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Aaron Posner

AARON POSNER

  
Nationality:    USA
facebook     email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    Abrams Artists Agency  

Aaron is a playwright, director, teacher and consultant. He is the Co-Founder, former artistic director, and current resident director of Philadelphia's Arden Theatre, where he has directed more than 40 productions over the last 18 years. He directs nationally at the Folger Theatre (where he received a Helen Hayes Award for his direction of the TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA), Seattle Rep, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Arizona Theatre Company, and many others. His most recent adaptation, A MURDER, A MYSTERY & A MARRIAGE is currently playing at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. His adaptation of Chaim Potok's the CHOSEN has been performed throughout the country, and won a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play. Aaron lives in Philadelphia, is originally from Eugene, Oregon, and graduated from Northwestern University.

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below is a list of Aaron Posner's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Brief Interviews With Hideous Men         Chosen, The         Cyrano         Gift of Nothing, The         Life Sucks (Or the Present Ridiculous)         Murder, A Mystery And A Marriage, A         My Name Is Asher Lev         No Sisters         Sometimes A Great Notion         Stupid Fucking Bird         Tempest, The         Who am I This Time? (& Other Conundrums of Love)
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men

Synopsis:
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Notes:
Written by Michael Hollinger, Scott Greer; Tony Lawton And Aaron Posner. Adapted from the short story collection by David Foster Wallace

1st Produced:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
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Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Chosen, The

Synopsis:
A standing-room-only hit wherever it has played, this award-winning adaptation from the award-winning novel is the story of two boys, two fathers and two very different Jewish communities-"five blocks and a world apart"-in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn, in the 1940s. Set against the backdrop of WW II, the revelation of the Holocaust, and the desperate struggle of Zionism, the CHOSEN remains not essentially political or religious but deeply human. Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders are both passionate and intelligent young men. When Reuven is injured by Danny during a heated baseball game between their rival yeshivas, a unique friendship is born. As the boys grow to manhood, they are forced to learn important lessons about each other, their fathers and themselves. This is a story of friendship, family and difficult choices that we must all make on the path to understanding, respect and reconciliation.

Notes:
written by Posner, Aaron And Potok, Chaim

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY,    

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Drama, full length

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Cyrano

Synopsis:
This romance of 17th-century swashbuckling France centers on a fascinating and poignant love triangle. Cyrano secretly adores Roxanne but fears she could never share the sentiment because of his legendary nose. Instead, he uses his gift for wit and wordplay to help his tongue-tied friend Christian woo her. Will she be won by Christian's appearance or Cyrano's soul?
- dctheatrescene.com

Notes:
Original Playwright - Edmond Rostand; Translated by Michael Hollinger; Adapted by Michael Hollinger And Aaron Posner

1st Produced:
Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol Street, Se Washington, Dc     01 May 2011

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

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
adaptation 155 min

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Gift of Nothing, The

Synopsis:
Today is a very, very merry special day! Mooch, a charming and curious cat, wants to get the purr-fect holiday gift for his best friend Earl, a loveable pup. But Earl already seems to have all he needs: a bowl, a bed, and a squeaky chew toy. So what do you get someone who has everything? Well, nothing, of course! Based on characters in the beloved internationally syndicated comic strip MUTTS, this world premiere musical adaptation of Patrick McDonnell's The Gift of Nothing follows Mooch's frantic and hilarious search to find Earl absolutely nothing--which always turns out to be something! Join the delightful duo, along with their owners Millie and Ozzie, cantankerous Frank, adorable Doozy, and an onstage pianist for this festive and heartwarming adventure.

Notes:
Based on the book by Patrick McDonnell with characters from McDonnell's comic strip MUTTS . Adapted by Patrick McDonnell, Aaron Posner, and Erin Weaver . Music and lyrics by Andy Mitton

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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
TYA 60 min

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Life Sucks (Or the Present Ridiculous)

Synopsis:
Award-winning local writer-director Aaron Posner (Stupid, F**king Bird, The Chosen) debuts his latest, loosely inspired by Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. As in that Russian melancholic masterpiece, no one is satisfied with their lives -- not the gorgeous, desirable woman who considers herself deeply misunderstood, nor the middle-aged man who's all too aware of his own shortcomings. And then there's the not-so-pretty girl whose beauty shines from within. Billed as both poignant and hilarious, Life Sucks (Or the Present Ridiculous) receives its world premiere at Theater J.

