Educated at Cambridge University, Westminster College, and the University of Utah, Jeffrey Gold was a member of the Playwright's Group for more than three seasons, through the auspices of the Salt Lake Acting Company (premiered Tony Kushner’s Angels in America) under dramaturg Mike Dorrell (BBC's Soldier, Soldier, Pictures of a Floating World) and playwright-in-residence Julie Jensen (Two-Headed, Last Lists of My Mad Mother, Wait!). His plays IN THE PURSUIT OF SVETLA, HORST AND GRABEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNFINISHED MAN, FITCH TODD, PERCOLATION THEORY, DEDEKIND, HORST AND GRABEN AT THE CHATEAU GODOT, EXECUTION AT PARADAIS ISLAND, DISPLACEMENT: A FISH IN WATER STORY, GRIEVING AT DOORS, and FAIR SHAKE, FUTURE PERFECT ("The Russian Play"), A COLD NIGHT FOR A DIVA, PURCHASE, CHAMPAGNE FOR...
Educated at Cambridge University, Westminster College, and the University of Utah, Jeffrey Gold was a member of the Playwright's Group for more than three seasons, through the auspices of the Salt Lake Acting Company (premiered Tony Kushner’s Angels in America) under dramaturg Mike Dorrell (BBC's Soldier, Soldier, Pictures of a Floating World) and playwright-in-residence Julie Jensen (Two-Headed, Last Lists of My Mad Mother, Wait!). His plays IN THE PURSUIT OF SVETLA, HORST AND GRABEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNFINISHED MAN, FITCH TODD, PERCOLATION THEORY, DEDEKIND, HORST AND GRABEN AT THE CHATEAU GODOT, EXECUTION AT PARADAIS ISLAND, DISPLACEMENT: A FISH IN WATER STORY, GRIEVING AT DOORS, and FAIR SHAKE, FUTURE PERFECT ("The Russian Play"), A COLD NIGHT FOR A DIVA, PURCHASE, CHAMPAGNE FOR CHEKHOV, and AIA have garnered numerous awards, readings, and productions. FAIR SHAKE was selected for the 2013 Smith & Kraus anthology The Best Ten-Minute Plays. He has won over 90 awards and recognitions in playwriting and screenwriting, and was an Artist-in-Residence at the Entrada Institute. Jeffrey has pitched to producer Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad, Gran Via Productions), producer Barry M. Osborne (Lord of the Rings), agent Beth Swofford (CAA), packaging agent Rob Kenneally (CAA), and story development executive Chris Kuser (MegaMind, Dreamworks Animation). He lives and works in Los Angeles.
Reviews
"I had a chance to read FUTURE PERFECT on my plane ride today. I found it a really intriguing concept, and the literateness of the language was delightful and stimulating."
–Stephen Schwartz, Lyricist/Composer (Wicked, Godspell, Pippin), on FUTURE PERFECT
"Comedy being the hardest mountain to climb, the writer has a great sense of humor and it shows in this piece. Congratulations, as that is a gift few people have. The dialogue is clearly smart, witty and breezy."
–Janet Leahy, Emmy-nominated Writer/Producer (Crashing [HBO], Mad Men, Boston Legal, Gilmore Girls, Cheers), on QUANTUM DREAMS
"I've read a number of Jeffrey's scripts over the years: stage plays, feature screenplays, and TV pilots. He recently shared with me a pilot set in a university physics department that was darkly funny, quirky, and disturbing—in a fantastic, un-put-downable way. The anti-"Big Bang Theory." I loved it. Jeffrey has a knack for dialogue and a way of creating real, honest, unique, and quirky characters that jump off the page: searchers, dreamers, schemers. He has a sense of story that seems effortless, but comes, I think, from both study and practice—and a natural ear/eye for drama."
