Aurin Squire facts for kids

Aurin Squire is a talented writer from the United States. He writes plays for the stage, scripts for TV shows and movies, and used to be a reporter. His articles have appeared in well-known publications like The New Republic, Chicago Tribune, and ESPN.

Early Life and Learning

Aurin Squire grew up in Opa-locka, Florida. He went to several universities, including The Juilliard School and Northwestern University. At Northwestern, he studied radio, TV, and film. He also worked as a journalist for the Chicago Tribune and the Miami Herald.

During his senior year at Northwestern, a play he wrote called Shadows in the Light was performed. This play was about Cuban immigrants living in Miami. Later, at Juilliard, he was part of a special program for playwrights while also working as a journalist.

Writing for the Stage

Many of Aurin Squire's plays explore different cultures coming together. His work often shows the mix of Latino, African, Caribbean, African-American, and Jewish cultures he experienced growing up in Florida.

His comedy "The Great Black Sambo Machine" was shown at the Lincoln Center Lab.

In 2007, Squire worked on a special play called A Light In My Soul/Una Luz En Mi Alma. This play was based on true stories of Jewish families who moved to Arizona and New Mexico a long time ago. They had to leave their homes because of difficult times. Squire interviewed many people and helped create this play, which was performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Squire's plays have been performed in New York City and other places across the United States. Some of his well-known plays include Matthew Takes Mannahatta and To Whom It May Concern.

His play "Obama-ology" was first developed at The Juilliard School. It later opened to great reviews in London, England, at the Finborough Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Another play, "Freefalling," was first shown at Barrington Stage. It later had more performances in Toronto, Canada.

Aurin Squire finished his studies at The Juilliard School in May 2015.

His play, "Fire Season," was first performed at the Seattle Public Theater in January 2019. It was asked for by Miami New Drama, a theater company in South Florida. The play ran at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach.

Squire also wrote the story for A Wonderful World. This is a musical about the life of famous musician Louis Armstrong. The story is told from the viewpoint of Armstrong's four wives. The musical was first planned for 2019-2020 but was postponed. It reopened in late 2021 and is set to open on Broadway in 2024.

Online and Other Projects

Aurin Squire has also worked on projects for the internet and museums. He wrote and produced a series of funny online videos.

He was also hired by Local Project, an art company, to write a script called Dreams of Freedom. This script was for the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. Dreams is an interactive display based on interviews with Jewish immigrants who came to America.

In 2012, Squire organized the Vote It Forward Festival. This was a competition that gave prizes for the best videos about voting.

He has also written books for other people without his name on them. His articles have appeared in online cultural magazines like Racialicious.

Television and Film Work

Aurin Squire has worked as a writer for several popular TV shows. He was a staff writer for the CBS show BrainDead, which is a political comedy. He was also a story editor and writer for the first season of the hit NBC drama This Is Us.

Currently, he is a Co-Executive Producer for the CBS dramas The Good Fight and Evil (TV series).

He is also writing a movie script for Amazon and Ridley Scott's company, Scott Free. This movie is based on the life of Reginald Dwayne Betts. Before working in TV, he adapted novels into movie scripts for independent film companies.

Awards and Recognition

Many of Aurin Squire's plays have received great reviews. His play To Whom it May Concern was called "a true gem" by The Drama Review. Show Business Weekly called his writing "brilliant" and "thoroughly entertaining."

His play To Whom It May Concern won awards for best play and best playwright at the Fresh Fruit Festival.

In 2009, Squire wrote the story for the children's musical Matthew Takes Mannahatta. The New York Times called it "refreshingly clever" and a "cheerful tribute to our multiracial, multicultural America."

Squire has won several awards for his plays about Jewish history. Dreams of Freedom won a Core 77 Design Award and an AIGA Design Effectiveness Award.

In 2013, "Freefalling" won the Fiat Lux Play Award. Squire has also received special fellowships from The Juilliard School and Lincoln Center.

In 2014, his work won first prize at the InspiraTO Theatre's International Play Festival in Toronto.

In 2015, Squire was a playwriting fellow with the Dramatists Guild of America. He was also an artist in residence at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange and received a playwriting fellowship at the National Black Theatre. He was also part of a writers' residency at the Royal Court Theatre in London.

His play "Obama-ology" received excellent reviews when it premiered in London. He returned to the Finborough Theatre the next year with another successful play, "Don't Smoke in Bed."

In 2016, Squire won the Helen Merrill Award for Emerging Playwrights. In 2017, he was nominated for awards for his writing on the TV show This Is Us. He also won the Emerald Prize from Seattle Public Theatre for new American plays.

In 2018, Squire's play "Running on Fire" was performed in North Carolina. His plays "Defacing Michael Jackson" and "Don't Smoke in Bed" were also performed in Chicago to good reviews. The following year, his play "Fire Season" had its first performance at Seattle Public Theatre.

Published Plays

• Obama-ology (2015)
• Don't Smoke in Bed (2017)
• To Whom It May Concern (2018)
• Defacing Michael Jackson (2019)
• Defacing Michael Jackson (short play)
• Freefalling