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Three OU MFAs Commissioned by OU School of Nursing:

Nick Sgouros, G. William. Zorn, and Dana Formby were each commissioned for $1000 by Ohio University’s School of Nursing to write one act plays about living with type II diabetes in Appalachia. The scripts will be part of a program for Appalachian communities to raise awareness about the complications of type II diabetes.

Three Recent OU Playwriting Alums at Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens:

In a press release dated Tuesday, Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago has announced that Aaron Carter (MFA 2005), Laura Jacqmin (MFA 2007) and Merri Biechler (MFA 2007) will all be an integral part of that theater’s future through commissions and professional workshops with an eye toward producing them in coming seasons. From the press release: “Aaron Carter and Laura Jacqmin are each receiving commissions to develop new plays for consideration by Victory Gardens. Additionally, playwright Merri Biechler will see her new play Real Girls Can’t Win! — a comedy with an all-female cast examining technology, body image and popularity at an unnamed college — receive a professional workshop at Victory Gardens this December, culminating in a staged reading that will be free and open to the public. These commissions and workshop are part of Victory Gardens’ New Audiences for New Plays initiative, funded by a Wallace Foundation Excellence Award.” You can also read more about it at the Chicago Tribune web site — click here.) For more information on Merri Biechler, Aaron Carter or Laura Jacqmin, visit the alumni page of this web site.

Recent MFA Alum a Finalist for Clubbed Thumb’s $15,000 Commission:

OU MFA Playwriting alum Merri Biechler (MFA 2007) is one of six finalists for Clubbed Thumb theater’s prestigious playwriting commission. Clubbed Thumb commissions, develops, and produces funny, strange, and provocative new plays. Since its founding in 1996, the company has earned three Obies and presented plays in every form of development, including over 60 full productions. http://www.clubbedthumb.org/

2006 MFA Playwright Alum Mark Witteveen Featured In Short Play Festival:

Quoting from a prominent write-up in the Nantucket Independent: “Beginning Thursday, October 25, Nantucket Theatrical Production will present the series “Lessons Learned,” three one-act plays from the 2007 Nationwide Short Play Festival and Competition. The plays being performed this year are “Leddy’s Chair” written by Don Cook of Charlotte, N.C., “Drivers Test” written by Mark Witteveen [OU MFA ’06] of Rochester, N.Y., and “Afterwards” written by John Zygmunt of Lake Elmo, Minn.” To read the whole article click here.

MFA Alum’s Next Episode of Law and Order: CI

2004 MFA Alum Jackie Reingold wrote the upcoming episode of Law and Order Criminal Intent, directed by Constantine Makris, with actors Eric Bogosian, Amanda Detmer, Lola Glaudini, Alex Moggridge, Chris Noth, Josh Pais, Thomas Sadoski, and Alicia Witt. See it Thursday, October 25th at 10:00 PM on USA.

Recent Alum Nominated for an Emmy

Christopher De Paola (MFA ’06) has been nominated for an Emmy Award for his role on WCIU-TV’s show “Green Screen Adventures.” The official category is: “outstanding achievement for individual excellence on camera: programming – performer”. Christopher is also a head writer on the Chicago-based show. The Emmy Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in November.

Recent Alum to Workshop Thesis Play at Victory Gardens:

2007 MFA alum Merri Biechler has been invited to workshop her thesis play, Real Girls Can’t Win!, at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago this coming winter.

2003 Alum a 2007-08 Dramatist Guild Fellow:

Justin Boyd (MFA 2003) has been named a 2007-2008 Dramatists Guild Fellow. The program brings playwrights and bookwriters/lyricists/composers together in a workshop and provides mentoring and observership opportunities with theater professionals around New York.

MFA Alum Pens Article for American Theater Magazine:

Justin Boyd’s (MFA 2003) article on the director Anne Kauffman appears in the October 2007 issue of American Theater magazine. Justin is currently an Affiliated Writer with American Theater through the support of the Jerome Foundation.

MFA Alum Co-Produces New NBC Series: "Chuck"

Anne Cofell Saunders (MFA 2000), previously a writer for the critically acclaimed and Emmy-winning Battlestar Gallactica, is now a co-producer of the new NBC television series Chuck. The show is an action/comedy about a nerd who works at a big-box computer store by day, but is a secret-agent by night. It premieres Monday, September 24th at 8:00 pm, 7:00 Central.