Saviana Stănescu
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Saviana Stănescu (born 1967) is a
Romanian-American Romanian Americans () are Americans who have Romanian ancestry. According to the 2023 American Community Survey, 425,738 Americans indicated Romanian as their first or second ancestry, however other sources provide higher estimates, which a ...
award-winning
playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...
, ARTivist, and
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
based in
Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...
. Hailed as one of the most exciting voices to have emerged in
Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...
after the fall of the
Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...
, Stănescu has received numerous accolades for her work, including the New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Script (''Waxing West'') and the Best Romanian Play of the Year UNITER Award (''Inflatable Apocalypse''). She has been inducted into the Indie Theater Hall of Fame and was named the Indie Theater Person of the Year in 2010.
Richard Schechner Richard Schechner is University Professor Emeritus at the Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, and editor of ''TDR: The Drama Review''. Biography Richard Schechner received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University in 1956, ...
wrote on the cover of Stănescu's poetry book ''Diary of a Clone'': "Saviana Stănescu is for and of the 21st century. She is hot and cool, witty and brave, sexy and weird, politically knowing and cynical. But most of all, she is an extraordinary writer." After protesting in the streets as a student at the
Romanian Revolution The Romanian revolution () was a period of violent Civil disorder, civil unrest in Socialist Republic of Romania, Romania during December 1989 as a part of the revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries around the world, primarily ...
in 1989, Stănescu worked in the newly created Free Press as a cultural journalist at the daily newspaper Adevarul, a contributor to
Radio Free Europe Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a media organization broadcasting news and analyses in 27 languages to 23 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Headquartered in Prague since 1995, RFE/RL ...
, and a talk-show host for TVR International (Necessary Polemics). Her revolutionary spirit inspires all her theatrical and literary work. Stănescu's cutting-edge plays have been developed/produced at
Women's Project WP Theater (formerly known as Women's Project Theater) is a not-for-profit Off-Broadway theater based in New York City. It is the nation's oldest and largest theater company dedicated to developing, producing and promoting the work of Women+ theat ...
,
La MaMa La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (sometimes abbreviated as La MaMa E.T.C.) is an Off-Off-Broadway theater founded in 1961 by African-American theatre director, producer, and fashion designer Ellen Stewart. Located in the East Village neighborho ...
, 59E59,
New York Theatre Workshop __NOTOC__ New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) is an Off-Broadway theater noted for its productions of new works. Located at 79 East 4th Street between Second Avenue and Bowery in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, it h ...
, Ensemble Studio Theater, HERE, New Georges, Lark, Cherry, Civic Ensemble, Teatro La Capilla, and Teatrul Odeon, just to name a few. She has also served as the NYSCA playwright-in-residence for Women's Project, writer-in-residence of East Coast Artists, and Director of International Exchange for The Lark Play Development Center (TCG New Generations / New Leaders Fellow) in New York. Her US plays include ''Aliens with Extraordinary Skills'', ''Ants'', ''White Embers'' (all published by Samuel French), ''Useless'', ''Toys'', '' For a Barbarian Woman'', ''Lenin's Shoe'', ''Waxing West'', ''What Happens Next'', ''Bee Trapped Inside a Window'', and ''Zebra 2.0''. As a
Fulbright fellow The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
, she studied at NYU Tisch, receiving her MA in Performance Studies and an MFA in Dramatic Writing. Her PhD is in Theatre from the National University for Theatre and Film (UNATC) in Bucharest, Romania. Stănescu is also a celebrated professor and has taught Playwriting and Contemporary Theatre/Drama at NYU Tisch (2004-2012), Strasberg Institute for Theatre&Film, ESPa Primary Stages, and Fordham University. Currently, she works as a tenured Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at
Ithaca College Ithaca College is a private college in Ithaca (town), New York, Ithaca, New York. It was founded by William Egbert in 1892 as a Music school, conservatory of music. Ithaca College is known for its media-related programs and entertainment program ...
.


Early life

Born in Bucharest and raised in
Curtea de Argeș Curtea de Argeș () is a municipiu, city in Romania on the left bank of the river Argeș (river), Argeș, where it flows through a valley of the Southern Carpathians (the Făgăraș Mountains), on the railway from Pitești to the Turnu Roșu Pass ...
, first capital of Walachia, and Pitești, an industrial town, in Romania, Saviana Stănescu spent her formative years under
Nicolae Ceaușescu Nicolae Ceaușescu ( ; ;  – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian politician who was the second and last Communism, communist leader of Socialist Romania, Romania, serving as the general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 u ...
's dictatorship. She recalls in an interview having "rations of food and electricity, four hours of hot water per week, and two hours of TV programming per day, most of it filled with Ceaușescu's speeches." Saviana's grandparents were ethnic Aromanian. Her mother, Mariana Stănescu (née Dima) is Aromanian and her father, Cornel Stănescu, track and field athlete and coach, is probably of
Romani Romani may refer to: Ethnic groups * Romani people, or Roma, an ethnic group of Indo-Aryan origin ** Romani language, an Indo-Aryan macrolanguage of the Romani communities ** Romanichal, Romani subgroup in the United Kingdom * Romanians (Romanian ...
descent. She was married to , director of the National Museum of Literature, Bucharest and father of Ada Condeescu, a Romanian actress, and Filip Condeescu.


