John Cariani

John Cariani is a Tony Award-nominated actor and an accomplished playwright. He made his Broadway debut in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof and received an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Motel the Tailor. He originated the role of Nigel Bottom in the Broadway hit, Something Rotten! and received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination and a Grammy Award nomination for his performance. He originated the role of Itzik in The Band’s Visit, winner of the 2018 Tony Award for Best Musical, and recently appeared as Stuart Gellman in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s acclaimed revival of Caroline, or Change, receiving a Grammy Award nomination for his performance.

Most people know John from his role on NBC’s long-running drama, Law & Order, on which he played Forensics Tech Beck for five seasons. He also had recurring roles on CBS’ Numbers and on IFC’s The Onion News Network, and has guest-starred on several shows including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Homeland, and The Good Wife. His film work includes Scotland, PA (with Christopher Walken), Showtime (with Robert DeNiro), and Elephant Sighs (with Ed Asner).

As a playwright, John is best known for his first play, Almost, Maine, which premiered at Portland Stage Company in 2004, opened Off-Broadway in 2006, and has since become one of the most popular plays in the United States and around the world. The play has received over 5000 productions to date and has been translated into over a dozen languages. It’s also the most frequently produced play in North American high schools, outpacing classics like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Crucible, and Our Town.

A darker cousin to Almost, Maine, John’s third play, LOVE/SICK, is a huge hit in Mexico City, where it has been made into the recently-released film, Enfermo Amor.

John is also a novelist. Almost, Maine-a novel was published in 2020 by Feiwel and Fiends, an imprint of MacMillan. It will be available in paperback in January of 2023.