Lucas Hnath

Hnath grew up in Orlando, Florida. He moved to New York City in 1997 to study pre-med,{{cite web|last=Tran|first=Diep|url=http://www.tcg.org/publications/at/issue/featuredstory.cfm?story=7&indexID=42|title=Lucas Hnath: Frustration Is the Point|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601202843/http://www.tcg.org/publications/at/issue/featuredstory.cfm?story=7&indexID=42|archive-date=June 1, 2016|work=American Theatre |date=March 2014|publisher=Theatre Communications Group. tcg.org|access-date=January 15, 2017}} and then changed to dramatic writing at the Tisch School of the Arts, at New York University, earning a BFA in 2001, and an MFA in 2002.[https://tisch.nyu.edu/alumni/alumni-news/2016-obie-award-winner-announced "Alumni: 2016 Obie Award Winners Announced"] May 27, 2016. Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. Retrieved 2017-01-15. He teaches at New York University.

He was a resident playwright at New Dramatists.{{Cite web|title = Lucas Hnath|url = http://newdramatists.org/lucas-hnath|website = New Dramatists|access-date = 2015-09-19}}

Red Speedo premiered Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop from February 17, 2016 to March 27, 2016. The play, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, won the Obie Award, Playwriting and Performance for Lucas Caleb Rooney. The play involves Ray, a competitive swimmer at the start of the trials for the Olympic team.[http://lortel.org/Archives/Production/6139 " Red Speedo Off-Broadway"] lortel.org, accessed October 8, 2016 Jesse Green, in his review for Vulture, wrote: "Hnath is never interested solely in the material repercussions of character... In Red Speedo, the underlying subject seems to be the cost of morality, which is generally too high for people like Ray... Hnath lightly suggests — he's too subtle to use the big hammer — that the immoral imbalance of our current economy is stripping us down to our animal skins. All we're good for is competition."Green, Jesse. [http://www.vulture.com/2016/03/theater-reviews-red-speedo.html "Theater Reviews: Danai Gurira’s 'Familia'r and Lucas Hnath’s 'Red Speedo'"] Vulture, March 3, 2016 The play opened at the Studio Theatre, Washington, DC, in 2013. The director of the production, Lila Neugebauer, explained: "...doping is just the arena for a conversation about what constitutes fairness, and the myth of equal opportunity."

His play A Doll's House, Part 2 premiered on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre on April 1, 2017 in previews and closed on September 24, 2017. Directed by Sam Gold, the cast featured Laurie Metcalf, Chris Cooper, Jayne Houdyshell, and Condola Rashād. The play was commissioned by South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California, where it was running at the same time, directed by Shelley Butler, beginning April 9, 2017.[http://www.scr.org/press-room/press-photos/press-16-17-season/press---a-doll's-house-part-2 A Doll's House Part 2] scr.org, retrieved April 7, 2017 This marked Hnath's Broadway debut.McPhee, Ryan. [http://www.broadway.com/buzz/186263/laurie-metcalf-chris-cooper-more-will-bring-lucas-hnaths-a-dolls-house-part-2-to-broadway/ "Laurie Metcalf, Chris Cooper & More Will Bring Lucas Hnath's 'A Doll's House, Part 2' to Broadway"] broadway.com, October 7, 2016 Hnath's play "picks up after Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House concludes."Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/article/laurie-metcalf-and-chris-cooper-will-star-in-broadways-a-dolls-house-part-2# "Laurie Metcalf and Chris Cooper Will Star in Broadway’s 'A Doll's House, Part 2'"] Playbill, October 7, 2016 The play was nominated for the 2017 Tony Award for Best Play and Laurie Metcalf won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play.[https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/lucas-hnath-507444/#broadway "Lucas Hnath"] ibdb.com, accessed March 18, 2019

His play Hillary and Clinton opened in previews on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre on March 16, 2019, officially on April 18. The play was directed by Joe Mantello and stars Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow. The play had pre-Broadway engagements starting in 2016 at the Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago.Clement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/hillary-and-clinton-starring-laurie-metcalf-and-john-lithgow-begins-on-broadway# " 'Hillary and Clinton', Starring Laurie Metcalf and John Lithgow, Begins on Broadway"] playbill, March 16, 2019Jones, Chris. [https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-hillary-and-clinton-play-ent-0412-20160411-column.html " 'Hillary and Clinton' review: When Bill tried to save Hillary"] Chicago Tribune, April 11, 2016

Dana H. premiered at the Kirk Douglas Theatre (Los Angeles) on May 26, 2019 in previews, officially on June 2, presented by the Center Theatre Group. The play relates a real-life incident in the life of his mother, Dana Higginbotham. The play is directed by Les Waters and stars Deirdre O'Connell. The play was commissioned by The Civilians (New York) and the Goodman Theatre (Chicago), played at the Goodman later in 2019, and premiered on Broadway in 2021.Meyer, Dan. [http://www.playbill.com/article/deirdre-oconnell-will-play-lucas-hnaths-mom-in-his-new-play# "Deirdre O’Connell Will Play Lucas Hnath’s Mom in His New Play"] Playbill, April 17, 2019

His play The Christians concerns influence and faith in a megachurch, with much of the cast being a church "spirit-raising choir". The plot concerns a pastor who discards traditional fundamentalist Christianity in favor of a more inclusive and universalist Christianity, which affirms the goodness in other religions, and the impact this has on his congregation.

