Peter Parnell (; born 1953) is an American Broadway and Off-Broadway

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

, television writer, and children's book author. Parnell is also Vice-President of the Dramatists Guild of America, the professional association of playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists.

Personal life

Parnell is gay and is married to the psychiatrist Justin Richardson. They live in Manhattan with their daughter.

Plays

* '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' - Disney Theatricals - music by

Alan Menken Alan Irwin Menken (born July 22, 1949) is an American composer and conductor. Over his career he has received List of awards and nominations received by Alan Menken, numerous accolades including winning eight Academy Awards, a Tony Awards, Tony ...

, lyrics by

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written hit musicals such as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin (musical), Pippin'' (1972), and ...

* ''

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on ''Berkeley Square'', written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been ...

'' - St. James Theater, Broadway - 2011 - starring Harry Connick Jr., Jessie Mueller, and David Turner * ''Trumpery'' -

Atlantic Theatre Company The Atlantic Theater Company is an Off-Broadway non-profit theater company based in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1985 by playwright David Mamet, actor William H. Macy, and a group of acting students, the compan ...

- 2007 ''Trumpery'' received its European and British premiere in Oxford, UK during June 2014. * '' QED'' -

Lincoln Center Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT ...

- starring Alan Alda - 2001 * ''The Cider House Rules, Part One'', adapted from John Irving's novel -

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 ...

Seattle Rep Seattle Rep (Seattle Repertory Theatre) is a major regional theater located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. Founded in 1963, it is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann.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 ...

Seattle Rep Seattle Rep (Seattle Repertory Theatre) is a major regional theater located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. Founded in 1963, it is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann.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. ...

- 1992 * ''Hyde in Hollywood'' -

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. ...

- 1989 * ''An Imaginary Life'' -

- 1993 * ''The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket'' - starring Thomas Hulce -

- 1984 * ''Romance Language'' -

- 1985 * ''Scooter Thomas Makes It to the Top of the World'' - National Playwrights Conference at the

Eugene O'Neill Theater Center The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company founded in 1964 by George C. White. It is commonly referred to as The O'Neill, seating just over 1,000 guests. The center has received two ...

, 1977; Alley Theater, Boston, 1981 * '' Sorrows of Stephen'' - The Public Theater - 1979

Television

* ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...

'', Season One - Executive Story Editor - 1999–2000 * ''The West Wing'', Season Two - Co-Producer - 2000–2001 * ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', Season One - Producer - 2001–2002 * '' Inconceivable'', Season One - Producer - 2005 * '' Six Degrees'', Season One - Consulting Producer - 2006–2007 * ''

BrainDead ''BrainDead'' is an American political satire science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Robert and Michelle King. The series stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Laurel Healy, a documentary film-maker who takes a job working for h ...

'' - Producer - 2017

Children's literature

* ''

And Tango Makes Three ''And Tango Makes Three'' is a children's book written by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson and illustrated by Henry Cole which was published in 2005. The book tells the story of two male penguins, Roy and Silo, who create a family together. ...

'' with Justin Richardson. The book tells the true story of two male penguins living in the Central Park Zoo who pair-bonded and together hatched a chick named Tango. The book has received numerous awards and was the single most challenged or banned book in the United States in the years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010. It remains one of the ten most banned books in several countries. * ''Christian, the Hugging Lion'', a children's book about the true story of

Christian the lion A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words ''Christ'' and ''Ch ...

Grants and awards

NEA, Guggenheim, Ingram Merrill and Lecomte de Nouy foundations; the Fund for New American Plays, Kennedy Center, American Theatre Critics' Association and Ovation awards for Best Play (for The Cider House Rules). For And Tango Makes Three" *

American Library Association Notable Children's Book American Library Association Notable lists are announced each year in January by various divisions within the American Library Association (ALA). There are six lists which are part of the larger list of ALA awards, ALA awards structure. * ''ALA No ...

- 2006 *

ASPCA The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing animal cruelty. Based in New York City since its inception in 1866, the organization's mission is "to provide effective mea ...

's Henry Bergh Award - 2005 * Gustavus Myer Outstanding Book Award- 2006 *

Nick Jr. Nick Jr. (sometimes disambiguated as Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon or Nick Jr. on Nick, and sometimes referred to as Nick, Jr.) is an American morning programming block that airs on Nickelodeon every weekday. It was launched on January 4, 1988. Nick ...

Family Magazine Best Book of the Year - 2006 * Bank Street Best Book of the Year - 2006 *

Cooperative Children's Book Council A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...

Choice, and CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book - 2006 *

Lambda Literary Award Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary Foundation, Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ+ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ+ literatur ...

finalist - 2006 * Sheffield Children's Book Award - shortlisted - 2008

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parnell, Peter 1953 births Living people 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights American children's writers American television writers American male television writers American LGBTQ dramatists and playwrights American gay writers Dartmouth College alumni American male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American male writers

Personal life

Plays

Television

Children's literature

Grants and awards

Further reading

References