I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, went to Northwestern University, and have spent most of my life working in the professional regional theatre nationally, while living in Philadelphia, New Jersey and now outside of DC. I have been the Artistic Director of two LORT theatres, and am now an Associate Professor at American University. I am married to the exceptional actress and teacher, Erin Weaver, and have one wonderful daughter, Maisie.
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I have directed more than 100 productions at major regional theaters across the country including The Alliance Theatre, American Players Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Arden Theatre, Arena Stage, Artists Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Folger Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Imagination Stage, The Kennedy Center, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Round House Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, South Coast Rep, Two River Theater and more. 
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I’ve written about 20 plays, all (but one) of which are adaptations of short stories, novels, novellas, or plays. I think of my early adaptations as my Reverent Adaptations— where I made every effort to be true to the authors original intent. I think of my more recent work as my Irreverent Adaptations—where the original work is more of a launching pad for my own more… personal, idiosyncratic explorations. My plays have received over 400 productions including Off-Broadway (Asher Lev and Life Sucks), major international theatres, major American regional theatres, universities, high schools, community theatres, and all manner of amateur companies.
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My most produced play— a re-imaging of Chekhov’s The Seagull, entitled Stupid Fucking Bird— was one of the ten most produced plays in the country in 2015 and has had productions worldwide, including professional productions is Australia, Canada, Estonia, Luxembourg, and Sweden, with future productions planned for Argentina, England, Italy, Spain and elsewhere. It is produced and taught in theatre classes at numerous colleges every year and seems to have entered the American cannon of established plays.
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My other plays include JQA (the only fully original one), The Heal, Life Sucks, No Sisters, District Merchants, Who Am I This Time? & Other Conundrums of Love, The Chosen, My Name Is Asher Lev, Sometimes A Great Notion, Cyrano (with Michael Hollinger), A Murder, A Mystery & A Marriage (with composer James Sugg), The Gift of Nothing (with composer Andy Mitton), ME…JANE: The Dreams & Adventures of Young Jane Goodall (also with composer Andy Mitton), and also a number of others, but those were quite a long time ago. 
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I’ve won quite a lot of awards along the way, including six Helen Hayes Awards, two Barrymore Awards, The Outer Circle Critics Award, a Joseph Jefferson Award, an Elliott Norton Award, The Bay Area Theatre Critics Award, The John Gassner Prize, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award, and more.
 
I’ve been privileged to spend a life in the theatre— telling stories, exploring worthwhile texts with passionate collaborators, and inquiring into the essential nature and mystery of being a human being. I am grateful.

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