Rob Urbinati

Rob Urbinati was born in Framingham, Massachusetts and currently resides in New York City.Courtney Kochuba, [https://www.breakingcharactermagazine.com/i-interview-playwrights-part-786-rob-urbinati/ "I Interview Playwrights Part 786: Rob Urbinati"], Breaking Character Magazine, September 18, 2015 He received a BA from the University of Massachusetts, an MA from the University of Nebraska Omaha and in 1994 was awarded a PhD in theatre arts from the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences.[https://cascade.uoregon.edu/spring2009/cas-alumni/alumni-page/index.html "In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Department of Theatre Arts – and in anticipation of their alumni reunion this fall – we share some notable successes of former theater students."], CAScade, Spring 2009

Plays written by Rob Urbinati include an adaptation of August Strindberg's 1888 play Miss Julie, Miss Julie in Hollywood (1993), produced in Seattle at Northwest Actors Studio in 1994, starring Heidi Schreck; Hazelwood Jr. High (1996), about the Murder of Shanda Sharer, which premiered at The New Group and starred Chloë Sevigny;{{cite news |last1=O'Toole |first1=Fintan |authorlink1=Fintan O'Toole |title=Jr. High: Growing Up is Murder |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/478107226 |access-date=September 20, 2019 |work=Daily News|location=New York|page=50|date=March 6, 1998}} Cruel and Barbarous Treatment (1999) based on the 1939 Mary McCarthy short story, at Gloucester Stage Company;Anne Marie-Donahue, [https://www.newspapers.com/image/428851612/ "Deft staging keeps bite in 3 stories"], Boston Globe, June 9, 2000 Karaoke Night at the Suicide Shack (2002)Michael Bracken, [http://www.alexandraaron.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Karaoke-review-2.jpg "Killing Them Softly], Newsday, April 25, 2003 and The Queen Bees (formerly named Shangri-La) (2006) at Queens Theatre;BWW News Desk, [https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/QT-to-Premiere-New-Musical-THE-QUEEN-BEES-20150416 'qt to premiere New musical THE QUEEN BEES"] BroadwayWorld, April 16, 2015 Rebel Voices (2006), an adaptation of Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove's Voices of a People's History of the United States at Culture Project with a rotating cast including Staceyann Chin, Steve Earle, Danny Glover, Lenelle Moïse, Rich Robinson, Lili Taylor, and Wallace Shawn;Marilyn Stasio, [https://variety.com/2007/legit/reviews/rebel-voices-1200554455/ "Rebel Voices"], Variety November 18, 2007 Murder on West Moon Street (2006) which was based on Lord Arthur Savile's Crime, an Oscar Wilde short storyGinia Bellafante, [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/01/theater/reviews/01moon.html "Lord Arthur Learns About Love and Death and the Importance of Being Insouciant"], The New York Times, May 1, 2007 and Cole Porter’s Nymph Errant (2001)Michael Sommers, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120721082443/http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/new-york-theater/review-nymph-errant-pops-up-in-new-york "Cole Porter's rarely-done 1933 musical arrives in a trim package"], New Jersey Newsroom, July 14, 2012Olivia Jane Smith, [http://newyorktheatrereview.blogspot.com/2012/07/olivia-jane-smith-on-nymph-errant-as.html "Olivia Jane Smith on "Nymph Errant" as presented by Prospect Theater Company"] New York Theatre Review, July 20, 2012 produced by the Prospect Theatre Company; UMW: University of Mostly Whites (2012) commissioned and produced by Linfield College;[https://www.linfield.edu/linfield-news/umw-makes-world-premiere-on-linfield-stage/ "UMW makes world premiere on Linfield stage"], Linfield News, March 5, 2013

File:Death by Design Poster.jpgDeath By Design (2010) written in a mash-up of styles of Noël Coward and Agatha Christie, commissioned and produced by Houston Family Arts Center;Jim Tommaney, [https://www.houstonpress.com/arts/delightful-by-design-rob-urbinatis-vivid-murder-mystery-death-by-design-at-hfac-6390672 "Delightful By Design: Rob Urbinati's Vivid Murder Mystery Death By Design at HFAC"], Houston Press, September 22, 2011 Mama's Boy (2013), based on the lives of Marguerite Oswald and Lee Harvey Oswald, which premiered at Good Theater in Maine (2015).April Boyle, [https://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/03/theater-review-mamas-boy-an-intriguing-play-about-oswald-family/ "Theater Review: Mama's Boy an intriguing play about Oswald family"] Portland Press Herald, November 3, 2015 Our Boy (2017) which premiered at the Minnesota Fringe Festival.Hee Han, [https://hpr1.com/index.php/arts-entertainment/theatre/our-boy-the-struggle-on-sex-crimes/ "Our Boy the struggle on sex crimes"], High Plains Reader, August 2, 2017 Zombie Holiday! which premiered at Stageworks in Texas in 2022, and Zombie Summer Holiday! which premiered at Seattle Central College in 2023.

