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Tom Horan

Playwright, Sound Designer, and Educator

Tom Horan is a Writer and Sound Designer, who serves as the Playwright-in-Residence at the Phoenix Theatre. Productions include THE PILL, about the four people responsible for creating the Birth Control Pill. TYPHOID MARY, the wild tale of the woman behind the term, ACID DOLPHIN EXPERIMENT, a kaleidoscopic look at the life of John C. Lilly, LEYENDA, a collaborative creation based off folk tales, and STATIC, a looping ghost story. His works have been developed by at the Chicago Dramatists, the Source Festival, Stage West Theatre, the Kennedy Center MFA Workshop, the Lark Play Development Center and the National New Play Network. His experimental work has appeared in FronteraFest, Indy Fringe, Great Small Works, the Fusebox Festival and earned Austin Critic’s Circle Awards. Additionally, Tom is a playwriting Professor at Ball State University.

black and white photo of two people standing at a wall with several papers on it
Does the World Need More Undergraduate Playwrights?
Essay

Does the World Need More Undergraduate Playwrights?

15 July 2020

Playwriting professor Tom Horan talks about a recent dilemma he faced at his university: Should he add an official playwriting option for his students? Would that be ethical? In this piece, he presents his arguments for and against, and discloses his decision.

An Indianapolis Hub for New Work
Essay

An Indianapolis Hub for New Work

Phoenix Theatre

19 February 2014

In this installation, sound designer and playwright Tom Horan interviews Artistic Director Bryan Fonseca about the history and current status of the Phoenix Theatre.

A Playwright Resides
Essay

A Playwright Resides

29 December 2013

Playwrights, literary managers, and artistic directors respond to Tom Horan’s questions: What is a Playwright-in-Residence and what could it be? 

A performer onstage.
Script Designer
Essay

Script Designer

22 November 2012

Tom Horan explains the purpose of a "script designer," and shares why playwrights possess more than one skill.