Ode to Joy by Craig Lucas
"The Black Box Performing Arts Center in Englewood has presented many challenging works by contemporary playwrights, and continues that tradition with “Ode to Joy,” by the three-time Tony-nominated Craig Lucas."
"Each and every moment is an opportunity to wake up to the beauty of our existence and become good for one’s word and respectful of the gifts we’ve been given."
Courtesy of the renowned author of Prelude to a Kiss and Reckless, Ode to Joy is the hysterically funny and shockingly poignant story of Adele, a painter, looking back on the two tumultuous loves of her life. In this, she discovers both the limits of her powers and the true depths of her gifts. Hailed as "hilarious and enlightening" by Entertainment Weekly, "Craig Lucas has a gift of gab."
This new production of Ode to Joy features the talents of Danielle MacMath, Sean Mannix (Winner of 2021 BroadwayWorldNJ Award - Best Supporting Actor in a Play), and Ilana Schimmel. Matt Okin serves as Director, with Michael Gardiner as Assistant Director.
ODE TO JOY was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons with funds provided by the M.E.W commissioning program.
Craig Lucas
Craig Lucas (Playwright) plays include Missing Persons, Reckless, Blue Window, Prelude to a Kiss, God’s Heart, This Thing of Darkness (co-authored with David Schulner), The Dying Gaul, Stranger, Small Tragedy, Prayer for My Enemy, The Singing Forest, Ode to Joy, The Lying Lesson, I Was Most Alive with You, and Change Agent. Screenplays include Longtime Companion (Sundance Audience Award), The Secret Lives of Dentists (NY Film Critics Best Screenplay Award), Reckless, Blue Window, The Dying Gaul. Libretti include The Light in the Piazza (music and lyrics by Adam Guettel), Two Boys (composer Nico Muhly, world premiere at the English National Opera, American premiere at the Metropolitan Opera), Orpheus in Love (with composer Gerald Busby), 3 Postcards (with composer /lyricist Craig Carnelia), An American in Paris (music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin), Amélie (music by Dan Messe, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Dan Messe), Sousatzka (music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby), Prelude to a Kiss (music by Dan Messe, lyrics by Sean Hartley and Dan Messe), Days of Wine and Roses (music and lyrics by Adam Guettel), and Marry Me A Little, Songs by Stephen by Sondheim (co-conceived with Norman René and Suzanne Henry). His new English-language adaptations include Three Sisters, Uncle Vanya, Galileo, and Miss Julie. He directed the world premiere of The Light in the Piazza, Harry Kondoleon’s plays Saved Or Destroyed & Play Yourself, and the films The Dying Gaul & Birds of America. Lucas has worked with a host of remarkable directors including Mark Wing-Davey, Norman René, Pam MacKinnon, Lisa Petersen, Daniel Sullivan, Tyne Rafaeli, Christopher Wheeldon, Alan Rudolph, Mark Brokaw, Bartlett Sher and Joe Mantello. He received the Excellence in Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, the Laura Pels/PEN Mid-career Award, the Hermitage Greenfield Prize, LAMBDA Literary Award, Hull-Warriner Award, Flora Roberts Award, Steinberg/ACTA Best Play Award among many others. He has 3 Tony nominations, 3 Obie Awards and has been a Pulitzer finalist.