Jane Austen's Lady Susan premiered at the Good Theatre in Portland, Maine in 2021.{{cite web |last1=Verdino-Süllwold |first1=Carla Maria |title=BWW Review: Good Theater Reopens with Scintillating World Premiere of Rob Urbinati's LADY SUSAN |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/maine/article/BWW-Review-Good-Theater-Reopens-with-Scintillating-World-Premiere-of-Rob-Urbinatis-LADY-SUSAN-20211022 |website=Broadway World |access-date=2 December 2021 |language=en |date=22 Oct 2021}} Hazelwood Jr. High, Murder on West Moon Street, Mama's Boy and Death By Design (as well as an alternate version with songs by Peter Mills) and Jane Austen's Lady Susan are published by Samuel French. Cole Porter’s Nymph Errantis published by Broadway Licensing. His plays have received over three hundred productions worldwide.

Urbinati’s adaptation of William March and Maxwell Anderson’s The Bad Seed was presented in 2019 as a benefit reading for The New Group, directed by Cynthia Nixon, featuring John Cameron Mitchell, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Joel Perez, Taylor Schilling, T. Ryder Smith, Wallace Shawn and Fred Weller.{{cite web |title=BAD SEED A One-Night-Only Reading To Benefit The New Group Announced |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/BAD-SEED-A-One-Night-Only-Reading-To-Benefit-The-New-Group-Announced-20191028 |publisher=BroadwayWorld |access-date=28 May 2021 |language=en |date=28 Oct 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Mutterperl |first1=Noah |title=Cynthia Nixon to Direct Benefit Reading of Bad Seed for The New Group |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/cynthia-nixon-to-direct-benefit-reading-of-bad-seed-for-the-new-group |publisher=Playbill |access-date=28 May 2021 |language=en |date=28 Oct 2019}}

His book, Play Readings: A Complete Guide for Theatre Practitioners (2015) is published by Focal Press/Routledge,{{cite book |author1=Rita L. Hubbard |title=Playwriting |date=2016 |publisher=Cavendish Square |location=New York |isbn=9781502622730 |page=48 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5HZmDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Play%20Readings%3A%20A%20Complete%20Guide%20for%20Theatre%20Practitioners%22&pg=PA48 |access-date=20 February 2021 |language=en |format=Hardcover}} who also published his article, Virtual Play Readings: A Model for Theatre Practitioners.{{cite web |author1=Rob Urbinati |author1-link=Rob Urbinati |title=Virtual Play Readings: A Model for Theatre Practitioners |url=https://www.routledge.com/blog/article/virtual-play-readings-a-model-for-theatre-practitioners# |publisher=Routledge |access-date=29 May 2021 |language=en |date=26 Sep 2020}}

In New York, Urbinati directed the world premieres Staceyann Chin’s Border/Clash for the Culture Project;Ernio Hernandez, [http://www.playbill.com/article/jamaican-journeys-to-new-life-in-new-york-in-border-clash-opens-off-broadway-june-16-com-126539 "Jamaican Journeys to New Life in New York in Border/Clash Opens Off Broadway June 16"], Playbill, June 16, 2005 Eric Bogosian’s Griller for the Lincoln Center Director's Lab; James Armstrong's Foggy Bottom, Jan Buttram's The President and Her Mistress and Al Letson’s Summer in Sanctuary at the Abingdon; Kirk Bromley's Syndrome at the Greenwich Street Theatre,Neil Genzlinger, [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/25/movies/theater-review-inside-view-of-tourette-s-as-a-lifelong-companion.html "THEATER REVIEW; Inside View of Tourette's as a Lifelong Companion"]The New York Times, January 25, 2002 Bromley and Jessica Grace Wing's Lost at the Connelly Theatre;Jesse McKinley, [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/11/theater/premiere-draws-a-crowd-and-tears-for-absent-composer.html "Premiere Draws A Crowd, And Tears, For Absent Composer"], The New York Times, August 11, 2003 and Anne DeSalvo's Mamma Roma at Cherry Lane Theatre.[http://annedesalvo.com/mamma-roma.html "Mamma Roma"]

