Theresa Rebeck (born February 19, 1958) is an American playwright, television writer, and novelist. Her work has appeared on the Broadway and

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

stage, in film, and on television. Among her awards are the Mystery Writers of America's

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...

. In 2012, she received the Athena Film Festival Award for Excellence as a Playwright and Author of Films, Books, and Television. She is a 2009 recipient of the

Alex Awards The Alex Awards annually recognize "ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18". Since 2002, the Alex Awards have been administered by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the ...

. Her works have influenced American playwrights by bringing a feminist edge in her old works.

Early life and education

Rebeck was born in Kenwood, Ohio, and graduated from

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

's Ursuline Academy in 1976.Kiesewetter, John
title = Kenwood native delves into criminal mind on ''Law & Order''
''

Cincinnati Enquirer ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'' is a morning daily newspaper published by Gannett in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. First published in 1841, the ''Enquirer'' is the last remaining daily newspaper in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, altho ...

''. November 18, 2001. She earned her undergraduate degree at the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

in 1980, and followed that with three degrees from

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

: an MA in English 1983, a MFA in Playwriting in 1986, and a PhD in

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...

, awarded in 1989.

Career

Past New York productions of her work include ''Mauritius'' on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre in a

Manhattan Theater Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Lynne Meadow has been the company’s Artistic Director and visionary since 1972. Barry Grove joined the company in 19 ...

production; ''The Scene'', ''The Water's Edge'', ''Loose Knit'', ''The Family of Mann'' and ''Spike Heels'' at

Second Stage Theatre Second Stage Theater is a non-profit theater company that presents work by living American writers both on and off Broadway. It is based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and is affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Founded in 1979 ...

; ''Bad Dates'' and ''The Butterfly Collection'' at

Playwrights Horizons Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit American Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work. ...

; and ''View of the Dome'' at

New York Theatre Workshop __NOTOC__ New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) is an Off-Broadway theater noted for its productions of new works. Located at 79 East 4th Street between Second Avenue and Bowery in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, it h ...

. '' Omnium Gatherum'' (co-written, finalist for the

Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...

in 2003) was featured at the Humana Festival, and had a commercial run at the Variety Arts Theatre in 2003. Her play ''The Understudy'', premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in the summer of 2008, with a cast including Reg Rogers,

Bradley Cooper Bradley Charles Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and three Grammy Awards. In addition, he has been nominated for twelve Acade ...

and Kristen Johnson, and ran in New York at the Roundabout Theatre from October 2009 – January 2010, featuring Julie White, Justin Kirk, and

Mark-Paul Gosselaar Mark-Paul Harry Gosselaar (; born March 1, 1974) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Zack Morris in the NBC series ''Saved by the Bell'' and both its sequel series, '' Saved by the Bell: The College Years'' and the 2020 Peacock o ...

in the cast. The off-Broadway and regional theatre hit comedy premiered in 2015 at Artists Repertory Theatre in Portland. Rebeck was attached as a book writer for the new musical ''Ever After'', based on the

Drew Barrymore Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, talk show host, and businesswoman. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she has received multiple List of awards and nominations received by Drew Barrymore, awards a ...

movie of the same name. That show was expected to start pre-Broadway tryouts in San Francisco in April 2009, but was postponed. Her play, ''

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

'', ran at the

Pasadena Playhouse Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engag ...

in California from March 27 through April 26, 2009. Her play ''

Seminar A seminar is a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some part ...

'' played on Broadway starting in October 2011, and starred

Alan Rickman Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016) was an English actor and director. Known for his distinctive deep, wikt:languid#Etymology 1, languid voice, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and b ...

. In May 2014 Seminar premiered in San Francisco at San Francisco Playhouse receiving outstanding reviews. Her play ''Fool'' premiered at the Alley Theatre, Houston, Texas, in February 2014. The theme of the play Seminar was women empowerment through sexuality and the struggles of what it is to be a female in an industry dominated by men. Her play ''Poor Behavior'' opened Off-Broadway at Primary Stages in August 2014. The play premiered at the

Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a 739-seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center designed by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of downtown Los Angeles. Named for real estate developer Mark Taper, the Forum, the neighborin ...

in 2011. In an article in ''

The 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 ...

'' in September 2007, she said that her plays were about "betrayal and treason and poor behavior. A lot of poor behavior."

Simonson, Robert Robert Simonson (born September 11, 1964) is an American journalist and author. Personal life Robert Simonson was born in Wisconsin; he has lived in Brooklyn since 1988. Career Robert Simonson began writing about cocktails, spirits and bars for ...

