Playwright, Author, Artist, Advocate.
Bio
Joe Norton (Playwright) is the author of several plays, including ROOM and COFFEE BOX (East Village Theatre Co.); SCHOOL NIGHT (Published by Playscripts, Inc.); THE TRUING (NYC Fringe Festival 2014); JETTY (Bristol Valley Theatre Co); FERRY (Brooklyn Actors Collective 24 Hour Plays); THE MOONACHIE MAN, and more.
His plays have been performed in the USA and in Europe.
MFA, Dramatic Writing, Goddard College
Joe teaches playwriting and social justice theatre workshops at festivals across the country.
He lives in NYC with his husband, Jason, and their Siberian Husky, Ace.
Member: DGA, TCG, The Playwrights Center.
Artist’s Statement:
I write about regular people just trying to get through their days. My characters are usually physically or emotionally stuck (often both) and have to decide whether to help or to leave those they know, meet or love, just so they themselves can keep moving – or moving on. To me, this is the most universal theme there is, especially since not everyone gets to move.
Through my work, I try to encourage empathy for anyone going through a hard time, which can be anything from a natural disaster to some really bad news, to a break-up. Everyone’s struggle matters, and most of us struggle with something every day.
Still, as it is my own best coping mechanism for life on life’s terms, my characters always find some humor in their respective situations to help them decide what/if they need to do for themselves and for each other.
I like to write about people I know and about people I meet. I like to write about how they touched my life. As such, I’m more apt to write about every-day events that take place on my block than I am about all the events that take place in the world, but as you will discover in my work, they do intersect somehow.
Or, Alternate Version:
I am candy-apple stop-sign fire-engine red. I am a Leo by every accurate definition. But my story starts in the middle, so come on in.
PLAYS
Full Lengths, One Acts, Ten Minutes, Monologues
Resume
PLAYWRIGHT
AARON - Write It Out! Festival, NYC; produced by Donja Love
FERRY – The Wild Project, New York, NY; 26 Wild Hours by the Brooklyn Actors Collective; Director, Toney Brown
THE MOONACHIE MAN – Reading, The Haybarn Theatre, Plainfield, VT; Director, Joe Norton
JETTY - Reading - Bristol Valley Theatre Co, Summer Reading Series, Naples, NY; Director, Karin Bowersock
THE TRUING -- CSV Cultural Center, NYC Fringe Festival Director, Douglas Hall; Producer, Joe Norton (“25 Best of Fest” – NY Indie Theatre Now)
SCHOOL NIGHT -- (2008) International Thespian Festival, University of Nebraska Black Box Theatre, Lincoln, NE; Director, Billy Houck;
(2010) Hudson Guild Theatre, NYC Fresh Fruit Festival (Honorable Mention) Director, Joe Norton (2011) Published by Playscripts, Inc., NYC
COFFEE BOX -- American Theatre of Actors, NYC; Director, Linda Shirey; Producer, Joe Norton
ROOM -- American Theatre of Actors, NYC; Director, Linda Shirey; Producer, Joe Norton
EDUCATION:
Master of Fine Arts, Dramatic Writing, Goddard College, Plainfield, VT
Advisors: Kyle Bass (Syracuse Stage), Deborah Brevoort (NYC)
Bachelor of Arts, Communications (Minors in English/Writing and Theatre Arts), University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT
Playwriting: Deborah Brevoort, Kyle Bass, Lindsay Price, Stephen Gregg, Dominic Orlando, Rogelio Martinez
Member: Dramatist Guild of America; The Playwright’s Center, TCG