John Patrick Shanley (born October 13, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''

Moonstruck ''Moonstruck'' is a 1987 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and co-produced by Norman Jewison, written by John Patrick Shanley, and starring Cher, Nicolas Cage, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis, and Vincent Gardenia. The film follows L ...

''. His play, '' Doubt: A Parable'', won the 2005

Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...

and the 2005

Tony Award for Best Play The Tony Award for Best Play (formally, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award given to the best new (non-musical) play on Broadway, as determined by Tony Award voters. There was no award in the Tonys' first yea ...

; he wrote and directed the film adaptation and earned a nomination for the

Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay Film adaptation, adapted from previously established material. The most frequently adapted media are novels, but other adapted narrative formats include st ...

Early life and education

Shanley was born into an Irish-American family in

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. His mother worked as a telephone operator, and his father was a meat-packer. The neighborhood Shanley grew up in was considered very rough.Witchel, Alex
"The Confessions of John Patrick Shanley"
''The New York Times'', November 7, 2004 Shanley's academic career did not begin well, but ultimately he graduated from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

with honors.Saito, Stephen
"IFC Interview: John Patrick Shanley on 'Doubt'"
ifc.com, December 12, 2008 In his program bio for the Broadway production of '' Doubt: A Parable'', he mentions that he was "thrown out of St. Helena's kindergarten, banned from St. Anthony's hot lunch program and expelled from Cardinal Spellman High School." He was heavily influenced by one of his first teachers, Sister

Margaret McEntee Margaret C. McEntee SR. SC., also known by her confirmation name Marita James, (born July 10, 1935) is an American Catholic religious sister and educator who is known as being the inspiration for the character of Sister James in the Pulitzer Pr ...

, on whom he based the character of Sister James in his play, ''Doubt''. While at Cardinal Spellman High School, he saw two school productions that influenced him: ''The Miracle Worker'' and ''Cyrano de Bergerac''. After his freshman year at New York University, Shanley was put on academic probation. He then enlisted in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

, serving in a stateside post during the Vietnam War. Following his military service, he wrote a novel, then burned it, and returned to the university with the help of the

G.I. Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

, and by supporting himself with a series of jobs: elevator operator, house painter, furniture mover, locksmith, bartender. He graduated from New York University as valedictorian in 1977, with a degree in Educational Theatre, and is a member of the

Ensemble Studio Theatre The Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) is a non-profit membership-based developmental theatre located in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. It has a dual mission of nurturing individual theatre artists and developing new American plays. Overview The E ...

Career

An Evening With John Patrick Shanley (16709004047)

Shanley is the author of more than 23 plays, which have been translated and performed around the world, including 80 productions a year in North America. He has often directed his own productions. He has also written for film; his second film, ''

'' (1987), stars

Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. Born into the Coppola family, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Gui ...

and Cher, and won three

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, including one for his screenplay. In 1990, Shanley directed his script of '' Joe Versus the Volcano.'' Shanley also wrote two songs for the movie: "Marooned Without You" and "The Cowboy Song." He wrote the screenplay for the film ''Congo'' (1995), which was based on the Michael Crichton book. His play '' Doubt: A Parable'' ran on Broadway from March 31, 2005, to July 2, 2006, and won four 2005

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

(including Best Play), the Drama Desk Award (including Outstanding Play) and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Shanley directed the 2008 film version, which starred

Meryl Streep Mary Louise Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Often described as "the best actress of her generation", Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throu ...

Philip Seymour Hoffman Philip Seymour Hoffman (July 23, 1967 – February 2, 2014) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive supporting and character roles—typically lowlifes, eccentrics, underdogs, and misfits—he acted in many films and theatrical produ ...

Amy Adams Amy Lou Adams (born August 20, 1974) is an American actress. Known for both her comedic and dramatic roles, she has been featured three times in annual rankings of the world's highest-paid actresses. She has received various accolades, incl ...

and

Viola Davis Viola Davis (; born August 11, 1965) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Tony Awards, she is the only African-American to achieve the Triple Crow ...

. The screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award, and the

Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay The Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is one of the three screenwriting Writers Guild of America Awards, focused specifically for film. The Writers Guild of America began making the distinction between an original screenpl ...

.''Doubt: A Parable'', is featured in ''The Fourth Wall'', a book of photographs by

Amy Arbus Amy Arbus (born April 16, 1954) is an American photographer. She teaches portraiture at the International Center of Photography, Anderson Ranch, NORD photography and the Fine Arts Work Center. She has published several books of photography, inclu ...

for which Shanley also wrote the foreword. In 2012, Shanley wrote the libretto for an opera version of '' Doubt: A Parable'', which premiered at the

Minnesota Opera Minnesota Opera is a performance organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded as the Center Opera Company in 1963 by the Walker Art Center, and is known for premiering such diverse works as ''Where the Wild Things Are'' by Oliver ...

in January 2013, with music by

Douglas J. Cuomo Douglas J. Cuomo (born February 13, 1958) is an American television composer. Biography Born in Tucson, Arizona, raised in the San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco ...

