Sam Affoumado (Playwright/Actor/Director) is a native New Yorker. He received a BA degree in Sociology at Hunter College with Psychology and Theater minors followed by an MS degree in Educational Technology at the NY Institute of Technology. He studied advanced playwriting with Laurie Brooks at New York University and was a participant in the Playwriting in the Schools program at The Public Theater under the direction of Arthur T. Wilson. He is an alumnus of the Ten Minute and Advanced Playwriting Labs at the Barrow Group mentored by Arlene Hutton.

Sam was a certified Special Educator for the NYC Department of Education for many years. He co-taught inclusion model classes for “special needs” students and championed inclusive education throughout the city. He introduced playwriting to his students as a means of motivating them to improve their reading skills and won an Astor Fellowship for his ‘excellence in teaching’ efforts.

He has written seven full-length plays, over two dozen short plays and monologues, and is now working on another full-length piece. His play, Home Sweet Home, was a finalist in the 2012 Magnolia Arts Center’s 10-Minute Play Contest in Greenville, NC. Peanut Butter Patty, another short piece, was a semi-finalist in the 37th Annual Samuel French OOB Short Play Festival in NYC. Sam’s play, The Finalist, was awarded runner-up status in the McLean Drama Company’s 10th Annual 10-Minute National Play Festival and was performed at the Flashpoint Theatre in Washington, DC. The Finalist was produced again in NY at the Emerging Artists Theater Festival (2022). Published works: (2015) The Bully’s Eye, in the anthology, More 10-Minute Plays for Teens, Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, edited by Lawrence Harbison. (2022) Sunset Living, in the anthology, Stage It! 6 published by Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs. Sam directed his parody, Doctor Truth, a ten-minute play, as part of the LGBTQ "Loud and Proud Festival" in NYC and again at the Manhattan Rep Short Play Festival. Sam's one act play, One-Way Ticket, was presented at the 37th Annual William Inge Theater Festival in Independence, Kansas. (2018). He wrote and directed his full length play, The Panic Defense, for the 2020 Pride Plays (Pieces), co-produced by Michael Urie and Playbill Magazine and it was presented on Instagram. The Flogsta Scream, (2021) was performed on opening night of the International Human Rights Arts Festival at the Wild Project in NYC.

Sam is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild, Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA, Theatre Resources Unlimited, the Playwrights' Center, and PlayGround-NY Writers.