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Joshua Harmon (playwright)

{{Short description|American playwright (born 1983)}}

{{For|the poet born 1971|Joshua Harmon (poet)}}

{{use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Joshua Harmon

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1983}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| occupation = Playwright

| education = Northwestern University {{small|(BA)}}
Carnegie Mellon University {{small|(MFA)}}
Juilliard School {{small|(GrDip)}}

| genre = Comedy, autobiography

| notableworks = Bad Jews
Admissions

}}

Joshua Harmon (born 1983) is a New York City-based playwright, whose works include Bad Jews{{Cite web|url=http://www.americantheatre.org/2014/04/13/an-interview-with-bad-jews-playwright-joshua-harmon-2/|title=An Interview With 'Bad Jews' Playwright Joshua Harmon|last=Uhry|first=Alfred|website=American Theatre|date=April 13, 2014 |access-date=2016-03-18}} and Significant Other,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/14/theater/with-significant-other-joshua-harmon-happily-writes-about-the-unhappy.html|title=With 'Significant Other,' Joshua Harmon Happily Writes About the Unhappy|last=Soloski|first=Alexis|date=2015-06-11|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-03-18}} both produced Off-Broadway by Roundabout Theatre Company.

Harmon is the recipient of two Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Play and two Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play. His plays have been produced on Broadway, off-Broadway, on the West End, and internationally in a dozen countries.

Early life and education

Harmon was born in Manhattan and was raised in Brooklyn and the suburbs (of New York). He is a graduate of Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Juilliard{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/10/16/playwright-joshua-harmon-on-what-inspired-bad-jews/|title=Playwright Joshua Harmon on What Inspired 'Bad Jews'|last=Lurie|first=Kathryn|website=WSJ|access-date=2016-03-18}} where he worked with playwrights Christopher Durang{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/joshua-harmon-may-be-a-student-yet-but-he-has-shown-his-playwriting-prowess/2014/12/02/7462bdaa-7a60-11e4-8241-8cc0a3670239_story.html|title=Joshua Harmon may be a student yet, but he has shown his playwriting prowess|last=Ritzel|first=Rebecca|date=2014-12-02|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=2016-03-18}} and Marsha Norman.

Work

Christopher Wallenberg, in The Boston Globe, wrote "...penchant for biting commentary suffuses Harmon’s fiercely funny yet poignant plays." Harmon said "I think I became really engaged by plays that are character-driven and that are grappling with some kind of moral question.”Wallenberg, Christopher. [https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-art/2016/09/07/one-loneliest-number-harmon-significant-other/PzmHdWwLdjce6KsqmsIwRO/story.html "One is the loneliest number in Harmon’s 'Significant Other'"] The Boston Globe, September 8, 2016

=''Bad Jews'' (2012)=

Bad Jews was the first play of Harmon's to be performed for longer than three nights.Losowsky, Andrew. [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/mar/13/joshua-harmons-bad-jews-theyre-doing-bag-checks-outside-the-theatre "Joshua Harmon's 'Bad Jews'"] The Guardian, March 13, 2015

After its success in 2012 in Roundabout Theatre Company's 63-seat black box theatre, Bad Jews transferred to the company's 420-seat theatre the next year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/mar/13/joshua-harmons-bad-jews-theyre-doing-bag-checks-outside-the-theatre|title=Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews: 'They're doing bag checks outside the theatre'|last=Losowsky|first=Andrew|date=2015-03-13|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2016-03-16}} Bad Jews went on to be the third most-produced play in America in the 2014–2015 season, and earned nominations for best play from the Outer Critics Circle{{Cite web|url=http://outercritics.org/award-results/awards-for-2012-2013-2/|title=AWARDS FOR 2012-2013|website=outercritics.org|access-date=2016-03-15|archive-date=August 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801061738/http://outercritics.org/award-results/awards-for-2012-2013-2/|url-status=dead}} and the Lucille Lortel awards.{{Cite web|url=http://lortelaward.com/2014nominees.htm|title=2014 Nominations|website=lortelaward.com|access-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508081340/http://www.lortelaward.com/2014nominees.htm|archive-date=2014-05-08|url-status=dead}} It also ran for five months on the West End in London at the Arts Theatre, after sold-out runs at London's St. James and Theatre Royal Bath, and has had productions in Australia,{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/can-i-call-it-that-the-play-that-drew-hate-mail-comes-to-melbourne-20150801-gio357.html|title=Can I call it that? The play that drew hate mail comes to Melbourne|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=August 7, 2015 |access-date=2016-03-18}} Canada, Germany, Israel,{{Cite web|url=http://www.cameri.co.il/en/perfs/1389|title=The Cameri Theatre of Tel-Aviv- Bad Jews|last=Tel-Aviv|first=The Cameri Theatre Of|website=www.cameri.co.il|access-date=2016-03-18|archive-date=April 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407014540/http://www.cameri.co.il/en/perfs/1389|url-status=dead}} Poland and South Africa.

