Broadway Off-Broadway - TimeSlips - 11/4/01". www.talkinbroadway.com. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  9. ^ Dewitt, David (2000-06-06). "THEATER REVIEW; You Look Thirsty, Count. Care for a Little Drink?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  10. ^ "Nosferatu". TheaterMania.com. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  11. ^ Feingold, Michael (2002-11-05). "Forward in Reverse". Village Voice. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  12. ^ "Taylor Mac review at Baby Belly | Review | Theatre | The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  13. ^ "Taylor Mac". Broadway Baby. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  14. ^ Lyall, Sarah (2006-08-26). "Edinburgh Fringe Festival Roundup". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  15. ^ Gardner, Lyn (2006-08-15). "What I Heard About Iraq". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  16. ^ "WoodySez.com". www.woodysez.com. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  17. ^ "Enough is enough". Edinburgh Festival. 2007-07-31. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  18. ^ "The Lyric - Bridport". aloadofstuffandnonsense.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  19. ^ "Theatre review: Trans Scripts at Pleasance Courtyard". www.britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  20. ^ "Theatre review: Trans Scripts". WOW247. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  21. ^ Gardner, Lyn (2015-08-16). "Trans Scripts at Edinburgh festival review – six timely stories from transgender women". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  22. ^ "Trans Scripts at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh". Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  23. ^ "Trans Scripts at the Edinburgh Fringe (Review)". Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog). 2015-08-24. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  24. ^ "Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Trans Scripts, Pleasance Courtyard". A Younger Theatre. 2015-08-31. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  25. ^ thestagereview (2015-10-27). "Jo Bonney directs a reading of Paul Lucas' new play Trans Scripts, November 23 at A.R.T.'s OBERON space". the STAGE REVIEW. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  26. ^ "Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women". TheaterMania.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  27. ^ Desk, BWW News. "Paul Lucas' TRANS SCRIPTS Sells Out at American Repertory Theater". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  28. ^ "Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women". TheaterMania.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  29. ^ Desk, BWW News. "Photo Flash: Diane Paulus, Eve Ensler and More Celebrate TRANS SCRIPTS, PART I: THE WOMEN Opening at A.R.T." BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  30. ^ "20 Years Ago, Eve Ensler Gave Us The Vagina Monologues. She's Still Waiting for the Revolution". ELLE. 2017-02-08. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  31. ^ "Bianca Leigh". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  32. ^ "2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival Awards". www.britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  33. ^ "Tale of folk star picks up Argus Angel". The Argus. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  34. ^ "When Aunt Daphne Went Nude". TheaterMania.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  35. ^ "Blackmoon Theatre Company". www.brendacooney.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  36. ^ User, Super. "BARROW STREET THEATRE | FLOATING". www.barrowstreettheatre.com. Retrieved 2017-04-07. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  37. ^ "A Conversation with Edith Head review at Assembly Hill Street Edinburgh | Review | Theatre | The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  38. ^ "A fresh blast of the Fringe". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  39. ^ "Winners on the Fringe". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  40. ^ "Taylor Mac - Melbourne Recital Centre". Melbourne Recital Centre. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
  41. ^ "Unchained Melodies: National Tour of Ghost The Musical Kicks Off Sept. 14 | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-04-07.
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