Liz Duffy Adams is an American playwright who has written many plays including ''Born With Teeth''; ''Or,''; ''Dog Act''; ''The Salonnieres''; ''A Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisible World''; ''The Broken Machine'', and others.
Her play '' Born With Teeth'' won a 2021 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.
She was rewarded the 2012 "Women of Achievement Award" from the Women's Project Theater as well as a 2010 Lily Award and a 2008 Weston Playhouse Music-Theatre Award, among other honors.
Early life and education
Adams is an American playwright originally from
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,785 at the 2020 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island. A res ...
, who holds dual Irish and American citizenship. She has a BFA from NYU's Experimental Theater Wing, and an MFA in Playwriting from Yale School of Drama.
She was the 2012–13 Briggs-Copeland Visiting Lecturer in Playwriting at Harvard University. She is an alumna of New Dramatists (2001-2008).
Reviews
Charles Isherwood wrote in his ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' review of her historical play ''Or'', "Ms. Adams fares remarkably well. Her language has a natural period flavor and a formidable wit; her characters possess the spark of fully animated spirits; and she weaves into her story both biographical detail and cultural context with grace."
In the ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...
'', Robert Donahoo wrote of ''Born with Teeth'' that it "can’t decide if it is about literature, history, political intrigue, religious persecution, or the wide varieties of love, and that’s a good — no, make that glorious — thing. The play grabs them all and squeezes them into a trim, tight, electric production….
jewel of a script."
The ''DC Theatre Scene'' review of her ''Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisible World'', by Debbie Minter Jackson, says, "Adams has a way of transforming ominous situations into thought provoking entertaining experiences, and she handles the premise of the Salem witch trials with care that ends up being thoughtful, mysterious, and if I dare say – startlingly funny."
Robert Hurwitt wrote in his ''
SF Gate'' review of her ''Dog Act'', "It's a bright dystopian blend of pop and high culture –– Brecht's Mother Courage as a vaudeville troupe leader wandering a ''Waiting for Godot'' world as transmuted through generations of ''Mad Max–Road Warrior'' movies with some lingering influences from ''Peter Pan'' –– peppered with astonishing and exhilarating eruptions of storytelling and wondrous plays within the play."
Notable works
* ''Born with Teeth'' premiered at the Alley Theater in Houston, directed by Rob Melrose, in spring 2022
* ''The Broken Machine'' was scheduled to premiere at the Magic Theatre, San Francisco, in spring 2021, but was cancelled because of Covid.
* ''The Salonnières'' premiered at Greater Boston Stage Company, 2018
*''Or,'' premiere
Women's Project
WP Theater (formerly known as Women's Project Theater) is a not-for-profit Off-Broadway theater based in New York City. It is the nation's oldest and largest theater company dedicated to developing, producing and promoting the work of Women+ theat ...
NYC, 2009, starring
Maggie Siff
Maggie Siff (born June 21, 1974) is an American actress. Her most notable television roles have included department store heiress List of Mad Men characters#Rachel Menken, Rachel Menken Katz on the AMC (TV channel), AMC drama ''Mad Men'', Dr. Tar ...
; West Coast premiere at Magic Theater, San Francisco, directed by Loretta Greco.
* ''A Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisible World'' premiered at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, 2012, directed by Kent Nicholson.
*''Dog Act'', premiere
Shotgun Players
The Shotgun Players is a California East Bay regional theatre group located in Berkeley, California. It runs 6 to 7 productions per season. Its main stage is the Ashby Stage located in the Lorin District near the Ashby BART station.
About
The ...
Berkeley, 2004
*''One Big Lie'' (Musical), premiere, Crowded Fire, San Francisco, 2005.
*''*Wet, or, Isabella The Pirate Queen Enters The Horse Latitudes'', premiere Moxie Theatre, San Diego, 2006.
*''The Listener'', premiere Crowded Fire San Francisco, 2008.