"An Acute Interest in Bad Behavior"
''The New York Times''. September 23, 2007. Rebeck's other publications include ''Free Fire Zone'', a book of comedic essays about writing and show business. She has written for ''American Theatre'' magazine and has had excerpts of her plays published in the '' Harvard Review''. Rebeck's first novel, ''Three Girls and Their Brother'', was published in 2008 by Random House/Shaye Areheart Books. She has received awards including the Mystery Writers of America's

, the

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is the name of two American labor unions representing writers in film, television, radio, and online media: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) is headquartered in New York City and is affiliated wit ...

Award for Episodic Drama, the Hispanic Images

Imagen Award The Imagen Awards are administered by the Imagen Foundation, an organization dedicated to "encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment industry." To be considered for an Imagen Award, a media piece or person ...

, and the

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

, all for her work on ''

NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble ca ...

''. She has won the National Theatre Conference Award (for ''The Family of Mann''), and was awarded the William Inge New Voices Playwriting Award in 2003 for ''The Bells''. ''Mauritius'' was originally produced at Boston's Huntington Theatre, where it received the 2007 IRNE Award for Best New Play as well as the Elliot Norton Award. In 2010, Rebeck was honored with the

PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award The PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award, commonly referred to as the PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award, is awarded by the PEN America (formerly PEN American Center). It annually recognizes two American playwrights. A medal is given ...

for an American playwright in mid-career. In television, Rebeck has written for '' Dream On'', ''

Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It w ...

'', ''

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher for NBC. It ran for eight seasons and List of L.A. Law episodes, 172 episodes from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. The series cente ...

'', '' American Dreamer'', '' Maximum Bob'', '' First Wave'', and ''

Third Watch ''Third Watch'' is an American crime drama television series created by John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero that aired on NBC from September 23, 1999, to May 6, 2005, with a total of 132 episodes spanning over six seasons. It was produced ...

''. She has been a writer/producer for ''Canterbury's Law'', ''Smith'', '' Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' and ''

''. Through March 2012 she was one of the executive producers for the NBC musical series '' Smash'', which she created, and which also debuted on February 6, 2012. Her produced feature film screenplays include '' Harriet the Spy'', ''Gossip'', and the independent feature ''Sunday on the Rocks''.

Academic

Rebeck is a board member of The Dramatists Guild and the Lark Play Development Center in New York City, and has taught at Brandeis University and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. From 2014 through 2023 she was a Distinguished Professor of Playwriting and the Lyndall Finley Wortham Chair in the Performing Arts in th
McGovern College of the Arts
at the University of Houston.Acclaimed Playwright Theresa Rebeck Joining UH School of Theatre & Dance
by Mike Emery. University of Houston News & Events, June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.

Personal life

Rebeck is married, residing with her husband, Jess Lynn, and two children, Cooper and Cleo in

Park Slope, Brooklyn A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...

. ''Three Girls and their Brother'' is dedicated to both Cooper and Cleo.

Works

Theatre

Her other work as a playwright includes:

Television

Film

Awards and nominations

Bibliography

Fiction

*''I'm Glad About You'' (2016) *''Twelve Rooms with a View'' (2011) *''Three Girls and Their Brother: A Novel by Theresa Rebeck'' (2009)

Non-fiction

*"Free Fire Zone: A Playwright's Adventures on the Creative Battlefields of Film, TV, and Theater" (2007) Volumes * * *

References

External links

* * *
Who's Who entry
from ''

Playbill ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for Audience, theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the ...

''
Channeling Theatre: A Chat with Theresa Rebeck
a January 2004 ''

'' article
Her Notre Dame study theatre work in the late 1970s
from the university's website
Theresa Rebeck
at Random House
Theresa Rebeck: "I Am a Populist"
an L Magazine article from December 11, 2009 {{DEFAULTSORT:Rebeck, Theresa 1958 births Living people 21st-century American novelists 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights Screenwriters from Ohio Television producers from Ohio American women television producers American television writers American women novelists Brandeis University alumni Edgar Award winners University of Notre Dame alumni Writers from Cincinnati American Roman Catholic writers American women dramatists and playwrights American women screenwriters American women television writers People from Hamilton County, Ohio Writers Guild of America Award winners 21st-century American women writers 20th-century American women writers Novelists from Ohio 20th-century American screenwriters 21st-century American screenwriters