–Luke Schelhaas, Co-Executive Producer (Outlander, The Good Wife), on QUANTUM DREAMS
"Dialogue is smooth and human, very readable. The whole sequence with Cassandra and the discussion afterward feels real and nicely drawn. Overall you build a great sense of mystery and foreboding, I'm up for learning about just what goes on inside Deliverance."
–Brian Nelson, Writer/Producer (Altered Carbon, Hard Candy), on SNOWFLAKE OBSIDIAN
"THE CLERK is a monologue with a dark twist. The only character, The Clerk, is a simple, unworldly man as evidenced by how his dialogue parrots his mother, and how she expressed her doubts about him being able to live on his own, and how he asks the audience for dating advice. Hints throughout—the Wagnerian opera, his love vanishing with her family in the middle of the night, etc. Since this is a monologue, the dialogue was key in this play, and it didn't disappoint. Lines like "you deserve the abuse you seek" become all the more chilling once we finally figure out that the clerk is a low-level Nazi. And the Clerk telling the captives that he sees their value in society lets us know that he likely isn't quite clued in as to what will actually happen to the prisoners. His last line, "If you see Ariel Sonnenschein, please tell her I'm still thinking of her," is chilling, but again shows us that the Clerk likely isn't aware of the true nature of the "final destination" he mentions. The Clerk was an affecting script in a small package. Very well done."
–2019 Austin Film Festival judge's comments, on THE CLERK
"I enjoyed it. Nice austere but riveting small piece."
–Jon Jory, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, on HORST AND GRABEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNFINISHED MAN
"Jeff Gold's work is smart, original, surprising, and satisfying. He knows the theatre well, what it can do and what makes it exciting. He also has a nose for interesting characters in unique situations. His is a wonderful theatrical voice. No question about it."
–Julie Jensen, Award-Winning Playwright (Wait!, Two-Headed, Last Lists of My Mad Mother, White Money)
"FITCH TODD by Jeffrey Gold shows a playwright very much in command of the form—able to shape rich and dense content into a short play with mystery and humor. The payoff of this play is very strong. You know why you've been watching it with attention from its opening moment and feel the curtain pays all that attention off."
–David Kranes, founding Artistic Director, Sundance Playwright's Lab
"Jeff Gold's work has a unique and quirky feel about it. His plays get under your skin, get stuck in your teeth until you find yourself compelled to laugh...to cry. A welcome voice in the world of theater."
–Playwright Jeff Metcalf, Founder, Sawtooth Writer's Conference
"Jeff is an inventive playwright with a wicked wit. His plays and a recent screenplay have deservedly won many contests. And he always has helpful insights about other people's work."
–Elaine Jarvik, Award-winning Playwright
"I professionally reviewed one of Jeff's scripts and found it to be fundamentally sound, well written, and emotionally involving."
–Dave Trottier, Screenwriting Consultant/Author (The Screenwriting Bible)
"Jeffrey Gold is an exceptional, creative professional. I have benefited from his musical talents, and admire his contributions as a playwright."
–Ken Verdoia, Producer/Journalist, KUED (PBS)
"I was truly affected by your well written concise work. In each play, the dialogue flowed naturally, the ending gripped me and the final irony left me entertained with strong emotions."
–Kristin Ettinger, Assistant Editor, Pioneer Drama Service on HORST AND GRABEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNFINISHED MAN and FITCH TODD
"Your play HORST & GRABEN caught our attention as an unusual, interesting and well written piece...we'd like to include it in our annual Short Play Reading Festival."
–Dena Nathanson, Director, Boca Raton Theatre Guild
"HORST AND GRABEN takes the conflicts and hardships of daily life and presents them in the form of a Vaudeville routine, in the spirit of Samuel Beckett."
–Steve Mathews, Director, Just Off Broadway Theater, Kansas City, Missouri
"DEDEKIND by Jeffrey Gold...is sure to hit the mark with a Lab [Theatre] audience. You know, them artsy types."
–Craig Froehlich, Red Magazine