I write serious comedies with a social conscience. Mostly realistic, but the dramatis personae may include a ghost or a genie.
My work is informed by my training and experience as a director; I adore actors and strive to write roles they would love to play. Fascinated by human relationships, I am proudly old-fashioned in many ways: I enjoy a well-made, literate, character-driven play, but I write about contemporary subjects like climate change, political polarization, and blended families. Most of my plays include gay characters.
I write about environments and subcultures that fascinate me, like the opera world, academia, and competitive figure skating, and I explore how Shakespeare and the classics inform today's world.
Other playwrights with whom I identify or whom I consider influences include Lanford Wilson, Donald Margulies, Terrence McNally, Richard Greenberg, Richard Nelson, John Robin Baitz, and Keith Bunin. (Yep, I'm a white guy; I admit it.)
I believe the best plays inspire hope, and I try to use humor to illuminate serious themes.