Also in New York, Urbinati directed Villa Diodati for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, (and at York Theatre Company),BWW News Desk, [https://www.broadwayworld.com/long-island/article/Villa-Diodati-To-Be-Presented-at-45th-Street-Theatre-as-Part-of-NYMF-20080903 "Villa Diodati To Be Presented at 45th Street Theatre as Part of NYMF"], BroadwayWorld, September 3, 2008 Angel Street at Pearl Theatre Company;D. J. R. Bruckner, [https://www.broadwayworld.com/long-island/article/Villa-Diodati-To-Be-Presented-at-45th-Street-Theatre-as-Part-of-NYMF-20080903 "THEATER REVIEW; Sending Up Gaslight of '44 (With Emphasis on 'Gas')"], The New York Times, April 30, 1999Elyse Sommer, [http://www.curtainup.com/angelstr.html "A CurtainUp Review: Angel Street"], CurtainUp. Retrieved August 4, 2019 365 Days/365 Plays at The Public Theatre; Springtime at HERE Arts Center, The Man with the Flower in His Mouth at Classic Stage Company, and Minstrel Show, or the Lynching of William Brown at Connelly Theatre, and then in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Colorado.Naomi Siegel, [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/14theatnj.html "Transfixed With a Horror, a Play Doesn't Flinch"], The New York Times, October 14, 2007

Urbinati has directed at universities and colleges across the country including Concordia College in Minnesota, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Doane College in Nebraska, LaGuardia Community College in New York City, Clark University in Massachusetts,{{cite journal |title=Clark University's Columbinus |journal=The Pulse |date=3 November 2009 |url=http://thepulsemag.com/wordpress/2009/11/1109-clark-university’s-columbinus |access-date=21 February 2021 |publisher=Pagio, nc. |location=Worcester, MA |language=en}} University of Oregon,{{cite web |title=University Theatre |url=https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/458/IO_3Nov2003.pdf;jsessionid=99BAA5BFAB2367F922D72099A9C94F2A?sequence= |website=Inside Oregon |access-date=21 February 2021 |language=en |date=3 November 2003}} University of Nebraska Omaha{{cite news |author1=Madison Knopik |title="Death by Design" delivers a teaspoon of comedy and murder |url=https://unothegateway.com/death-by-design-delivers-a-teaspoon-of-comedy-and-murder/ |access-date=21 February 2021 |publisher=The Gateway |date=4 Mar 2014 |language=en}} and New York University, where he directed Jeff Whitty’s Suicide Weather.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

In Nebraska, he directed for Lied Center for Performing Arts, The Rose Theatre, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, Nebraska Repertory Theatre, and Blue Barn Theatre, where his adaptation of Toxic Avenger: the Musical premiered.Jane Palmer, [https://www.omaha.com/archive/newsbank/ "Hilarious adult fare Avenger makes debut"], Omaha World-Herald, July 10, 2004Jeff Korbelik, [https://journalstar.com/entertainment/blue-barn-giving-a-stage-life-to-toxic-avenger/article_bc381c76-90bd-5107-8020-8fbb067abb35.html "Blue Barn giving a stage life to Toxic Avenger"], Lincoln Journal Star, July 22, 2004

File:Queens Theatre (48613181573).jpg]]

Urbinati is Director of New Play Development at Queens Theatre, where he curates New American Voices (formerly Immigrant Voices Project), a new play program which develops plays by writers who represent the diverse demographic of New York City.{{cite news |author1=Steve Parks |title=Queens Theatre in the Park |url=https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/queens-theatre-in-the-park-1.520622 |access-date=21 February 2021 |publisher=Newsday |date=16 February 2005 |language=en}} IVP/NAV has presented readings, workshops, full productions and co-productions of new work by over eighty writers including, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Kristoffer Diaz, Rajiv Joseph, Qui Nguyen, Heather Raffo, Saviana Stănescu, Caridad Svich, Cori Thomas and Lauren Yee.{{cite web |title=Queens Theatre Launches Season Of New American Voices |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/amp/c.php?url=Queens-Theatre-Launches-Season-Of-New-American-Voices-20210225 |website=broadway world |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=25 February 2021}} At Queens Theatre, Urbinati has directed many plays including Marry Me A Little,{{cite web |author1=Elyse Sommer |title=A CurtainUp Review: Marry Me a Little |url=http://www.curtainup.com/marryme.html |website=CurtainUp |access-date=21 February 2021 |language=en}} Angel Street,{{cite web |author1=Kate Bobby |title=QTIP producing tour of 'Angel Street' |url=https://qns.com/2000/01/qtip-producing-tour-of-angel-street/ |website=QNS.com |access-date=21 February 2021 |language=en |date=6 January 2000}} Master Class,{{cite news |author1=Alvin Klein |author1-link=Alvin Klein |title=THEATER REVIEW; Onstage, a Diva's Diva Dazzles in 'Master Class' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/02/nyregion/theater-review-onstage-a-diva-s-diva-dazzles-in-master-class.html |access-date=21 February 2021 |work=New York Times |date=2 March 2003 |language=en}} and To Kill A Mockingbird.{{cite web |author1=BWW News Desk |title=Queens Theatre to Present Limited Engagement of Classic Stage Adaptation of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/Queens-Theatre-to-Present-Limited-Engagement-of-Classic-Stage-Adaptation-of-TO-KILL-A-MOCKINGBIRD-20151102 |website=Broadway World |access-date=21 February 2021 |language=en |date=2 November 2015}}

