Sheri Wilner
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Sheri Wilner (born January 22, 1969) is an American playwright. Her works have been produced at the
Humana Festival of New American Plays Humana Festival of New American Plays was an internationally renowned festival which celebrated the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, the festival showcased new theatrical ...
, the
Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions among Sir Tyrone Gut ...
,
Actors Theatre of Louisville Actors Theatre of Louisville is a non-profit performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Actors Theatre was founded in 1964 following the merging of two local companies, Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville, operated by Louis ...
,
Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA) The Primary Stages Theater, Primary Stages Marvin and Anne Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA) is an interdisciplinary institution in New York City that offers courses in Acting, Writing and Directing. History ESPA developed from a collectio ...
,
Williamstown Theatre Festival The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. ...
, Naked Angels,
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Rattlestick Theater is a non-profit off-Broadway theater based in the West Village, New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United S ...
, Cherry Lane Theatre Alternative,
Ensemble Studio Theatre The Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) is a non-profit membership-based developmental theatre located in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. It has a dual mission of nurturing individual theatre artists and developing new American plays. Overview The E ...
, Women's Project Theater, and the
Philadelphia Theatre Company The Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) is a theater company located Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, North ...
.Meet our faculty: Sheri Wilner
/ref> In addition her plays have been produced at the
Contemporary American Theater Festival The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) is an American annual professional theatre festival held at Shepherd University, located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. According to the New York Times (in 2015), it is one of "50 ''essential'' s ...
in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the
Summer Play Festival The Summer Play Festival (SPF) was a theatre festival held in New York, USA. Description The annual four-week Summer Play Festival took place during the summer months at the Public Theater in New York City. It was founded by Broadway producer Arie ...
in New York, and the Old Vic New Voices program in London.


Career

Sheri Wilner attended
Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
, graduating
Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...
with a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
in English in 1991. She went to
Columbia University School of the Arts The Columbia University School of the Arts (also known as School of the Arts or SoA) is the fine arts graduate school of Columbia University in Morningside Heights, New York (state), New York. It offers Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in Film, ...
where she studied with Romulus Linney,
Eduardo Machado Eduardo Oscar Machado (born June 11, 1953) is a Cuban playwright living in the United States. Notable plays by Machado include ''Broken Eggs'', '' Havana is Waiting'' and ''The Cook''. Many of his plays are autobiographical or deal with Cuba in ...
,
Tina Howe Mabel Davis "Tina" Howe (November 21, 1937 – August 28, 2023) was an American playwright. In a career that spanned more than four decades, Howe's best-known works include ''Museum'', '' The Art of Dining'', '' Painting Churches'', '' Coastal Di ...
, and
Andrei Șerban Andrei Șerban (born June 21, 1943) is a Romanian-United States, American theater director. A major name in twentieth-century theater, he is renowned for his innovative and iconoclastic interpretations and stagings. In 1992 he became Professor of ...
. She received her
Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...
in Playwriting from Columbia in 1999.Indie Theater Now
/ref> Also an established playwriting teacher, she teaches at New York University's Dramatic Writing Program, the Dramatists Guild Institut
Link label
and PlayPen
She was the 2016-2017 Rev. J. Donald Monan, S.J. Professor in Theatre Arts at Boston College, the 2013-14 Fred Coe Playwright-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University, and a visiting assistant professor in Playwriting at Florida State University
’s MFA Dramatic Writing Program. She has also taught at the University of California,
Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
, the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
. and for the Off-Broadway theatre companies Primary Stages, and New Georges. A review of the Humana Festival premiere of Wilner's one-act play ''Bake-Off'' in the ''New York Times'' said “the play completely earns its farcical climax. 'Bake Off' is barbed, witty, thoughtful, giggle and snort inducing and most of all compact; it accomplishes everything in 20 minutes tops." ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' journalist Michael Kilian in a 2005 review of Winer's play ''Father Joy'' said the play was “a joy to behold”. Wilner's latest play ''Kingdom City'' uses a high school production of Arthur Miller's play ''
The Crucible ''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by the American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1692 to 1693. Miller wrote ...
'' to explore religion, community values, and censorship. It had its world premiere at the
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a nonprofit professional theater on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under the ...
on September 12, 2014. A review in the ''
San Diego Union Tribune ''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868. Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
'' said, "Wilner explores the issues at hand with considerable wit and insight, and weaves in themes and even passages from ''The Crucible'' ... in some wonderful and surprising ways." Wilner co-adapted her play ''Bake Off'' into the musical ''Cake Off'' with playwright Julia Jordan and composer Adam Gwon. It premiered at Signature Theatre in 2015 and received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Original Play or Musical Adaptation. It was subsequently produced by Bucks County Playhouse and starred Euan Morton and Justin Guarini


