I love a good story…
…which is why I’m writing musicals and working in local journalism in New York City. As for my story, I was born and raised in Chicago—I like to think I combine a Midwestern sensibility with East Coast energy. As a theater writer, I’m passionate about telling stories that tackle tough topics with incisive humor, share new and surprising points of view, and peel back the layers of what makes us human.
It all started when…
I began writing diaristic songs in my school notebooks and saved up to buy my first guitar at age 10. As a teenager, I studied acting and playwriting at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and songwriting at the University of Virginia Young Writers’ Workshop, making my Chicago debut as a composer at Vittum Theater with Adventure Stage Chicago’s Trailblazers program.
I graduated from Columbia University, where I studied English with a focus on dramatic literature. In college, I wrote my first full-length musical, The 127th Annual Varsity Show. Founded in 1894, the Varsity Show is an annual musical comedy satirizing life at Columbia—both a love letter and a lovingly scathing critique. I then wrote the lyrics for another annual show: XMAS!16, Columbia’s secular spectacular which brings together a zany cast of characters to tell a timely holiday story. I was also asked by University leadership to help write a short musical in honor of a departing dean, dramatizing the story of his life and tenure at Columbia College and poking a little fun at a beloved figure on campus.
The plot thickens…
By cutting my teeth on irreverent comedies, I developed a passion for using clear-eyed humor as an entry point to start difficult conversations and find common ground. To that end, I’ve recently been developing new work, including my song cycle Bedroom Pop and two new musicals, Mad World and Breaking. I’m a proud alum of The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals and a proud member of the Dramatists Guild. Learn more about my theatrical projects.
In addition, I currently work in local news at Spectrum News NY1. My journalistic background and experiences in many facets of the media industry, from news to radio to TV and more, inform my creative work—I’m constantly exploring the boundaries of what theater is and what it can be. Learn more about my work in media.
What happens next?!
I’m so glad you asked. Let’s keep in touch!