Craig Lucas

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Craig Lucas
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
OccupationWriter, actor, playwright, director
EducationBoston University (BFA)
GenrePlaywrighting, screenwriting

Craig Lucas (born April 30, 1951) is an American playwright, screenwriter, theatre director,

musical
actor, and film director.

Biography

Born on April 30, 1951, he was found abandoned in a car in Atlanta, Georgia. Lucas was adopted when he was eight months old by a conservative Pennsylvania couple. His father was an FBI agent; his mother was a painter. She was born Jewish but suppressed the identity, which Lucas relates in his storytelling.[1] He graduated in 1969 from Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. In the 1960s and 1970s, Lucas became interested in the political left and discovered an attraction toward men. He is openly gay,[1] and recalls that his coming out made it possible for him to develop as a playwright and as a person.

In 1973, Lucas left Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and creative writing. His mentor

Sweeney Todd. Stephen Sondheim later told him he was a better writer than actor.[2]

Lucas met

Reckless (1983).[3] In 1990, they had their biggest commercial and critical success with Prelude to a Kiss. They also collaborated for the feature film Longtime Companion (1990), the 1992 film adaptation of Prelude to a Kiss with Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan, and the 1995 film version of Reckless with Mia Farrow and Mary-Louise Parker
.

Following his early work on romantic comedies, Lucas began to write more serious works about AIDS, including The Singing Forest (not to be confused with

Tony Award
nomination.

Lucas has also directed plays such as Loot. He directed Birds of America, a film starring Matthew Perry and Hilary Swank, in 2007.[5]

Lucas's play Prayer for My Enemy premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in December 2008. The production was directed by Lucas's frequent collaborator Bartlett Sher and featured Victoria Clark, Michele Pawk and Jonathan Groff.[6] The play ran from November 14 (previews) through December 21.

In June 2013,

book with a score by Marius de Vries.[8][9] As of 2014, Lucas is no longer involved with this musical.[10]

Amélie, a musical based on the award-winning film of 2001, premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre (Berkeley, California) In September 2015, with a book by Lucas, music by Daniel Messé (of Hem), lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Messé, and directed by Pam MacKinnon.[11] The production had its pre-Broadway engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. It transferred to Broadway, starting previews on March 9, 2017 and closing on May 21, 2017, after 27 previews and 56 regular performances.

Awards

In 2001 Lucas received an

Lambda Literary Awards
.

Fellowships include those from the

Pew Charitable Trusts
.

He has received the

Tony Award nomination for the books of: An American in Paris (2015), Light in the Piazza (2005), Prelude to a Kiss, and Paradise Square (2022). He was nominated for the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
for Prelude to a Kiss.

Works

Broadway

As an actor

As a playwright

Off-Broadway

Regional

Films

Opera

Miscellaneous

References

  1. ^ a b Gener, Randy (November 23, 2011). "Rachel in Wonderland: Interview with playwright Craig Lucas on "Reckless" as a hallucinatory Christmas fable". Culture of One World (originally commissioned for Applause). Archived from the original on October 28, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  2. ISSN 1532-1118
    .
  3. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Mary-Louise Parker Escapes Through a Window in Broadway's 'Reckless' Sept. 23" Playbill, September 23, 2004
  4. ^ a b Kumar, Naveen (June 22, 2023). "'The Light in the Piazza' Review: Outside, Looking In at Love". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Greenberg, James (February 1, 2008). "Birds of America". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  6. ^ Jones, Kenneth (December 9, 2008). "Craig Lucas 'Prayer for My Enemy', With Tony Winners Pawk and Clark, Opens in NYC". playbill.com.
  7. ^ "King Kong – Craig Lucas". kingkongliveonstage.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  8. ^ Trueman, Matt (October 20, 2011). "King Kong musical to open in Melbourne before hitting New York". London: guardian.co.uk. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  9. ^ "King Kong". visitvictoria.com. Retrieved May 31, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Hetrick, Adam. " King Kong Revamped for U.S. Premiere as Original Creative Team Departs" Playbill, September 5, 2014
  11. ^ "The Verdict: Critics Review Samantha Barks in 'Amélie' Musical" Playbill, September 14, 2015
  12. ^ Hofler, Robert (January 29, 2024). "'Days of Wine and Roses' Broadway Review: A Truly Great Musical". TheWrap. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  13. ^ Holland, Bernard (December 16, 1992). "Review/Theater: Orpheus in Love; Orpheus as Mediator Between 2 Worlds, But Just Which 2?". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Boehm, Mike (January 31, 2000). "Having Faith in the Play". Los Angeles Times.

Sources

External links

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