It was produced at the Humana Festival of New American Plays (Louisville, Kentucky) in 2014[http://actorstheatre.org/shows/the-christians-2013-2014/ The Christians] actorstheatre.org, accessed May 1, 2016 and premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons on August 28, 2015 (previews), closing on October 25, 2015. Directed by Les Waters, the cast featured Andrew Garman as "Pastor Paul", Larry Powell as "Associate Pastor Joshua", Linda Powell as "Elizabeth", Phillip Kerr as "Elder Jay", and Emily Donahoe as "The Congregant". The play made its Chicago premiere at Steppenwolf Theatre Company on December 1, 2016, directed by K. Todd Freeman.Clement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/steppenwolf-casts-the-christians-and-straight-white-men# "Steppenwolf Casts 'The Christians' and 'Straight White Men'"] The Chicago Sun-Times reviewer called it a "thought-provoking play".Weiss, Hedy. [http://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/at-steppenwolf-christians-reveals-a-church-in-upheaval/ "At Steppenwolf, ‘Christians’ reveals a church in upheaval"] Chicago Sun-Times, January 3, 2017 Subsequently, it premiered in the San Francisco Bay Area at San Francisco Playhouse on January 24, 2017, directed by Bill English.Janiak, Lily. [http://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/SF-Playhouse-takes-The-Christians-seriously-10878151.php "SF Playhouse takes ‘The Christians’ seriously"] San Francisco Chronicle, January 23, 2017Janiak, Lily. [http://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/SF-Playhouse-takes-The-Christians-seriously-10878151.php "SF Playhouse takes ‘The Christians’ seriously"] sfgate.com, January 23, 2017Hurwitt, Sam. [http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/03/review-the-christians-in-san-francisco-grapples-with-issues-of-faith-loyalty/ "Review: ‘The Christians’ in San Francisco grapples with issues of faith, loyalty] The Mercury News'', 2017

The play was nominated for two 2016 Drama Desk Awards: Outstanding Play and Outstanding Actor in a Play, Andrew Garman.[http://lortel.org/Archives/Production/5977 The Christians] lortel.org, accessed May 1, 2016 The play was nominated for the 2016 Lortel Awards for Outstanding Play and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (Garman).[http://www.playbill.com/article/2016-lucille-lortel-awards-presented-tonight# 2016 Lucille Lortel Awards Presented Tonight"] Playbill, May 1, 2016 The play won the 2016 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play.Viagas, Robert. [http://www.playbill.com/article/bright-star-and-the-humans-win-top-2016-ny-outer-critics-circle-awards-com-347165# "Bright Star and The Humans Win Top 2016 NY Outer Critics Circle Awards"] playbill, May 9, 2016