Awards

Wilner is a two-time winner of the
Heideman Award The Heideman Award is given each year to the winner of the National Ten-Minute Play Contest, a competition hosted by Actors Theatre of Louisville. The $1,000 cash prize award was established in 1979 by Louisville, Kentucky native Ted Heideman. Pa ...
granted by
Actors Theatre of Louisville Actors Theatre of Louisville is a non-profit performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Actors Theatre was founded in 1964 following the merging of two local companies, Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville, operated by Louis ...
, for her plays ''Labor Day'' in 1998 and ''Bake Off'' in 2001, both of which premiered at the
Humana Festival Humana Festival of New American Plays was an internationally renowned festival which celebrated the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, the festival showcased new theatrical ...
. Other playwriting awards include a Howard Foundation Fellowship (2008–2009),George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation, Fellows
Brown University.
a Dramatists Guild Playwriting Fellowship (2000–2001), a Bush Artist Fellowship (2007–2010), and two Playwrights’ Center Jerome Fellowships (2006–2007). The Rose O’Neill Literary House,
Washington College Washington College is a private liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782. George Washington supported the founding of the college by consenting to have the "College at Chester" name ...
’s center for literature and the literary arts, will establish the
Douglass Wallop John Douglass Wallop III (March 8, 1920 – April 1, 1985) was an American novelist and playwright. Early life John Douglass Wallop III was born on March 8, 1920, in Washington, D.C., to Marjorie (née Ellis) and John Douglass Wallop Jr. His ...
Fellowship as a nationwide competition and award the initial 2015 fellowship to Wilner.Sheri Wilner awarded 2015 Douglass Wallop Fellowship. Washington College, May 1, 2014
/ref>


Works

Partial list of productions of Wilner's plays:


Full-length plays

* 2014 ''Kingdom City''
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a nonprofit professional theater on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under the ...
* 2008 ''The End''
Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions among Sir Tyrone Gut ...
, Minneapolis, MN * 2005 ''Father Joy''
Summer Play Festival The Summer Play Festival (SPF) was a theatre festival held in New York, USA. Description The annual four-week Summer Play Festival took place during the summer months at the Public Theater in New York City. It was founded by Broadway producer Arie ...
, New York, NY * 2000 ''Hunger''
Contemporary American Theater Festival The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) is an American annual professional theatre festival held at Shepherd University, located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. According to the New York Times (in 2015), it is one of "50 ''essential'' s ...
, Shepherdstown, WV


One-acts

* 2012 ''The Miracle of Chanukah'' “Playing on Air” broadcast on Public Radio * 2012 ''Arts & Sciences''
Boston Theater Marathon The Boston Theater Marathon (BTM) is a Boston based charity theatre event consisting of 50 plays performed by 50 different theatre companies in 10 hours. Proceeds benefit the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, which provides financial relief to indi ...
* 2011 ''A Tall Order''
Boston Theater Marathon The Boston Theater Marathon (BTM) is a Boston based charity theatre event consisting of 50 plays performed by 50 different theatre companies in 10 hours. Proceeds benefit the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, which provides financial relief to indi ...
* 2007 ''The First Night of Chanukah'' Illusion Theater, Minneapolis, MN * 2006 ''Equilibrium'' The
Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions among Sir Tyrone Gut ...
* 2004 ''Hell and Back'' New Georges’ Manfest, New York, NY * 2004 ''The Bushesteia'' The Hourglass Group, New York, NY * 2003 ''Moving Shortly'' Naked Angels, New York, NY * 2002 ''Bake Off''
Actors Theatre of Louisville Actors Theatre of Louisville is a non-profit performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Actors Theatre was founded in 1964 following the merging of two local companies, Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville, operated by Louis ...
,
Humana Festival of New American Plays Humana Festival of New American Plays was an internationally renowned festival which celebrated the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, the festival showcased new theatrical ...
* 2002 ''The Unknown Part of the Ocean'' Women on Top Festival, Boston, MA * 2001 ''Little Death of a Salesman'' Women on Top Festival, Boston, MA * 1999 ''Joan of Arkansas''
Actors Theatre of Louisville Actors Theatre of Louisville is a non-profit performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Actors Theatre was founded in 1964 following the merging of two local companies, Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville, operated by Louis ...
, Louisville, KY * 1999 ''Labor Day''
Actors Theatre of Louisville Actors Theatre of Louisville is a non-profit performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Actors Theatre was founded in 1964 following the merging of two local companies, Actors, Inc. and Theatre Louisville, operated by Louis ...
,
Humana Festival of New American Plays Humana Festival of New American Plays was an internationally renowned festival which celebrated the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, the festival showcased new theatrical ...
* 1996 ''Relative Strangers'' New Georges, New York, NY


Screenplays

* 2007 ''Sugar Fix''


References


External links

* ''New playwrights: the best plays of 1999'' by Marisa Smith, Smith & Kraus, Hanover, NH, June 2001 * ''The Women's Project and Productions: The Best One-Act Plays, 1975-1999'' edited by Julia Miles, Smith & Kraus, Hanover, NH, June 2002, * ''The Best American Short Plays 2000-2001'' by Mark Glubke, Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, September 2002, {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilner, Sheri Writers from New York (state) Living people American women dramatists and playwrights Cornell University alumni Columbia University School of the Arts alumni 1969 births 21st-century American women