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John J King

John J King is part Texan and part Tyrannosaur, and lives in Providence where he writes plays, stories, music, and videos. His mission: To Create and Spread Delight.

John J King is part Texan and part Tyrannosaur, and lives in New York City where he makes plays, jokes, stories, and songs, often all at once. He has a B.A. in Theatre & English from SUNY Boondocks, and an accent from his mama. His mission: To Create and Spread Delight.

In 2020, John’s play 7 MINUTES reached the finalist shortlist for Shakespeare’s New Contemporaries Cycle 3 at the American Shakespeare Center, and was a finalist for the National Playwrights Conference at the O’Neill Theater Center. His web series HOME OFFICE – created and written with his wife – about a couple learning to work from home together during lockdown, received rave reviews from the Boston Globe, and WBUR’s The Artery.

In January 2019, John’s play MARTHA’S (B)RAINSTORM: A BOSTON FAIRY TALE, was awarded the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Fellowship in Dramatic Writing. John served as the inaugural Playwright in Residence at the Boston Public Library, 2017 - 2018, and is a proud alum of the Huntington Playwriting Fellows.

John’s newest play, MUSEUM PIECE, a farce about institutional (personal, and national) diversity, was developed at Speakeasy Stage Company, part of the 2019-20 Boston Project.

Plays include: 7 MINUTES (Finalist, Shakespeare’s New Contemporaries), BLUESHIFT (O'Neill Theatre Center National Playwrights' Conference Finalist, 2016); FROM DENMARK WITH LOVE (IRNE nomination: Best New Play); an adapted libretto for Marschner’s Gothic opera DER VAMPYR. He is currently finishing book, lyrics and music for his glam-rock opera THE RISE & FALL OF OEDIPUS T REX & THE GOAT SONG OF THEBES.

 

A floating jellyfish-like figure made out of a large sheet and plastic bags. The lighting is pink with the word mixtape on the sheet.
It's Not Easy Being Green
Essay

It's Not Easy Being Green

14 September 2021

Playwright John J King shares his experience with and advice for centering sustainability in theatre productions.

two actors onstage
A Playwright’s Guide to Self-Producing: Part II
Essay

A Playwright’s Guide to Self-Producing: Part II

3 March 2020

In the second half of this two-part deep dive, playwright John J King continues his exploration into self-producing, looking at the production phase and marketing.

an actor onstage
A Playwright’s Guide to Self-Producing: Part I
Essay

A Playwright’s Guide to Self-Producing: Part I

2 March 2020

In the first half of this two-part deep dive, playwright John J King looks at the world of self-producing, touching on building a mission statement, budget concerns, and the script development process.

You Have One New Message
Essay

You Have One New Message

Rethinking Our Response to Cell Phones in the Theatre

21 October 2015

Playwright John J King proposes that instead of scolding and shaming audience members who don’t follow cell phone rules in the theatre, we as a community should spend more time orienting new attendees to our world.