Brian Clark (playwright)
Encyclopedia
Brian Burgess Clark is a full time playwright
and playwright teacher. He is director of the Perry-Mansfield School of Arts theater program in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
. He was the bicentennial playwright for Worthington, Ohio
in the summer of 2003.
as a student in Worthington, OH. He acted throughout high school, and in 12th grade he wrote his own play, No More Green Beans, a children's musical
. Joel Haney, the school's choral music teacher assisted with the music and enlisted the school's drama teacher, Bronwynn Hopton to produce
the play.
. Bronwynn Hopton recruited him to write the Worthington, Ohio, bicentennial play for the summer of 2003. In 2001 and 2002, he wrote The Scioto Company, named after the company started by James Kilbourne
and the 99 founding settlers of Worthington, Ohio. He studied many historical documents and centered the play on Kilbourne's family life.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and playwright teacher. He is director of the Perry-Mansfield School of Arts theater program in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
. He was the bicentennial playwright for Worthington, Ohio
Worthington, Ohio
-Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase...
in the summer of 2003.
Early career
Clark was engrossed in theater since high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
as a student in Worthington, OH. He acted throughout high school, and in 12th grade he wrote his own play, No More Green Beans, a children's musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
. Joel Haney, the school's choral music teacher assisted with the music and enlisted the school's drama teacher, Bronwynn Hopton to produce
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
the play.
Later career
Clark graduated from the University of HawaiiUniversity of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. Bronwynn Hopton recruited him to write the Worthington, Ohio, bicentennial play for the summer of 2003. In 2001 and 2002, he wrote The Scioto Company, named after the company started by James Kilbourne
James Kilbourne
James Kilbourne was an American surveyor and politician from Ohio.Kilbourne was born in New Britain, Connecticut, and moved his family to Ohio in 1803, when he founded the city of Worthington, Ohio. In 1805 he was appointed United States surveyor of public lands...
and the 99 founding settlers of Worthington, Ohio. He studied many historical documents and centered the play on Kilbourne's family life.
Awards and nominations
- Clark won the 1996 William Inge Theater Festival "New Voice in American Theatre Award".
- The Touch won the 1999 Vermont Playwrights Award and the 1999 National Association of Speech and Dramatic Arts "Best Play" Award.
- Purple Hearts won the Mary Roberts RinehartMary Roberts RinehartMary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. She is considered the source of the phrase "The butler did it", although she did not actually use the phrase. She is considered to have invented the "Had-I-But-Known" school of mystery writing...
Award for Playwrighting and a Special Services Achievement Award from the United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. - (Pets), Part of the Family nominated for a 2000 EmmyEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
. - Ivory Alphabet won the 2000 Julie Harris Award.