Birth Place: Montclair, NJ, USA
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Christopher Durang is an American playwright, actor, and director known for his dark comedies that often satirize American culture. He was born on January 2, 1949, in Montclair, New Jersey, and grew up in Pennsylvania. Durang attended Harvard University, where he studied English and Drama, and later received his MFA in Playwriting from the Yale School of Drama.
Durang's breakthrough as a playwright came in 1978 with his play "The Idiots Karamazov", which won an Obie Award for Best Play. The play is a parody of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamazov" and features a dysfunctional family of four brothers who are all named after famous historical figures. The play was a critical and commercial success and established Durang as a major voice in American theater.
Durang's next major play was "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You", which premiered in 1979. The play is a satirical look at Catholicism and features a nun who gives a lecture on the Catholic faith to a group of children. The play was controversial and was protested by Catholic groups, but it was also a critical success and helped to establish Durang as a master of dark comedy.
Durang continued to write successful plays throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including "Beyond Therapy", "Baby with the Bathwater", and "The Marriage of Bette and Boo". In 1996, he won the Tony Award for Best Play for his play "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike", which is a modern take on the works of Anton Chekhov. The play features a dysfunctional family of siblings who are all named after Chekhov characters and explores themes of aging, regret, and family dynamics.
In addition to his work as a playwright, Durang has also acted in a number of films and television shows. He appeared in the films "The Secret of My Success" and "The Cowboy Way", as well as the television shows "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt". Durang has also written for television, including episodes of "The Simpsons" and "SNL".
Durang's work has been praised for its wit, humor, and satirical edge. His plays often feature dysfunctional families, absurd situations, and dark humor, and they explore themes of identity, family, and the human condition. Durang's plays have been performed on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in regional theaters across the United States, and they have been translated into many languages and performed around the world.
Durang's work has had a major influence on American theater, and he is considered one of the most important playwrights of his generation. His plays have been produced by some of the most prestigious theaters in the country, including the Lincoln Center Theater, the Public Theater, and the Roundabout Theatre Company. Durang has won numerous awards for his work, including the Obie Award, the Tony Award, and the Drama Desk Award.
In addition to his work in theater, Durang is also a professor of playwriting at the Juilliard School in New York City. He has taught at Juilliard since 1994 and has been a mentor to many successful playwrights, including Rajiv Joseph and Annie Baker.
In conclusion, Christopher Durang is a prolific and influential playwright, actor, and director who has made a major impact on American theater. His plays are known for their dark humor, satirical edge, and exploration of the human condition, and they have been performed around the world. Durang's work has won numerous awards and has been produced by some of the most prestigious theaters in the country, and he continues to be a major force in American theater today.
Christopher Durang
Christopher Durang, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Christopher Durang, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Christopher Durang, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Christopher Durang
Christopher Durang, Miss Witherspoon
Christopher Durang, Miss Witherspoon
Christopher Durang, Betty's Summer Vacation
Christopher Durang, The Marriage of Bette and Boo
Christopher Durang, Das Lusitania Songspiel
Christopher Durang, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You
Christopher Durang, A History of the American Film
Christopher Durang has written 21 shows including Das Lusitania Songspiel (Author), Titanic (Playwright), A History of the American Film (Bookwriter/Lyricist), Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You (Playwright), Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You/ The Actor's Nightmare (Playwright), Beyond Therapy (Playwright), Baby with the Bathwater (Playwright), The Marriage of Bette and Boo (Playwright), Laughing Wild (Playwright), Urban Blight (Bookwriter), Durang/ Durang (Playwright), Sex and Longing (Playwright), Betty's Summer Vacation (Playwright), Adrift in Macao (Bookwriter), Miss Witherspoon (Playwright), The Marriage Of Bette And Boo (Playwright), Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them (Playwright), All About Me (Playwright), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Playwright), In Your Arms (Story), Pamela's First Musical (Bookwriter).
Legend of Off Broadway Honoree () for , Best Play (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike , Outstanding Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike , Best Play (Tony Awards) for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike , Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee (The Lortels) , The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for Miss Witherspoon , The Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for Miss Witherspoon , Playwrighting (Obie Awards) for Betty's Summer Vacation , Playwriting (Obie Awards) for The Marriage of Bette and Boo , Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Das Lusitania Songspiel Playwriting (Obie Awards) for Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You and Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for A History of the American Film .
Legend of Off Broadway Honoree () for , Best Play (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Playwrights' Sidewalk Inductee (The Lortels), Playwrighting (Obie Awards) for Betty's Summer Vacation Playwriting (Obie Awards) for The Marriage of Bette and Booand Playwriting (Obie Awards) for Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You.
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