William Missouri Downs

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William Missouri Downs is an American comedy writer, playwright, screenwriter, stage director, and author.

Life and career[edit]

William Missouri Downs started as an actor earning an MFA in acting from the University of Illinois, but a bout with viral encephalitis left him with a slight stammer and ended his acting career.[1] So he moved to New York[2] and studied playwriting at the Circle Rep Theatre[citation needed] under Lanford Wilson and Milan Stitt.

He then moved to Los Angeles[3] and earned an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA.[4] While a student at UCLA film school, he won numerous screenwriting awards, including the Jack Nicholson prize.[5]

In Hollywood, he worked as a script secretary on NBC's Moonlighting and studied sitcom writing at the Warner Brothers Sitcom Writing Workshop. He was a staff writer on NBC's My Two Dads, with writing credits on four episodes, under the pen name Bill Streib.[citation needed] As Streib, he also credited with writing one episode each for the NBC shows Amen and Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. In addition, he sold a movie to Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment and optioned another to Filmways. He worked with Jim Parsons developing a TV pilot that was optioned by Hollywood producer Meryl Poster.[citation needed]

His plays include The Exit Interview[6] (which premiered at the Orlando Shakespeare), winner of a rolling premiere[clarification needed] from the National New Play Network, published by Samuel French;[7] Women Playing Hamlet[8] (which premiered at the Unicorn Theatre in Missouri), winner of a rolling premiere from NNPN, published by Playscripts;[9] Mad Gravity, a finalist at the Eugene O'Neill[clarification needed] and winner of the Reva Shiner Comedy Award,[10] premiering at the Bloomington Playwrights Project, published by Playscripts;[11] Cockeyed[7] winner of The Greenhouse Festival of New Plays, published by Samuel French; Seagulls in a Cherry Tree,[12] winner of the Larry Corse Prize for Playwriting, published by Heuer Publishing; Mr. Perfect[13] published by Playscripts; Headset, A View from the Light Booth[12] published by Heuer Publishing; Kosher Lutherans[14] published by Samuel French; Dead White Males[15] published by Playscripts; How to Steal a Picasso, a finalist at the Eugene O'Neill;[16] Innocent Thoughts, published by Next Stage Press;[17] A Doll House (adaptation) published by Next Stage Press; Kabuki Medea,[18] winner of the Bay Area Critics Award for Best Production in San Francisco; Kabuki Faust;[19] and Forgiving John Lennon;[20] and Fascism! The Musical.[21]

There have been over 250 productions of his plays, including productions at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre,[22] the InterAct Theatre in Philadelphia,[23] the San Diego Rep,[24] the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Salt Lake City Acting Company, the Actors Theatre of Charlotte,[25] the Jewish Theatre of Toronto,[26] the Bloomington Playwright's Project, the Detroit Rep, and the New York City Fringe Festival.[27]

His plays have been produced in Spain (Fuera de órbita),[28] Canada, South Africa (Durban Performing Arts Center), Russia (Хороший парень - The Serov Theatre Drama After Chekhov,[29] Serov), Singapore (The Hexis Theatre), Switzerland (Franklin University, Lugano,), Austria (stadt Theater walfischgasse, Vienna), Israel (The International Theatre Festival), India (Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, Bangalore),[citation needed] and South Korea (피카소를 훔치는 법 & 실제 게임 at Theatre in Daehangno & Daehakro Theatre, Seoul).

Downs has an extensive publication record including articles, plays, and books.[30] He has co-authored four books, including Naked Playwriting[31] (Silman/James), Playwriting: From Formula to Form[32] (Harcourt Brace), Screenplay: Writing the Picture[33] (Silman/James), and The Art of Theatre[34] (Wadsworth/Cengage). The Art of Theatre has gone through multiple editions and has been adopted as a college textbook in the US.

Awards[edit]

Downs has won two rolling premieres from the National New Play Network[35] and twice been a finalist at the Eugene O'Neill.[36][37] He also won the Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Julie Harris Award.[38]

Plays[edit]

Books[edit]

  • Downs, William Missouri; Wright, Lou Anne (14 August 1997). Playwriting: From Formula to Form. Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 0-15-503861-3.
  • Russin, Robin U.; Downs, William Missouri (July 2003). Screenplay: Writing the Picture. Silman-James Press. ISBN 1-879505-70-3.
  • Downs, William Missouri; Russin, Robin U. (28 January 2005). Naked Playwriting: The Art, the Craft, and the Life Laid Bare. Silman-James Press. ISBN 1-879505-76-2.
  • Russin, Robin U.; Downs, William Missouri (14 September 2005). Jak napisać scenariusz filmowy (in Polish). Wojciech Marzec. ISBN 83-922604-0-6.
  • Downs, William Missouri; Wright, Lou Anne; Ramsey, Erik (2011). The Art of Theatre. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. ISBN 978-0-15-506325-9.

