John Guare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Guare
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Guare at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2009
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| Born | February 5, 1938 Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Playwright |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA) Yale University (MFA) |
| Period | 1964–present |
| Notable works | The House of Blue Leaves; Six Degrees of Separation |
| Spouse | Adele Chatfield-Taylor |
John Guare (born February 5, 1938) is a famous American playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for writing the plays The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Queens
John Guare grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens, a neighborhood in New York City. In 1949, his father had a heart attack. To help him recover, the family moved to Ellenville, New York.
Schooling and Inspiration
In Ellenville, John's father worried about the local school. So, John studied at home instead. This gave him lots of time to watch movies. Seeing all the popular films of that time really inspired him. This experience had a big impact on his future career.
College and Playwriting
John went to Georgetown University and then the Yale School of Drama. He earned a special degree in Playwriting in 1962. While at Georgetown, his play The Toadstool Boy won first place in a play competition. He also helped create a musical called The Thirties Girl.
John Guare's Career in Theater
Early Plays and Comedies
John Guare started his career writing short, funny plays. These early works often had a silly or unexpected style. Some of his first plays include To Wally Pantoni, We Leave a Credenza (1965) and Muzeeka (1968).
The House of Blue Leaves
One of Guare's most famous plays is The House of Blue Leaves. It's a story about a family that is both very funny and a bit sad. It first opened in 1971. Later, it was brought back to the stage in 1986 and again in 2011. The 2011 show starred Ben Stiller, whose mother was in the original 1971 play.
Other Notable Plays
Guare wrote many other plays throughout his career.
- Marco Polo Sings a Solo was performed in 1977.
- Bosoms and Neglect was shown on Broadway in 1979.
- He also wrote a series of plays about 19th-century America. These include Gardenia (1982), Lydie Breeze (1982), and Women and Water (1985). This group of plays explores characters trying to create a perfect society.
Six Degrees of Separation
Six Degrees of Separation is another very well-known play by John Guare. It first opened in 1990. The play is a clever story about a trickster who pretends to be the son of a famous actor. It became one of Guare's most praised and performed plays. It was even made into a movie in 1993, starring Will Smith.
Later Works and Musicals
Guare continued to write new plays, such as Four Baboons Adoring the Sun (1992) and Lake Hollywood (1999). He also worked on musicals. He wrote the story for the musical Two Gentlemen of Verona, which won awards in 1972. He also wrote the story for the musical Sweet Smell of Success in 2002.
His play A Free Man of Color was a finalist for a major award, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 2011. The judges called it a "play spread across a large historical canvas."
Screenwriting for Film
Besides plays, John Guare also wrote for movies. He wrote the screenplay for the film Atlantic City (1980). For this work, he was nominated for an Oscar, which is a very important movie award.
Other Activities and Contributions
Theater Involvement
John Guare has been very involved in the theater world.
- In 1965, he was one of the first members of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut.
- He was also a Resident Playwright at the New York Shakespeare Festival. During this time, he wrote several plays.
- He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, which supports playwrights.
Teaching and Editing
Guare also helps teach new writers. He teaches in the Playwriting department at the Yale School of Drama. He also helped start and co-edits the Lincoln Center Theater Review, a magazine about theater.
What People Say About John Guare
Many people in the theater world admire John Guare's work.
- Filmmaker Louis Malle said that Guare's humor helps us understand human feelings.
- Gregory Mosher, a former artistic director, said that Guare helped change American theater over the last 25 years. He is considered one of the most important playwrights of his time.
John Guare's Major Works
Here are some of John Guare's most important plays and screenplays:
- 1971: The House of Blue Leaves
- 1971: Two Gentlemen of Verona (musical)
- 1971: Taking Off (screenplay)
- 1977: Marco Polo Sings a Solo
- 1980: Atlantic City (screenplay)
- 1990: Six Degrees of Separation
- 1992: Four Baboons Adoring the Sun
- 2010: A Free Man of Color
Awards and Honors
John Guare has received many awards for his plays:
- Muzeeka won an Obie Award in 1968.
- The House of Blue Leaves won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award in 1971. Its 1986 revival won four Tony Awards.
- Two Gentlemen of Verona won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1972.
- Six Degrees of Separation won an Obie Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and London's Olivier Award. It was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
- He received the Award of Merit from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1981. He later received their Gold Medal in 2004.
- In 1993, he was chosen for the American Theater Hall of Fame.
- He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dramatists Guild of America in 2014.
Personal Life
John Guare is married to Adele Chatfield-Taylor. She is an expert in saving historic buildings. She used to be the President and CEO of the American Academy in Rome. They live in New York City, Long Island, and Waterford, Virginia.