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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Murder, A Mystery And A Marriage, A

Synopsis:
Mary Gray is the prettiest girl in Deer Lick, Missouri, and shy Hugh Gregory loves her as much as she loves him. Sally, Mary's mother, is happy for her daughter and convinces Mary's father, John, that Hugh is perfect for Mary. Unfortunately, John does not get along with his rich brother David, and on the eve of the wedding, David reveals that he is leaving his entire fortune to Mary in his will-on the condition that she never marry Hugh! No sooner is the ink dry than David is found dead. Who done it? Was John trying to hurry his daughter's inheritance? Could Hugh have killed David for straining his relationship with Mary? What about the mysterious stranger claiming to be a Count from Kansas? the sheriff believes Hugh is the killer and the poor boy is convicted and sentenced to hang. But it is, of course, the stranger who done it, and he woos Mary while Hugh waits in vain for a pardon from the governor. the counterfeit Count finally wins Mary's hand, but on the day of the wedding, Mary-kept in the dark by the dastardly Count and her well-meaning parents-learns that Hugh is to be hanged the same day! Accompanied by the whole town, she runs to the jail, and with some detection that's more Dr. Watson than Sherlock Holmes, Mary figures out that the stranger is the killer. the Kansas Count is arrested, and Hugh and Mary are free to wed.

Notes:
book And lyrics by Aaron Posner, music by James Sugg

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 2010   

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
comedy Musical

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  2            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:
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My Name Is Asher Lev

Synopsis:
MY NAME IS ASHER LEV follows the journey of a young Jewish painter torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his desperate need to fulfill his artistic promise. When his artistic genius threatens to destroy his relationship with his parents and community, young Asher realizes he must make a difficult choice between art and faith. This stirring adaptation of a modern classic presents a heartbreaking and triumphant vision of what it means to be an artist.

Notes:
Based on the novel by Chaim Potok

1st Produced:
Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, Pa     2009

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, Inc. NY (2011)   

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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No Sisters

Synopsis:
Whilst "The Three Sisters" is being performed in a theatre next door those not on stage perform an entirely different play - "No Sisters" because they are on stage

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Studio Theatre, Washington D C     16 Mar 2017

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Sometimes A Great Notion

Synopsis:
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Notes:
Based on the book by Ken Kessey

1st Produced:
Portland Center Stage, Portland, Or     01 Apr 2008

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Stupid Fucking Bird

Synopsis:
The characters from Chekhov's "The Seagull" in today's world. They discover how disappointing life, art and growing up can be

Notes:
Aaron Posner, sort of adapted from The Seagull by Anton Chekhov

1st Produced:
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company     27 May 2013

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

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Tempest, The

Synopsis:
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Notes:
Songs by Kathleen Brennan; Tom Waits; book by Aaron Posner. Based on the play "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare

1st Produced:
U S tour     06 Jul 1905

Organisations:
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1st Published:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Who am I This Time? (& Other Conundrums of Love)

Synopsis:
The subject of this playas we are told at the outsetis love, pure and complicated. Set on the stage of The North Crawford Mask & Wig Club ("the finest community theatre in central Connecticut!"), three early comic masterpieces by Kurt Vonnegut (Long Walk to Forever, Who am I This Time? and Go Back to Your Precious Wife and Son) are sewn together into a seamless evening of hilarity and humanity. With a single set, wonderful roles for seven versatile actors, and Vonnegut's singular wit and insight into human foibles, this is a smart, delightful comedy for the whole family.

Notes:
adapted from stories by Kurt Vonnegut

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 2014   

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
comedy

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:
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