• Death Tax,{{cite book|title=Death Tax|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nl-2MkkA1G4C|year=2013|publisher=Dramatist's Play Service|isbn=978-0-8222-2755-7}} 2012, 36th Humana Festival of New American Plays (Actors Theatre of Louisville); 2013, Royal Court Theatre (London)
• A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney,{{cite book| title=A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IOVZBAAAQBAJ&pg=PP1|date=25 August 2014|publisher=Dramatist's Play Service|isbn=978-0-8222-2993-3|pages=1–}} 2013, Soho Rep (Off-Broadway)
• Isaac's Eye,{{cite book|title=Isaac's Eye|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ReVZBAAAQBAJ|date=17 March 2014|publisher=Dramatist's Play Service|isbn=978-0-8222-2922-3}} 2013, Ensemble Studio Theatre{{Cite news |title=A New View Of Newton In 'Isaac's Eye' |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/02/15/172100118/a-new-view-of-newton-in-isaacs-eye |access-date=2025-04-14 |work=NPR |language=en}} (Off-Broadway)
• Red Speedo, 2013, Studio Theater (Washington, DC);Pressley, Nelson. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/studio-theatres-red-speedo-tests-the-waters-on-a-current-issue-doping/2013/09/26/304542c2-21fc-11e3-b73c-aab60bf735d0_story.html "Studio Theatre’s ‘Red Speedo’ tests the waters on a current issue: doping"] Washington Post, September 27, 2013 2016, New York Theatre Workshop (Off-Broadway);Clement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/lucas-hnaths-red-speedo-opens-tonight-com-386250# "Lucas Hnath's 'Red Speedo' Opens Tonight"] Playbill, March 6, 2016 2020, Overlook Press, {{ISBN|9781468310849}}
• The Christians, 2014, 38th Humana Festival of New American Plays (Actors Theatre of Louisville); 2015, Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway); {{Cite news|title = Lucas Hnath' s "The Christians" Tackles a Schism Among the Flock|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/theater/lucas-hnaths-the-christians-tackles-a-schism-among-the-flock.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 2015-09-03|access-date = 2015-09-19| issn = 0362-4331| first = Michael|last = Paulson}}{{Cite magazine|title = Lucas Hnath's American Strangeness|url = http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/09/07/divine-intervention|magazine = The New Yorker|access-date = 2015-09-19|quote = For all its control on the page, "The Christians" is about the uncontrollable, which is to say, how we imagine what life will look like once we enter the everlasting. }}{{Cite web|title = Believers Vs. Believers in Lucas Hnath's 'The Christians'|url = http://www.americantheatre.org/2014/08/13/an-interview-with-the-christians-playwright-lucas-hnath/|website = AMERICAN THEATRE| date=13 August 2014 |access-date = 2015-09-19}}{{Cite news|title = Theological Bombshells Land in Lucas Hnath's Humana Festival Play 'The Christians' |work= 89.3 WFPL|url = http://wfpl.org/review-theological-bombshells-land-lucas-hnaths-humana-festival-play-christians/|access-date = 2015-09-19|first = Erin|last= Keane|date= March 8, 2014 |quote=On the way out of the Pamela Brown on Friday night, I overheard patrons debating the theological points the play raises with an interest and urgency that affirmed both Hnath's approach to telling this particular story and the power, in general, of storytelling on stage. }}{{Cite news|title = The Christians review - a mature and elusive play about faith|url = https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/sep/18/the-christians-lucas-hnath-play-review|work = the Guardian|access-date = 2015-09-19|first = Alexis|last = Soloski|quote=Whether or not you believe in God, you should believe in Lucas Hnath.}} 2016, Overlook Press, {{ISBN|9781468310832}}
• Hillary and Clinton,{{cite web|url=http://victorygardens.org/our-season/hillary-and-clinton/|title=HILLARY AND CLINTON - Victory Gardens Theater|publisher=|access-date=29 August 2016}} 2016, Victory Gardens Theater (Chicago); 2019, John Golden Theatre (Broadway)
• A Doll's House, Part 2, 2017, South Coast Repertory (Santa Mesa, CA); 2017, John Golden Theatre (Broadway)
• Dana H., 2019, Kirk Douglas Theatre (Los Angeles, CA); 2021, Lyceum Theatre (Broadway)
• The Thin Place, 2019, 43rd Humana Festival of New American Plays (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway)
• The Courtship of Anna Nicole Smith (audio short play), 2020, [https://playingonair.org/new-releases/the-courtship-of-anna-nicole-smith Playing on Air]
• A Simulacrum 2023, Atlantic Theater Company - Stage 2 (New York/Off-Off-Broadway)

• 2018 Windham–Campbell Literature Prize in Drama{{Cite news|url=https://news.yale.edu/2018/03/07/yale-awards-eight-writers-165000-windham-campbell-prizes|title=Yale awards eight writers $165,000 Windham-Campbell Prizes|date=2018-03-07|work=YaleNews|access-date=2018-03-07|language=en}}
• 2017 Steinberg Playwright Award ("Mimi" Award), with a $50,000 monetary award{{cite news|last1=Chow|first1=Andrew|title=Ayad Akhtar and Lucas Hnath Win Steinberg Awards|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/theater/ayad-akhtar-lucas-hnath-steinberg-awards.html|work=New York Times|date=September 27, 2017}}
• 2015 Whiting AwardClement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/playwrights-anne-washburn-and-lucas-hnath-honored-with-whiting-award-grants-com-343719# "Playwrights Anne Washburn and Lucas Hnath Honored with Whiting Award Grants"] Playbill, March 9, 2015
• 2016 Obie Award for Playwriting for The Christians
• 2016 Joseph Kesselring Prize for The ChristiansClement, Olivia. [http://www.playbill.com/article/lucas-hnath-play-named-winner-of-kesselring-prize-com-364546# "Lucas Hnath Play Named Winner of Kesselring Prize"] Playbill, September 28, 2015
• 2015 Guggenheim Fellowship[http://www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/lucas-hnath/ "Lucas Hnath"] gf.org, retrieved January 18, 2017
• 2012 Whitfield Cook Award for Isaacs Eye[https://tisch.nyu.edu/about/directory/dramatic-writing/lucashnath "Lucas Hnath"] tisch.nyu.edu, accessed May 1, 2016
• Two Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Citations (2013 for Death Tax)

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• [http://lortel.org/Archives/CreditableEntity/45758 Internet Off-Broadway Database]

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Category:American male dramatists and playwrights

Category:Living people

Category:Writers from Orlando, Florida

Category:New York University faculty

Category:21st-century American dramatists and playwrights

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)