Shirley Shapiro Mezvinsky Lauro (née Shapiro) is an American
playwright
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays.
Etymology
The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
,
screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
, and
novelist
A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire to ...
. Her plays include ''A Piece of my Heart'', ''
Open Admissions
Open admissions, or open enrollment, is a type of unselective and noncompetitive college admissions process in the United States in which the only criterion for entrance is a high school diploma or a certificate of attendance or General Education ...
'', ''The Radiant'', ''All Through the Night'' and others. Her novel is ''The Edge'' and she edited an anthology, ''Political Plays by American Women'', with Alexis Greene.
Biography
Lauro was born and raised in
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...
, United States, to Helen Davidson Shapiro and Phillip Shapiro. Her early works, such as ''The Contest'' and ''Sunday Go To Meetin' '', were influenced by her family and the local community. She studied acting at the Preparatory Theatre program of Drake University in Des Moines, performing with their traveling children's theater group throughout Iowa. Ms. Lauro graduated cum laude from
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
, Evanston, Illinois with a degree in theatre and speech. She received her master's degree from the
University of Wisconsin, Madison
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
in theatre/English where she studied fiction writing with
Elizabeth Bowen
Elizabeth Bowen CBE (; 7 June 1899 – 22 February 1973) was an Irish-British novelist and short story writer notable for her books about the "big house" of Irish landed Protestants as well her fiction about life in wartime London.
Life
E ...
and did post-graduate work at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in creative writing as well as at
City University of New York
The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...
where she studied dramatic criticism with Harold Clurman. She taught graduate playwriting among other courses at
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, the ...
,
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private Orthodox Jewish university with four campuses in New York City.["About YU]
on the Yeshiva Universit ...
,
Hunter College
Hunter College is a public university in New York City. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools. It also admi ...
,
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of Ne ...
and City University of New York. Her experience at City University inspired Lauro's Tony-nominated Broadway Play,
Open Admissions
Open admissions, or open enrollment, is a type of unselective and noncompetitive college admissions process in the United States in which the only criterion for entrance is a high school diploma or a certificate of attendance or General Education ...
, which Lauro adapted for a CBS TV special. Lauro has a daughter, Andrea Mezvinsky, from her marriage to
Norton Mezvinsky
Norton Mezvinsky (1932 – 2022) was an American historian, professor, and author. He was a Distinguished University Professor, Emeritus, Central Connecticut State University, and was the president of the International Council for Middle East Stud ...
, Ph.D, which ended in divorce. She married Louis Lauro, Ph.D. a psychoanalyst. Lauro resides on the Upper West Side of New York.
Works
Shirley’s best-known work, ''A Piece of My Heart'', with over 2,000 productions around the world, was named by
Vietnam Veterans of America
Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc. (VVA) is a national non-profit corporation founded in 1978 in the United States that is committed to serving the needs of all veterans. It is funded without any contribution from any branch of government. VVA is th ...
: "The most enduring play in the nation on Vietnam". It was awarded the 2018
Moss Hart
Moss Hart (October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961) was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director.
Early years
Hart was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (Solomon) and Barnett Hart, a cigar maker. He had a younger brother ...
Memorial Award for a production by Wellesley Repertory Theatre.
''
Open Admissions
Open admissions, or open enrollment, is a type of unselective and noncompetitive college admissions process in the United States in which the only criterion for entrance is a high school diploma or a certificate of attendance or General Education ...
'', on Broadway, received one Tony Nomination, two Drama Desk nominations, a Theatre World Award and a Samuel French Award. It was a
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
pick for "Ten Best Plays of the Year", received The Dramatists Guild’s
Hull-Warriner Award The Hull-Warriner Award is an award bestowed by the Dramatists Guild of America. The award is unique in that it is given by dramatists to dramatists. It is presented annually by the Dramatists Guild Council to an author, or team of authors, in reco ...
and was adapted by Lauro for
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, starring
Jane Alexander
Jane Alexander (née Quigley; born October 28, 1939) is an American actress and author. She is the recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and nominations for four Academy Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards. From 1993 to 1997 ...
and
Estelle Parsons
Estelle Margaret Parsons (born November 20, 1927) is an American actress, singer and stage director.
After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program ''Today'' and ...
. In 2008 the play was honored by publication in ''Writing Through Literature'', (by Anstendig and Hicks), where it joined works by
Walt Whitman
Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among t ...
, Ionesco,
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, Hug ...
and
Toni Cade Bambara
Toni Cade Bambara, born Miltona Mirkin Cade (March 25, 1939 – December 9, 1995), was an African-American author, documentary film-maker, social activist and college professor.
Biography
Early life and education
Miltona Mirkin Cade was bor ...
in the book’s section, "The Lesson".
Shirley Lauro’s ''The Radiant'' enjoyed its World Premiere in March, 2011, at New Theatre, Miami, starring Angelica Torn as Marie Curie. The play was commissioned by The Sloan Science Foundation, receiving their Production Enhancement Grant, in addition to grants from The
Dramatists Guild
The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market.
Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active Mem ...
and TCG’s Edgerton Foundation (honored as one of 40 World Premieres by American Playwrights). The play marked its New York off-Broadway premiere in winter, 2013.
''All Through The Night'' enjoyed its world premiere in Chicago, receiving a Jeff Nomination, as Best New Play of the Year. Its New York premiere was at Red Fern Theater, off-Broadway in 2010, followed by 2011 NYC revivals both at The Living Theater and Infinite Variety Productions. Other productions include Saskatchewan; Phoenix, AZ; Macon, GA; and ArtsWest, Seattle, WA.
''Clarence Darrow's Last Trial'' had its world premiere at New Theatre in Miami, receiving a Carbonell nomination for Best New Play of the Year in Florida, and an NEA Access to Excellence Enhancement Grant. It was also an honoree for the New American Play Prize.
''All Through the Night'', ''Clarence Darrow's Last Trial'' and ''Speckled Birds'' were all published in 2010 by
Samuel French, Inc., and honored by the Drama Bookshop in an evening, "Triple Play", composed of readings and a reception.
''Front Lines: Political Plays By American Women'', co-edited by Lauro was a 2009 Honoree: Coalition of Professional Women in Arts and Media.
''The Contest'' was directed by
Jerry Zaks
Jerry Zaks (born September 7, 1946) is an American stage and television director, and actor. He won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Drama Desk Award for directing ''The House of Blue Leaves'', ''Lend Me a Tenor'', and ''Six Degree ...
for Philadelphia’s Annenberg Center and was published in 2000. It received the National Foundation for Jewish Culture Award.
Other works include ''The Coal Diamond'' (“The Best Short Play” Anthology); ''Nothing Immediate'' (OOBA Festival Winner); ''Railing It Uptown''; ''Sunday Go To Meetin' ''. Lauro’s novel, ''The Edge'', published here and in Great Britain, was a Literary Guild Choice.
Major Fellowships: The Guggenheim, three NEA’s, NY Foundation for the Arts.
Major Affiliations: a director of the
Dramatists Guild Foundation; Playwrights/Directors Unit,
The Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 44th Street (Manhattan), West 44th Street between Ninth Avenue (Manhattan), Ninth and Tenth Avenue (Manhattan), Tenth avenues in the ...
; League of Professional Theatre Women/NY;
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 En ...
; PEN;
Writer’s Guild, East;
Author’s Guild.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lauro, Shirley
Living people
20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
American women dramatists and playwrights
Writers from Iowa
Year of birth missing (living people)
20th-century American women writers
21st-century American women