Career

Before immigrating to the United States, Stănescu made a name for herself in Romania as a poet and playwright: she published three books of poetry, ''Love on Barbed Wire'' (1994), ''Advice for Housewives and Muses'' (1996), and ''The Outcast'' (1997). Her dramatic poem ''Proscrisa/Outcast'' was produced in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
at the Theatre Gérard Philipe and at Teatrul Dramatic Galați in 1998. Her first plays Infanta, User's Guide (Infanta, Mod de Intrebuințare) and Final Countdown (Numărătoarea Inversă) were produced in Romania between 1998–2001, announcing a cutting-edge playwright to watch. Stănescu studied playwriting in English with
David Harrower David Harrower (born 1966) is a Scottish playwright who (as of 2005) lives in Glasgow. Harrower has published over 10 original works, as well as numerous translations and adaptations. Career Harrower's first play, ''Knives in Hens'', which pr ...
and
Phyllis Nagy Phyllis Nagy ( ; born November 7, 1962) is an American theatre and film director, screenwriter and playwright. In 2006, Nagy was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for writing and directing '' Mrs. Harris'' (2005), her screen debut. In 20 ...
, at the Summer International Theatre Academy in Germany. Upon returning to Romania, she won the UNITER (Romanian Theatre Guild) Best Play of the Year Award for ''The Inflatable Apocalypse'' (''Apocalipsa Gonflabilă''). She recalls the moment as having "officially made era playwright." ''The Inflatable Apocalypse'' was published in 2000. Among Stănescu's many other notable publications is ''Black Milk'', a Romanian-English collection of four plays and her first book of poetry in English – published in both Bucharest and New York – ''Google Me!''


