Biography, Artist Statement, Resume and Contact

I write plays that grapple with issues of identity: how we define ourselves to the world and how that identity can be irrevocably redefined by circumstance.  Having lived through a time in which I had to shield my own identity as a gay man, my writing centers on those who must hide or redefine themselves out of necessity rather than choice.

My work is often issue-driven, inspired by a theme or character whose change impacts not only their own personal life, but also the society in which they live.  I am drawn to characters who, while flawed, inspire empathy and compassion.  I set a majority of my work in communities outside traditional urban areas as a means of telling stories that are often overlooked.  I also lean into moments where purely theatrical things occur–things that can exist fully in live theatre but may seem out of place on film or in everyday life.  

I am inspired by playwrights like Lynn Nottage who grapples with identity politics related to marginalization; by Craig Lucas whose characters find their world shaken by the discovery that they are not who they thought they were; and by all playwrights living and working outside of urban areas who embrace the bold act of writing plays without support systems to help them develop their work.

I aspire to create work that necessitates discussion over coffee or a cocktail after the performance; that entices audiences to debate openly during talkbacks; and that exposes how a sense of self is not always as steadfast as we often believe.