John Guare
John Guare
#### A Life of Passionate Storytelling
Full Name and Common Aliases
John Guare is the pen name of John Nicholas Guare, an American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on February 19, 1938, in New York City, USA. Still active in his writing career.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Guare's nationality is American, and he is a renowned playwright, novelist, and screenwriter.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in a theatrical family, Guare was exposed to the world of storytelling from an early age. His parents, Edith and Frank Guare, were both involved in theater, with his mother being a stage actress and his father working as a set designer. This upbringing instilled in John a deep appreciation for the arts and a natural talent for creative expression.
Guare attended Hofstra University, where he studied English literature and began writing plays during his college years. His early work was heavily influenced by the American theater of the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the works of playwrights like Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.
Major Accomplishments
Throughout his illustrious career, Guare has received numerous awards and nominations for his work in both playwriting and screenwriting. Some of his most notable achievements include:
Six Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series, including wins for "House of Blue Leaves" (1986) and "The House on Carroll Street" (1988)
Tony Award nomination for Best Play for "Six Degrees of Separation" (1990)
Guggenheim Fellowship awarded to him in 1975Notable Works or Actions
Some of John Guare's most notable works include:
"The House of Blue Leaves," a play that explores the American Dream and the complexities of family relationships
* "Six Degrees of Separation," a novel that delves into themes of identity, class, and the search for belonging in New York City
Impact and Legacy
John Guare's work has had a lasting impact on the world of theater and literature. His innovative storytelling style, which often blends elements of realism with fantasy, has influenced generations of writers and playwrights.
Guare's exploration of complex social issues, such as class, identity, and belonging, continues to resonate with audiences today. His commitment to telling stories that are both personal and universally relatable has earned him a reputation as one of the most important voices in contemporary American literature.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Guare's ability to craft engaging narratives that speak to the human condition has made his work widely quoted and remembered. His unique voice, which blends elements of realism with fantasy, continues to captivate audiences and inspire new generations of writers.
As a playwright, novelist, and screenwriter, John Guare has left an indelible mark on the world of storytelling. His commitment to exploring complex social issues and his innovative approach to narrative have cemented his place as one of the most important voices in contemporary American literature.
Quotes by John Guare
John Guare's insights on:
I've had students at Yale: my main task with them in drama school was not helping them with their writing but showing them how valuable they were. Because they're ready to give it up and go into teaching or television.
Plays have a celebratory nature that no other form has. Theater always meant celebration, a birthday, a reward for good grades. I felt at home in a theater. I loved being part of an audience. All the rules - the audience has to see the play on a certain date at a certain time in a certain place in a certain seat.
You must keep people happy backstage because that affects what's onstage. During a run, the playwright feels like the mayor of a small town filled with noble creatures who have to get out there and make it brand new every night. When a production works, it's unlike any other joy in the world.
I ushered at the Shubert in New Haven during graduate school when plays en route to Broadway still went out of town to try out. I worked backstage at summer stock doing jobs from garbage man to strapping on Herbert Marshall's wooden leg to fixing Gloria Swanson's broken plumbing in her dressing room with her yelling at me as I worked the plunger.
To stay around any place you love, you have to have a job. In college at Georgetown in the fifties, I got my first theater job checking coats at the National, which was Washington's main theater.
What we're dealt with hopefully is two arms, two eyes, two legs, a head, a heart. The variations, the extensions, the possibilities of the human body, what that can do.
I like to ground plays in reality so they can jump higher. So we can account for the trampoline, so we can account for the leap.
There’s no American playwright after 1945 who wasn’t profoundly affected – who didn’t have their DNA changed by Tennessee Williams.
Ballet is always about the realm of possibilities, the realm of what the human body can do, what the human spirit can do. And it’s about listening, it’s about listening to remarkable music and how we respond to that.