Since receiving a Directing Fellowship from The Drama League, he has served on their Nominating Committee and various Selection Committees. For The Drama League, he directed William Inge's The Boy in the Basement, the world premieres of Tom Grady's Global Village{{cite book |last1=Willis |first1=John |authorlink1=John A. Willis|title=Theatre World 1997–1998|date=2001 |publisher=Applause |page=131 |isbn=9781557834096 |access-date=September 20, 2019|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J0d7nS0Xxj0C&q=%22rob+Urbinati%22}} and Max Sparber's The Older Gentleman and Cruelties. He wrote the Drama League Benefits honoring James Earl Jones, Bernadette Peters, and David Hyde Pierce and beginning Fall 2020, became an Inaugural Member of the Drama League's Directors Council.{{cite web |author1=BWW News Desk |title=The Drama League Announces Formation of Directors Council Featuring Daniel Banks, Melia Bensussen and More |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/The-Drama-League-Announces-Formation-of-Directors-Council-Featuring-Daniel-Banks-Melia-Bensussen-and-More-20201112?fbclid=IwAR1_IFb4ehCNHbbROFVJVMuz0z1YthzRN845BzkBVxFZkmpfnO6UYqBCrpM |publisher=Broadway World |date=12 November 2020 |access-date=13 November 2020 |language=en}}

In March 2009, on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade to mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, the United Nations, in association with the Culture Project, presented Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum to which Urbinati contributed material. It was performed in the United Nations General Assembly Hall and directed by Kenny Leon, with Nile Rodgers as Musical Director, featuring Akon, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Izaline Calister, CCH Pounder, Toumani Diabate, Gilberto Gil, Salif Keita, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill T. Jones, Ky-Mani Marley, Phylicia Rashad, and Stew.{{cite journal |last1=Hetrick |first1=Adam |title=Breaking The Silence, Beating The Drum to Feature Stew, Rashad, Jones, Glover and Goldberg |journal=Playbill |date=March 10, 2009 |url=http://www.playbill.com/article/breaking-the-silence-beating-the-drum-to-feature-stew-rashad-jones-glover-and-goldberg-com-159169 |access-date=September 17, 2019}}

Urbinati trained, and received a certificate in Audio Description from the Audio Description Project for the American Council of the Blind, and has provided Audio Description for the Broadway productions of Death of a salesman, Ohio State Murders, Bob Fosse's Dancin', Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Gutenberg! The Musical!, Harmony, and for various theatre and dance productions at Queens Theatre, Dance/NYC and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.{{cite web |title=Virtual Short Play Reading: Death Bites |url=https://www.lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/show/title-virtual-short-play-reading-death-bites-59 |publisher=Lincoln Center |access-date=28 May 2021 |language=en}}

Urbinati has been a guest on many podcasts including Matt Baume’s Sewers of Paris,{{cite web |last1=Baume |first1=Matt |title=Attracted to Jesus (Ep 326 - Michelangelo & Judy Garland/Rob Urbinati) |url=http://www.mattbaume.com/sewers-shownotes/2021/3/11/attracted-to-jesus-ep-326-michelangelo-amp-judy-garlandrob-urbinati |website=The Sewers of Paris |date=March 11, 2021 |access-date=28 May 2021}} and Kyle Marshall’s Putting It Together.{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Kyle |title=Putting it Together |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/putting-it-together/id1435108436 |access-date=28 May 2021}} He was recently a panelist on "The 'Heart' of Audio Description" as part of The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences' "That's Voiceover Career Expo 2021."{{cite web |title=THE "HEART" OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION |url=https://www.sovas.org/thats-voiceover/schedule/ |website=Society of Voice Arts and Sciences |publisher=SOVAS |access-date=2 December 2021}}