=''Significant Other'' (2015)=

The Roundabout Theatre Company produced Significant Other Off-Broadway at the Laura Pels Theatre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/the-young-playwright-you-need-to-know#.dwoEY9B76|title=Meet The Next Big Thing In Theater|website=BuzzFeed|date=July 20, 2015 |access-date=2016-03-18}} The play premiered on May 16, 2015 in previews, officially on June 18, and closed on August 16, 2015. Directed by Trip Cullman, the cast featured Sas Goldberg, Gideon Glick, Carra Paterson, Lindsay Mendez, Luke Smith, John Behlmann and Barbara Barrie.Sommer, Elyse. [http://www.curtainup.com/significantother15.html "A CurtainUp Review. 'Significant Other'"] CurtainUp, June 12, 2015 The play involves the lives of four college friends and their search for relationships. It was included in the New York Times Top Ten Productions of 2015.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/theater/best-broadway-off-broadway-2015.html|title=The Best Theater of 2015|last1=Brantley|first1=Ben|date=2015-12-08|last2=Isherwood|first2=Charles|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-03-18}} Significant Other is forthcoming from Samuel French.{{Cite web|url=http://www.samuelfrench.com/p/15161/bad-jews|title=Search {{!}} Samuel French|website=www.samuelfrench.com|access-date=2016-03-15}} The play was produced by the SpeakEasy Stage Company, Boston Massachusetts, in September to October 2016. Harmon explained the premise: “How do you make life work for yourself when you feel that you’re not living the life you’re supposed to be living or want to be living? And how do you deal with that when the changes that you need to make are in some ways outside of your control?”Wallenberg, Christopher. [https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/theater-art/2016/09/07/one-loneliest-number-harmon-significant-other/PzmHdWwLdjce6KsqmsIwRO/story.html "One is the loneliest number in Harmon’s ‘Significant Other’"] The Boston Globe, September 8, 2016 Harmon further noted that he did not intend to write a comedy. “I honestly thought that I’d written the saddest play... I don’t write thinking about the comedy. I am genuinely always surprised when something winds up being funny.”Clement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/just-after-a-breakup-director-trip-cullman-found-his-next-significant-project# "Just After a Breakup, Director Trip Cullman Found His Next Significant Project"] Playbill, February 11, 2017

The play began previews on Broadway on February 14, 2017 at the Booth Theatre.Hetrick, Adam. [http://www.playbill.com/article/significant-other-with-gideon-glick-and-lindsay-mendez-aiming-for-broadways-booth# " 'Significant Other', With Gideon Glick and Lindsay Mendez, Aiming for Broadway’s Booth"] Playbill, July 23, 2016 Directed by Trip Cullman, the Off-Broadway cast reprised their roles for the Broadway production, with the exception of Patterson, who was replaced by Rebecca Naomi Jones.[http://www.playbill.com/production/significant-other-booth-theatre-2016-2017# " 'Significant Other' Broadway"] Playbill, retrieved February 12, 2017Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/article/casting-complete-for-broadways-significant-other# "Casting Complete for Broadway’s 'Significant Other'"] Playbill, October 14, 2016

= ''Ivanka: A Medea for Right Now'' (2016) =

On the eve of the 2016 presidential election, four theaters held staged readings of Ivanka: A Medea for Right Now a reimagining of the Greek tragedy Medea inspired by the daughter of presidential candidate Donald Trump.Evans, Suzy. [https://www.americantheatre.org/2016/10/27/ivanka-trump-as-medea-joshua-harmon-explains/# "Ivanka Trump as Medea? Joshua Harmon Explains. The ‘Bad Jews’ playwright responds to a miserable election season with a comic take on a Greek tragedy."] American Theatre, October 27, 2016.

= ''Admissions'' (2018) =

Admissions opened Off-Broadway at the Lincoln Center Theater, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater on

February 15, 2018, in previews, officially on March 12. Directed by Daniel Aukin, the cast includes Ben Edelman, Andrew Garman, Jessica Hecht, Ann McDonough and Sally Murphy. The play involves the values and ambitions of a couple who work in an exclusive school and their son.Clement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/joshua-harmons-admissions-begins-at-lincoln-center-theater# "Joshua Harmon’s 'Admissions' Begins at Lincoln Center Theater"] Playbill, February 15, 2018 The play received an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. The play won the 2018 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play,McPhee, Ryan. [http://www.playbill.com/article/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-my-fair-lady-win-big-at-2018-outer-critics-circle-awards# " 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child', 'My Fair Lady' Win Big at 2018 Outer Critics Circle Awards"] Playbill, May 7, 2018 and the 2018 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Play.[http://www.playbill.com/article/spongebob-squarepants-leads-2018-drama-desk-awards# " 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Leads 2018 Drama Desk Awards"] Playbill, June 3, 2018