Plays

Stănescu has written: *''Aliens with Extraordinary Skills'' – Commissioned and produced by Women's Project, starring
Jessica Pimentel Jessica Pimentel is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Maria Ruiz on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black.'' She is also the lead singer of the metal band Alekhine's Gun and backing vocalist in t ...
(''Orange is the New Black''), New York; Teatro La Capilla, Mexico City; Teatrul Odeon, Bucharest, etc. A dark comedy about a clown from the "unhappiest country in the world,"
Moldova Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe, with an area of and population of 2.42 million. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. ...
, who pins her hopes on a US work visa. Chased by
Homeland Security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" to ...
, a deportation letter deflates her enthusiasm and a pair of spike heels might be all it takes to burst her
American Dream The "American Dream" is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. The phrase was popularized by James Truslow Adams during the ...
. Based on true stories of immigration explored and fictionalized by a playwright trying to understand her own story. Mexican version: Immigrantes con Abilidades Extraordinaries. Romanian version as performed at Odeon: Viza de Clown. *''Ants'' – Produced by New Jersey Repertory Company; developed with The New Group. Two immigrant sisters struggle to make ends meet as they attempt to capture a piece of the American dream. *''Aurolac Blues'' – Produced at HERE Arts Center, New York, etc. Two
Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...
("Gypsy") street-kids, high on Aurolac (a silver-paint that's huffed from plastic bags), dream of an America they know from movies and McDonalds leftovers. *''Bee Trapped Inside a Window'' – Commissioned and produced by Civic Ensemble. Explores modern-day slavery's effect on the lives of three women of different backgrounds and ethnicities in the leafy suburbs of
Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
. *''For a Barbarian Woman'' – Commissioned and developed by Long Wharf Theatre, Connecticut; produced by Ensemble Studio Theatre & Fordham University. This play interweaves a present-day love story between a Romanian interpreter and an American colonel from the
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
base in
Constanța Constanța (, , ) is a city in the Dobruja Historical regions of Romania, historical region of Romania. A port city, it is the capital of Constanța County and the country's Cities in Romania, fourth largest city and principal port on the Black ...
(a seaside resort in Romania, formerly the ancient city of Tomis, where Roman poet
Ovid Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...
spent his exile)and a fictional relationship between Ovid and a Barbarian woman.
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
and their muses have witnessed and tell both stories. *''Gun Hill'' – Developed at WP Theater, New York; Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca. A black English teacher riskily attempts to convince her troubled white student to abandon the idea of a shooting spree at their high school. Will she succeed? *''Hurt'' – Published in Best Short American Plays 2012-2013 by Applauses; produced by Manhattan Theatre Festival; FLEFF/Cinemapolis, Ithaca, New York. A man is ready to go on a shooting spree. Are the two women in his life going to stop him? *''Lenin's Shoe'' – Produced (barebones) by The Lark; NYU MFA in Dramatic Writing thesis. The wheelchair-using son of a Russian mafioso plans to kill his father – now owner of a restaurant in
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
. He comments on reality by immersing himself into a world of blogs, the only place he can be himself. An intimate look into the world of East European immigrants living in New York after the fall of the Iron Curtain and their struggle to redefine the word ‘home.’ *''The Others'' – Conceived/directed by Saviana and developed with Ithaca College students. ''The Others'' is a piece about micro-aggressions on student campuses. 2016 production starred then-IC student,
Jharrel Jerome Jharrel Jerome (born October 9, 1997) is an American actor. He made his film debut in Barry Jenkins's drama film ''Moonlight'' (2016), and gained prominence for his portrayal of Korey Wise in Ava DuVernay's Netflix miniseries '' When They See U ...
(''Moonlight'', ''This is Us'') *''Waxing West (A Hairy-Tale in Four Seasons)'' – Winner of New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Full-length Script; produced by East Coast Artists at La MaMa theatre in New York. A Romanian cosmetologist arrives in the United States as the soon-to-be bride to a sexually repressed computer engineer. As she adjusts to her new life with him in the land of dreams, Elena and
Nicolae Ceaușescu Nicolae Ceaușescu ( ; ;  – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian politician who was the second and last Communism, communist leader of Socialist Romania, Romania, serving as the general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 u ...
, former Dictator-and-Wife of Romania, but now
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...
s, haunt her days and nights. This comic yet socially and politically relevant drama journeys between Romania and New York, between past and present, and the American Dream and American nightmare. *''What Happens Next'' – Commissioned and produced by The Cherry Artspace. Two women in a white room are prisoners of routine and imagination. But are they both human? Maybe one is a robot, or clone, or hologram, or ghost....”Black Mirror” meets Waiting for Godot in this futuristic drama. *''White Embers'' – Samuel French OOB Winner; produced at Theatre Row, New York; Hudson Theatre, Los Angeles; Dramalabbet, Stockholm, etc. A woman from the East confronts a woman from the West. A US couple goes to Bechnya (a fictional country torn by wars) to adopt a child. The past and the present collide and intersect in unexpected ways. *''Unicorn Girl'' – Commissioned and produced by the
Hangar Theatre The Hangar Theatre is a non-profit, regional theatre located at 801 Taughannock Boulevard in Ithaca, NY. Its mainstage season and children's shows occur during the summer, but the Hangar, and other organizations, utilize the space year-round for sp ...
,
Ithaca, New York Ithaca () is a city in and the county seat of Tompkins County, New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York (state), New York, Ithaca is the largest community in the Ithaca metrop ...
. When an 8-year-old gets bullied at school for having two dads, she sets out on a fantastical journey to end bullying and encourage listening. Her stuffed unicorn, Connie, joins her on this journey of discovery, during which she meets people-like animals, animal-like people, and the President. *''Useless'' – Produced by IRT, New York. A dark humored drama about love, dreams and human trafficking. It investigates the relationship between a couple of Eastern European immigrants involved in kidney trafficking. The play intersperses heightened realistic scenes with dreams and nightmares that offer a glimpse into the characters’ inner lives and alternate realities. *''Zebra 2.0'' – Commissioned by Transforma Inc. for the Science in Theatre Festival in Manhattan. An undocumented woman, working as a night-shift janitor at a Wildlife preservation/tracking company in the US, develops an uncanny friendship with the main Artificial Intelligence.


Poetry

*''Diary of a Clone'' *''The Fall'' *''Polanski Polanski'' *''"Google Me!"'' - poetry in English *''Black Milk'' - An English-Romanian anthology of 4 plays *''The Outcast'' - A dramatic poem *''Advice for Housewives and Muses'' - Poetry and prose *''Love on the Barbed Wire'' - A book of poems


Honors

*2007 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Full-Length Script *2004 John Golden Award for Excellence in Playwriting *2002 Antoine Vitez Center award for "Final Countdown" (published in French), Paris *2001-2002 Fulbright scholar – Tisch School of the Arts, Performance Studies *2001 writer-in-residence of KulturKontakt in Vienna, Austria *2000 Fellow of the British Council Cambridge Seminar,
University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
*2000 Representative of Romania at International Poetry Festival
Struga Struga ( ; , sq-definite, Struga) is a town and popular tourist destination situated in the south-western region of North Macedonia, lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The town of Struga is the seat of Struga Municipality. Name The name Struga ...
,
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
*2000 – Best Play of the Year Uniter National Award *1999 – 'Poesis' Award for Theatre-Poem *1998 – Bucharest Writers Association Poetry Award Nomination *1992 – 'Lucian Blaga' Festival Poetry Award


References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * * * * * * *


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stanescu, Saviana Living people 1967 births People from Bucharest Romanian people of Aromanian descent 20th-century Romanian poets Romanian emigrants to the United States New York University faculty Tisch School of the Arts alumni Romanian women poets 20th-century Romanian women writers Caragiale National University of Theatre and Film alumni Ithaca College faculty