Recently, Urbinati directed Al Letson’s The Centre Cannot Hold at the Hot Docs Festival in Toronto and the Five and Dime Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida.Dick Kerkes & Leisla Sansom, [https://eujacksonville.com/2019/07/08/the-centre-cannot-hold-al-letson/ "‘'The Centre Cannot Hold’' Another Outstanding Performance by Playwright, Poet, Journalist, Actor and Nationally Known Personality Al Letson"], EU Jacksonville, July 18, 2019

Urbinati's play, As A Mighty River, which he co-wrote with Melissa Maxwell, was selected for a workshop by the 2019 Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration at Texas State University, curated by Eugene Lee.{{cite web |title=2019 Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration, Texas State University, San Marcos, September 2 – 8, 2019 |url=https://ctxlivetheatre.com/news/20190817-2019-black-and-latino-playwrights-celebra/ |website=CTX Live Theatre |access-date=September 16, 2019 |date=September 1, 2019}}

Three productions he directed, Lost, Syndrome, and Border/Clash,Performing Arts Research Collections video recordings, [http://catalog.nypl.org/search~S61?/aUrbinati%2C+Rob./aurbinati+rob/-3%2C-1%2C0%2CB/exact&FF=aurbinati+rob+director&1%2C3%2C "Rob Urbinati, Director"] New York Public Library and one that he wrote, Hazelwood Jr. High,Performing Arts Research Collections video recordings, [http://catalog.nypl.org/search~S61?/aUrbinati,+Rob/aurbinati+rob/1%2C3%2C5%2CB/frameset&FF=aurbinati+rob&1%2C1%2C/indexsort=- "Rob Urbinati, Playwright"] New York Public Library were videotaped for the Billy Rose Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Rob Urbinati is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

He is a participating member of the Drama Desk Awards as well as a critic covering New York City area theater for EDGE Media Network.[https://newyork.edgemedianetwork.com/entertainment/theatre Theatre] EDGE Media Network

Urbinati has conducted numerous playwriting and directing workshops at various Regions of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and has previously served as Theatre Consultant for Home Box Office, Literary Manager for The Private Theatre and Artistic Adviser for Houston Family Arts Center.

He served on the Advisory Panel for the 2020 Queens Council on the Arts, Artist Commissioning Program.{{cite web |title=Meet the 2019-2020 Arts Commissioners |url=https://www.queenscouncilarts.org/2019-art-commissioners |website=Queens Council on the Arts |access-date=November 24, 2019}}

In 2007 the Prospect Theater Company production of Urbinati's Murder on West Moon Street was nominated for 8 New York Innovative Theatre Awards for Outstanding Full Length Play, Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role, 2 for Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role, Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role and Outstanding Costume Design. In the same year, the Queens Theatre production of his musical Shangri La was also nominated for 4 New York Innovative Theatre Awards for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Choreography/Movement, Outstanding Sound Design and Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role.Doug Strassler, [https://offoffonline.squarespace.com/offoffonline/410 what's on off-off], off off online, August 1, 2007[http://www.nyitawards.com/anr/2007honorees.asp "2007 IT Awards Nominees & Recipients"], September 24, 2007

The Culture Project's 2005 production of Staceyann Chin's Border/Clash directed by Urbinati was nominated for the 2006 GLAAD Media Award, Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway and Off-Broadway.{{cite web |last1=Lipton |first1=Brian Scott |title=The Color Purple, Rent, Swimming in the Shallows, et al. Nominated for GLAAD Media Awards |url=https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/the-color-purple-rent-swimming-in-the-shallows-et-_7528.html |website=TheaterMania |access-date=August 25, 2019 |date=January 24, 2006}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.facebook.com/rob.urbinati Official Website]
• [https://www.facebook.com/hazelwoodjrhigh/ Hazelwood Jr. High]
• [http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsU/urbinati-rob.html Doollee Playwright's Data Base]
• [http://queenstheatre.org/about-us#node-39 Queens Theatre Official Webpage]
• [http://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/298207-rob-urbinati Rob Urbinati] @ About The Artists
• [https://www.jfk.org/event/the-mamas-boy-project-marguerite-oswald-a-footnote-in-history/ The MAMA'S BOY Project | Marguerite Oswald: A Footnote in History] The Sixth Floor Museum

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Category:Living people

Category:American male dramatists and playwrights

Category:20th-century American dramatists and playwrights

Category:21st-century American dramatists and playwrights

Category:20th-century American male writers

Category:21st-century American male writers

Category:American theatre directors

Category:American musical theatre directors

Category:1952 births

Category:People from Framingham, Massachusetts

Category:Writers from Massachusetts

Category:University of Oregon alumni

Category:University of Massachusetts alumni

Category:University of Nebraska Omaha alumni