. Until then, his experience with opera was not extensive; he had attended a few performances and had listened to recordings. As he worked on the libretto, using many lines that come directly from the play, he describes that his enthusiasm for the form grew. Also in 2012, his play ''Storefront Church'' ran Off-Broadway in a production by the Atlantic Theater Company. The play concerns Bronx residents "whose lives become tangled in unexpected ways when a mortgage goes sour". Storefront Church was also put up by

San Francisco Playhouse San Francisco Playhouse (formerly SF Playhouse) is a non-profit theater company in San Francisco, California, founded in 2003 by Bill English and Susi Damilano. The theater stages nine plays yearly, including Broadway plays, musicals, and world ...

in San Francisco in December 2013 where it was very well received. His play, ''

Outside Mullingar ''Outside Mullingar'' is a play by John Patrick Shanley, which ran on Broadway in 2014. Production ''Outside Mullingar'' premiered on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in a Manhattan Theatre Club production on January 3, 2014 (previews) ...

'', opened on Broadway at the

Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1925, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the neo-Renai ...

, produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, on January 3, 2014 (in previews) and officially on January 23, 2014. The play was directed by Doug Hughes and starred

Debra Messing Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing received short-lived roles on television series such as '' Ned and Stacey'' on Fox (1995–1997) and ...

and Brían F. O'Byrne. The play is set in the Irish countryside. ''Prodigal Son'', which he directed, was produced Off-Broadway by the Manhattan Theatre Club. It opened on February 9, 2016, and featured

Timothée Chalamet Timothée Hal Chalamet (; ; born December 27, 1995) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and three BAFTA Film Awards. Chalamet began his career as a t ...

Robert Sean Leonard Robert Lawrence Leonard (born February 28, 1969), known by his stage name Robert Sean Leonard, is an American actor. He is best known for playing Dr. James Wilson in the television series ''House'' (2004–2012) and Neil Perry in the film ''Dea ...

, Annika Boras, Chris McGarry and David Potters. The play concerns a lonely teen from

who attends a private school in New Hampshire. His new play ''The Portuguese Kid'' opened on October 24, 2017, at the New York City Center Stage I, produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club. Directed by Shanley, the cast featured Jason Alexander,

Sherie Rene Scott Sherie Rene Scott (born February 8, 1967)Some sources give 1969, but Scott herself, at thOfficial Sherie Rene Scott Myspace Pageand at Lovece, Frank"Sherie Rene Scott is caught up in the 'Rapture'", ''Newsday'', May 6, 2010, gives 1967 is an Ame ...

Mary Testa Mary Testa (born June 4, 1955) is an American stage and film actress. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee, for performances in revivals of Leonard Bernstein's '' On the Town'' (1998), '' 42nd Street'' (2001) and'' Oklahoma'' (2019). Early life ...

, Aimee Carrero and Pico Alexander.

Personal life

Shanley resides in

. He has been married and divorced twice; with his second wife, Jayne Haynes, he adopted two sons, both born in 1992.

Work

Theatre

Film

Television

Awards, nominations, and honors

In 2002 Shanley was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame. ;Awards *1988

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for

Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...

– ''

'' *1988 Writers Guild of America Award for

– ''Moonstruck'' *2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play – '' Doubt: A Parable'' *2005 Pulitzer Prize for

Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

– ''Doubt: A Parable'' *2005

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for Best Play – ''Doubt: A Parable'' *2005

Lucille Lortel Award The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatre ...

for Outstanding Play – ''Doubt: A Parable'' *2005 Obie Award for Playwriting – ''Doubt: A Parable'' ;Nominations *1988 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – ''

'' *1989

BAFTA Film Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

for

BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Original Screenplay has been presented to its winners since 1984, when the original category (BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay) was split into two awards, the other being the B ...

– ''Moonstruck'' *2003 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special – ''

Live from Baghdad ''Live from Baghdad'' is a non-fiction book published in 1992 by CNN producer Robert Wiener about his experiences before the Persian Gulf War, which lasted from August 1990 to February 1991. It was filmed by Home Box Office Home Box Office (H ...

'' *2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play – ''Sailor's Song''Simonson, Robert
Hawke, Azaria, Applegate, Turner Among Presenters at Drama Desk Award"
playbill.com, May 16, 2005 *2009

for Best Adapted Screenplay – ''Doubt'' *2009 Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay – ''

Doubt Doubt is a mental state in which the mind remains suspended between two or more contradictory propositions, unable to be certain of any of them. Doubt on an emotional level is indecision between belief and disbelief. It may involve uncertainty ...

'' *2009

Broadcast Film Critics Association Award The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writ ...

for Best Writer – ''Doubt'' *2009 Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay – ''Doubt'' *2014

for Best Play – ''

References

External links

* * * *
John Patrick Shanley profile in ''The New York Times Magazine''

MovieMaker

A Re-'Doubt'-able Effort: A Cultural Conversation with John Patrick Shanley in "The Wall Street Journal"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shanley, John Patrick 1950 births Living people 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters 21st-century American dramatists and playwrights 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American screenwriters American male dramatists and playwrights American male screenwriters American opera librettists American people of Irish descent American writers of Irish descent Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners Cardinal Spellman High School (New York City) alumni Drama Desk Award winners Film directors from New York City Military personnel from New York City Obie Award recipients Pulitzer Prize for Drama winners Screenwriters from New York (state) Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni Tony Award winners United States Marines Writers from the Bronx Writers Guild of America Award winners