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Joel Drake Johnson

JOEL DRAKE JOHNSON

  
Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    Bret Adams Ltd  

Joel Drake Johnson is a resident playwright at Chicago's Victory Gardens Theater where three of his play have been produced: "Before My eyes" (Jeff nomination), "the end of the Tour" (Jeff nomination) and "Four Places" (a finalist in the National art's Club's Best New Play of 2006). all three plays were directed by SAndy Shinner. "the end of the Tour" was chosen for inclusion in the anthology "New Plays From Chicago" and was published once again by the Broadway Play Publishing Company. Johnson got his start as a writer at Chicago's critically acclaimed econo-art Theatre under the artistic direction of Lynn Baber, Barb Reeder and Marc Silvia who produced five of his plays. "as the Beaver", a critical and popular hit for Chicago's Zebra Crossing Theatre was also produced at the Burbage Theatre in La and the Vortex Theatre in Austin, TX. Other plays have been produced at the New Playwrights' Theatre in asHLAnd, Oregon; the West Bank Theatre and the ensemble Studio Theatre in NYC; Manbites Dog in Durham; the Road Theatre in La and the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Johnson won Illinois Arts Council grants for "Blind Hearts", "the Fall to earth" and "a Blue Moon". "a Blue Moon" was first produced at the Chicago Dramatists Theatre and, in the fall of 2002, it was nominated for best new work by the Joseph Jefferson Committee. the Jeff award winning production of "the Fall to earth" was first produced (in an extended run) by Steppenwolf Theatre (2004). It was published by Broadway Play Publishing in the fall of 2006. Steppenwolf Theatre subsequently commissioned Johnson to write "a Blameless Life" and "Tranquillity Woods" which they produced in the summer of 2005 and '07, respectively. Johnson is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Pen America Center and the Chicago Dramatists advisory board. He has taught playwrighting at Northwestern University, DePaul University and Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. He lives in Chicago and New Buffalo, Michigan where he is working on a third commission from Steppenwolf Theatre.

Research:    Member of the Dramatists Guild of America (as at 2015)

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below is a list of Joel Drake Johnson's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         22 Mistakes         As the Beaver         Before My Eyes         Blameless Life, A         Blind Hearts         Blue Moon, A         Boys Room, The         End Of the Tour, The         Fall To Earth, The         First Grade, The         Four Places         Guide For the Perplexed, A         Rasheeda Speaking         Tranquillity Woods

22 Mistakes

Synopsis:
A school teacher tries to help her physical trainer who is in an abusive relationship

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1st Produced:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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Genre:
Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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As the Beaver

Synopsis:
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Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     1994

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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Genre:
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Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Before My Eyes

Synopsis:
the loving - but often strained relationship between a gay man and his parents

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     1998

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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Genre:
Gay, full length

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Blameless Life, A

Synopsis:
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Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     2005

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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Genre:
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Parts:
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Further Reference:
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Blind Hearts

Synopsis:
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Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     1990

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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Genre:
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Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Blue Moon, A

Synopsis:
Carol is having a bad day, a horrible year and a terrible life.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     2002

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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Genre:
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Parts:
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Further Reference:
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Boys Room, The

Synopsis:
When the American Dream is out of reach, what is a man to do? In the Boys Room, ensemble playwright Joel Drake Johnson walks the line exquisitely between laughter and tears. Two middle aged brothers try to escape their responsibilities and race each other back to their boyhood bedroom-that sanctuary where they can dream and scheme without the pressure of the outside world. One is unemployed; the other is making a living but is not sure why he should live. the women in their lives are knocking on the door, filled with questions and, sometimes, love

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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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End Of the Tour, The

Synopsis:
Most of this play takes place in a nursing home where a disgruntled, flamboyant, elderly mother is recovering from a bad fall. With her middle aged, recently divorced daughter by her side, she awaits the arrival of her long estranged gay son who is bringing his lover for a brief tour of his hometown and his damaging past.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
Victory Gardens Theatre, Chicago

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
comedy Drama Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Fall To Earth, The

Synopsis:
a mother travels with her grown daughter to claim the body of her son who, after a disastrous flirtation in a local bar, checks into a motel and kills himself. the play explores the past and present relationship of mother to her son and estranged daughter.

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Broadway Publishing Company, 2006   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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First Grade, The

Synopsis:
Sydney a teacher tries to help her physical therapist but things get out of control involving her depressed daughter, her Ritalin addicted grandson, her ex-husband who still lives with her and a class of First Graders

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     2007

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Black comedy

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Four Places

Four Places
When Peggys two adult children take her out for lunch, they quietly begin to take apart her life. The drinks come fast, the tempers peak, the food flies.

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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
NorthWestern University Press 2009
Dramatists Play Service, Inc. NY (2016)   978-0810125742

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
comedy full length

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Guide For the Perplexed, A

Synopsis:
a prisoner is released and as part of his parole conditions he must live with his sister's husband. This Doug reluctantly does. then a woman he has been corresponding with whilst in jail turns up bearing gifts

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     2008

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Rasheeda Speaking

Synopsis:
This tense workplace thriller examines the realities of so-called post-racial when two co-workersone black, the other whiteare driven apart by the machinations of their boss. A chilling power struggle ensues that spins wildly out of control. RASHEEDA SPEAKING is an incisive and shocking dark comedy that keeps you in its claustrophobic grip until the final moment.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
The New Group at The Pershing Square Signature Center     27 Jan 2015

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, Inc. NY (2015)   978-0822233497

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Dark Comedy/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Tranquillity Woods

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-     2007

Organisations:
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1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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