*''The Listener of Junk City'' (Musical) premiere Weston Playhouse,
Weston, Vermont
Weston is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 623 at the 2020 census. Home to the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, it includes the villages of Weston and The Island.
History
Weston was originally the western ...
, 2008.
*''Buccaneers'' (with music by Ellen Maddow), premiere
Children's Theatre Company
The Children's Theatre Company (CTC) is a regional theater established in 1965 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, specializing in plays for families, young audiences and the very young. The theater is the largest theater for multigenerational audien ...
, Minneapolis, 2012.
*''The Reckless Ruthless Brutal Charge of It or, the Train Play'', premiere Clubbed Thumb NYC, 2002; Crowded Fire, San Francisco 2002.
*''A Fabulous Beast'', premiere One Dream Theater NYC, 1994, starring
Edie Falco
Edith Falco (born July 5, 1963) is an American actress. A prominent figure in American television, she is known for her roles both on stage and screen and has received numerous accolades including four Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe A ...
.
Awards
Awards include a 2021 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.
2012 Women of Achievement award from the
Women's Project Theater, a 2010 Lily Award for Playwrighting, a 2008 Weston Playhouse Music-Theatre award, a 2006
NYFA award, a 2017 Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the Will Glickman award for Best New Play in 2004 (for Dog Act). She has held residencies at the
MacDowell Colony
MacDowell is an artist's residency program in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The program was founded in 1907 by composer Edward MacDowell and his wife, pianist and philanthropist Marian MacDowell. Prior to July 2020, it was known as the MacDo ...
, Millay Colony for the arts, and the Djerassi Resident Artists program. She was profiled in ''American Theatre Magazine'' in December 2004.
Selected works
*''Or'', Dramatists Play Service, Inc., 2011
* ''Or,'' in ''New Playwrights: The Best Plays 2010'', Smith and Kraus
* ''Dog Act'' in ''Geek Theater'' anthology, Underwords Press, 2014
*''Dog Act'', Playscripts, Inc., 2004
*''New Playwrights: The Best Plays 2010'', Smith and Kraus, 2011.
* ''2006: The Best Ten-Minute Plays for 3 or More Actors'', Smith and Kraus, 2007
* ''The Reckless Ruthless Brutal Charge of It, or, The Train Play'', Playscripts, Inc. 2002.
* ''Poodle with Guitar and Dark Glasses'' in ''Best American Short Plays 2000-2001'', Applause Books, 2001.
* ''Poodle with Guitar and Dark Glasses'', Playscripts, Inc. 2001
* ''The Last Woman on Earth'', Playscripts, Inc.
* ''Aphra Does Antwerp'', Playscripts, Inc.
* ''Neon Mirage'', Playscripts, Inc.
References
External links
Official websiteProfile newplayexchange.org. Accessed March 31, 2024.
Womenarts.org via archive.org. Accessed March 31, 2024.
aszym.blogspot.com. October 2009.
''Or'' proposal theaterdogs.net. Accessed March 31, 2024.
Interview, April 17, 2012 thenewplaytimes.wordpress.com. Accessed March 31, 2024.
Seattle Rep interview on ''Or'' Dramatists.com. Accessed March 31, 2024.
San Francisco Chronicle Top 10 List 2010 sfgate.com. Accessed March 31, 2024.
*
Charles Isherwood
Charles Splaine Isherwood Jr. (born October 1964) is an American theater critic.
Career
A graduate of Stanford University, Isherwood wrote for '' Backstage West'' in Los Angeles. In 1993, he joined the staff of '' Variety'', where he was promote ...
All They Need Is Love (review of ''Or'') ''The New York Times'', November 9. 2009.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Liz Duffy
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
American women dramatists and playwrights
David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni
Tisch School of the Arts alumni
People from Ipswich, Massachusetts
Writers from Massachusetts
20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
20th-century American women writers
21st-century American dramatists and playwrights
21st-century American women writers