Monologues and short plays[edit]

  • Books on Tape, published by North West Theatre Review, Oregon State University (2008)[50]
  • Exceptional Monologues, published by Samuel French, New York (2009)
  • The Best Women's Stage Monologues of 2016, published by Smith And Kraus (2011)[51]
  • 222 Comedy Monologues, published by Playscripts (2016)
  • Contemporary Scenes For Twentysomethings, Applause Books (2017)[52]
  • Contemporary Monologues For Twentysomethings, Applause Books (2018)[53]
  • Actor's Choice Monologue, published by Playscripts, New York[when?]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "A life in theater is not for the weak of heart, says playwright William Missouri Downs".
  2. ^ Branding Iron (2015-11-20). "William Downs: 'not your typical professor'". Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  3. ^ "Los Angeles Department of City Planning" (PDF).
  4. ^ Crossett, Laura (2013-01-31). "The Stage: Interview: William Missouri Downs". Little Village. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  5. ^ "Scholarships and Fellowships". UCLA School of TFT. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  6. ^ "The Exit Interview". Concord Theatricals. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Cockeyed". Concord Theatricals. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  8. ^ Women Playing Hamlet
  9. ^ "Women Playing Hamlet by William Missouri Downs | Playscripts Inc". www.playscripts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  10. ^ "Reva Shiner Comedy Award". Bloomington Playwrights Project. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  11. ^ "Mad Gravity by William Missouri Downs | Playscripts Inc". www.playscripts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  12. ^ a b "Search for plays by title and author name". www.hitplays.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  13. ^ "Mr. Perfect by William Missouri Downs | Playscripts Inc". www.playscripts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  14. ^ "Kosher Lutherans". Concord Theatricals. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  15. ^ "Find a Play | Playscripts, Inc". www.playscripts.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  16. ^ "How To Steal A Picasso by William Missouri Downs - 2015 National Playwrights Conference Finalists". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  17. ^ "Innocent Thoughts". www.nextstagepress. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  18. ^ "'Kabuki Medea': Furious Fusion". The Washington Post.
  19. ^ "CIVIC DOSE OF 'KABUKI FAUST'". Chicago Tribune. 21 March 1986. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Forgiving John Lennon - Playwrights' Center". PWCenter.org. 30 May 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  21. ^ "UW Theatre and Dance Season Continues with Protest Comedy". University of Wyoming. November 8, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  22. ^ Writer, Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel Arts (26 September 2012). "'The Exit Interview' makes world premiere at Shakespeare Theater". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "World Premieres". InterAct Theatre Company. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  24. ^ "San Diego Repertory Theatre Production History". www.sdrep.org. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  25. ^ "The Exit Interview is theater and pop culture on Prozac | Performing Arts | Creative Loafing Charlotte". clclt.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  26. ^ thecjnadmin (2010-10-28). "Teatron to stage Kosher Lutherans". The Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  27. ^ "From the Fringe - Smith College Office of Alumnae Relations Smith College Office of Alumnae Relations". alumnae.smith.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  28. ^ "Fuera de Órbita, de William Missouri Downs". fueradeorbita (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  29. ^ Serov Theatre
  30. ^ "William Missouri Downs: books, biography, latest update". Amazon.com. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  31. ^ "Naked Playwriting". Silman-James Press, Inc. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  32. ^ Downs, William Missouri; Wright, Lou Anne (1998). Playwriting from Formula to Form: A Guide to Writing a Play. Harcout Brace College Publishers. ISBN 0155038613.
  33. ^ "Screenplay, 2nd Edition". Silman-James Press, Inc. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  34. ^ "Search". www.cengage.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  35. ^ "About - National New Play Network". www.nnpn.org. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  36. ^ "Mad Gravity by William Missouri Downs - 2013 National Playwrights Conference Finalists". sites.google.com. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  37. ^ "Playwrights - National New Play Network". nnpn.org. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  38. ^ "Beverly Hills Theatre Guild - Present Winners". Archived from the original on 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  39. ^ "Samuel French, Inc. The House of Plays & Musical Plays for over 175 Years". Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2012-07-21.
  40. ^ "Samuel French, Inc. The House of Plays & Musical Plays for over 175 Years". Archived from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2012-07-21.
  41. ^ "Detroit Events - Things to Do in Detroit This Weekend - Visit Detroit". Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  42. ^ moore, john (October 4, 2011). "national new play network selects william missouri downs". Denver Post.
  43. ^ "Heuer Publishing - HEADSETS". www.hitplays.com. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  44. ^ "Heuer Publishing - SEAGULLS IN A CHERRY TREE". www.hitplays.com. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  45. ^ http://www.shop.nextstagepress.net/product.sc?productid=59&categoryid=-1 [dead link]
  46. ^ Fascism the Musical
  47. ^ a b c "William Missouri Downs | New Play Exchange". newplayexchange.org. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  48. ^ "You Can't Say That". The Phoenix Theatre Company. 2020-01-13. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  49. ^ BWW News Desk. "HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR FAMILY AT CHRISTMAS Opens at No Strings Theatre Company Friday". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  50. ^ "The Literary Northwest Series". College of Liberal Arts. 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  51. ^ Harbison, Lawrence (2012). The Best Women's Stage Monologues and Scenes, 2011. Smith & Kraus Book. ISBN 978-1575257815.
  52. ^ Bashline, Jessica (2018). Contemporary Scenes for Twentysomethings. Hal Leonard LLC. ISBN 978-1495065446.
  53. ^ Bashline, Jessica (2018). Contemporary Monologues for Twentysomethings. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. ISBN 978-1495064852.

External links[edit]

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