Tarell Alvin McCraney

Tarell Alvin McCraney Biography

Tarell Alvin McCraney (born October 17, 1980) is an American playwright and actor. He is a member of Teo Castellanos/ D Projects Theater Company in Miami and in 2008 became RSC/Warwick International Playwright in Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In April 2010, McCraney became the 43rd member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble.

Biography

McCraney attended the New World School of the Arts (NWSA) in Miami, Florida, receiving the exemplary artist award and the Dean's Award in Theater. While attending NWSA, he also applied to and was awarded by the National YoungArts Foundation (1999, Theater). He matriculated into The Theatre School at DePaul University and received his BFA in acting. In May 2007 he graduated from Yale School of Drama's playwriting program, receiving the Cole Porter Playwriting Award upon graduation.

As an actor he has worked with directors such as Tina Landau of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois, David Cromer, and B. J. Jones, artistic director of the Northlight Theatre (where McCraney co-starred in the Chicago premiere of Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange), and began a lasting working relationship with Peter Brook and Marie-Hlne Estienne of the Bouffes du Nord, Paris.

McCraney's Brother/Sister trilogy is set in the Louisiana projects and explores Yoruba mythology.

Plays

Head of Passes (Steppenwolf Theatre, Berkeley Rep, The Public Theater)
Choir Boy (Royal Court, Manhattan Theatre Club)
American Trade, an adaptation of Hamlet for young people (RSC)
Wig Out! (developed at Sundance Theatre Lab produced in New York by the Vineyard Theatre and in London by the Royal Court)
In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, the inspiration for the 2016 film Moonlight

The Brother/Sister Plays trilogy

Main article: The Brother/Sister Plays

The Brothers Size (simultaneously premiered in New York at The Public Theater, in association with the Foundry Theatre, and in London at the Young Vic, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement at an Affiliated Theatre)
In The Red And Brown Water (winner of the Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Competition, produced at the Alliance Theatre and the Young Vic)
Marcus, or the Secret of Sweet

Other plays

Without/Sin
Run, Mourner, Run (adapted from Randall Kenan's short story), both of which premiered at Yale Cabaret. He directed Hamlet for the RSC's Young Shakespeare programme for GableStage in Miami.

In the summer of 2006, McCraney, Catherine Filloux and Joe Sutton wrote The Breach, a play on Katrina, the Gulf, and our nation, commissioned by Southern Rep in New Orleans, where it premiered in August 2007 to mark the two-year anniversary of the tragedy in New Orleans. The Breach also played at Seattle Rep in the winter of 2007.

Forthcoming projects

Commissions for the Donmar Warehouse and Berkeley Rep. Choir Boy will receive its American premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club, and he will direct his own edit of Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra at the RSC, Public Theater, New York, and GableStage, Miami.

Awards and honors

2007 Whiting Award
2008 London's Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright
2009 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award for The Brothers Size
2009 Steinberg Playwright Award
2013 Windham-Campbell Literature Prize
2013 MacArthur Fellowship

This webpage uses material from the Wikipedia article "Tarell_Alvin_McCraney" and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. Reality TV World is not responsible for any errors or omissions the Wikipedia article may contain.

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