=''Skintight'' (2018)=

Skintight is a play commissioned by the Roundabout Theatre Company. It premiered Off-Broadway at the Laura Pels Theatre from May 31, 2018 in previews, officially on June 21, 2018 to August 26, 2018. The play revolves around Jodi and her father, and "the nature of love."Clement, Olvia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/roundabout-announces-2017-18-off-broadway-season# "Roundabout Announces 2017-18 Off-Broadway Season"] Playbill, January 29, 2017 The play received the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award for 2017.Clement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/this-aint-no-disco-joshua-harmons-skintight-and-more-recipients-of-edgerton-foundation-new-play-awards# " 'This Ain’t No Disco', Joshua Harmon’s 'Skintight', and More Are Recipients of Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards"] Playbill, July 10, 2017 The play starred Idina Menzel as Jodi Isaac, and was directed by Daniel Aukin.[https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Skintight.aspx?_sp=6e21cbd8b792a9a1.1528130480236 Skintight] roundabouttheatre.org, retrieved June 4, 2018

= ''Prayer for the French Republic'' (2022) =

Prayer for the French Republic opened Off-Broadway at the New York City Center on February 1, 2022 in a production by the Manhattan Theatre Club. Directed by David Cromer, the cast starred Betsy Aidem, Yair Ben-Dor, Francis Benhamou, Ari Brand, Pierre Epstein, Peyton Lusk, Molly Ranson, Nancy Robinette, Jeff Seymour, Kenneth Tigar, and Richard Topol.{{Cite web |title=Prayer for the French Republic |url=https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/shows/2021-22-season/prayer-for-the-french-republic/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Manhattan Theatre Club |language=en-US}} The show follows five generations of a Jewish family living in France as they deal with anti-Semitism and the repeated question of "Are we safe?" The play won the 2022 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, the 2022 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, and the inaugural Theater J Trish Vradenburg Jewish Play Prize.

On June 1, 2023, it was announced that the Manhattan Theatre Club would be producing the play on Broadway at its Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, with Cromer returning to direct and performances set to begin December 19, with an opening night of January 9, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Culwell-Block |first=Logan |date=June 1, 2023 |title=Joshua Harmon's Prayer for the French Republic Sets 2023 Broadway Bow via Manhattan Theatre Club |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/joshua-harmons-prayer-for-the-french-republic-sets-2023-broadway-bow-via-manhattan-theatre-club |access-date=June 1, 2023 |website=Playbill}}{{Cite news |last=Paulson |first=Michael |date=2023-06-01 |title='Prayer for the French Republic' Transferring to Broadway |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/theater/prayer-for-the-french-republic-broadway.html |access-date=2023-06-01 |issn=0362-4331}} The play was nominated for 3 Tony Awards, for Best Play, Best Actress and Best Lighting Design.

Honors

He received a 2024 Guggenheim fellowship.

He was Playwright in Residence at the 2013 National Playwrights Conference of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center (Waterford, Connecticut).[http://www.theoneill.org/summer-conferences/npc/2013-conference/ "2013 Conference"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512115832/http://www.theoneill.org/summer-conferences/npc/2013-conference |date=May 12, 2016 }} theoneill.org, accessed July 24, 2016

He was in residence at SPACE at Ryder Farm in Brewster, New York.[http://www.spaceonryderfarm.org/blog/ariel-burger-kelly-goeller-jason-shelton-and "The month of July at Ryder Farm"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820180457/http://www.spaceonryderfarm.org/blog/ariel-burger-kelly-goeller-jason-shelton-and |date=August 20, 2016 }} spaceonryderfarm.org, July 8, 2012

While at the MacDowell Colony (Peterborough, New Hampshire) he started writing Bad Jews. He was the 2010–2011 National New Play Network Playwright-in-Residence at Actor's Express, Atlanta, Georgia.[https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/Shows-Events/Bad-Jews/Bad-Jews-Cast---Creative.aspx "Joshua Harmon Biography"] roundabouttheatre.org, accessed July 24, 2016 He also worked on Bad Jews while in residence.Harmon, Joshua. [http://www.broadway.com/buzz/172064/joshua-harmon-on-how-his-family-helped-him-develop-bad-jews-a-very-strange-little-jewish-play/ "Joshua Harmon on How His Family Helped Him Develop 'Bad Jews', a 'Very Strange Little Jewish Play'"] broadway.com, October 1, 2013

Awards

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

Golubcow, Saul. 12-1-2015. "Bad Jews": A Personal Review. Washington Jewish Week.

External links

  • {{IOBDB name|43295}}
  • {{IBDB name|509697}}

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Category:21st-century American dramatists and playwrights

Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

Category:American male dramatists and playwrights

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:Writers from New York City

Category:Northwestern University alumni

Category:Carnegie Mellon University alumni

Category:Juilliard School alumni