And it’s a big one.

My new play JANUARY JOINER will receive its world premiere at the Long Wharf Theatre, directed by the inimitable and excellent Eric Ting in winter 2013.

Along with this and the O’Neill, I’ll be spending nearly as much time in Connecticut this year as I will in Chicago.

I had the great joy of spending two weeks in April in New Haven, working on the (truly, genuinely, astoundingly) second draft of the play with a talented bunch of actors, and while it was a little strange to be back at my alma mater for the longest period of time since I graduated, it also brought on the most pleasant throes of nostalgia. So get ready, kids: I’ll be back later this year, and I’m gonna put bumper stickers on everything.

P.S. New Haven: I’m still mad you ruined Rudy’s. I plan to protest and spend all my drinking money at Anchor.

I would like one Ohio pancake and one Illinois pancake, please.

See that middle window, third floor?

That’s where I lived when I was 18.

YES.

18.

More than a decade later, I’m walking by it again.

I have actual MEMORIES of OPENING that window – like times when it was too hot, or times I put my little box fan in there, or times when I was a little bit drunk and wanted some cold winter air on my face (sorry, mom!).

Also: the cast party I threw in that suite; the roommates I lived with; the furniture we bought from the Salvation Army and kept for the next four years, dragging it from suite to suite to suite; the music I listened to (‘sup, Portishead/Bjork/Radiohead/Jay-Z/Death Cab consta-mix?); walking across Old Campus in the rain; walking across Old Campus in the snow; physically carrying roommates home from the Safety Dance at Morse; how my dresser was in the bedroom but my desk was in the common room, and conversely how Vanessa’s desk was in the bedroom but her dresser was in the common room; my ruby iMac; my amazing freshman counselor, Fuerza-Linda, and how we would always borrow the DVD go “Go” from her; having to carry laundry to a completely different building; the post office; waiting for takeout at the College Street gate; the listening party some fellow Berkeley-ites had for Kid A; using my ID to access my entryway; oh god, this is turning into the final scene of OUR TOWN.

Emotional much?

My play TWO LAKES, TWO RIVERS is going to be workshopped at the National Playwrights Conference this summer. I’ll be in residence at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center for the entire month of July and I can’t freakin’ wait. No other info for now – still a ways to go before director, dramaturg, and cast are announced, but there was a bunch of coverage on the InterWebs today.

*Still one more to come! Just a few more weeks to wait! Can you stand it???

My play DEAD PILE has been selected as one of five plays to be featured in the 2012 Old Vic New Voices TS Eliot US/UK Exchange. What does this mean?

A group of British talent – including actors, director, and producer – will have five days of rehearsal to put together a single performance of the play in London, in the hopes that it finds future life in the UK. Having dipped my toes in the Thames (ew, not literally) last year, I’m thrilled to have another chance to have my work up in London.

About the play:

Jeremy is a first-time investigator: someone goes undercover at factory farms to film the often-horrific abuses committed within. But when Jeremy is sent to do an exposé on a dairy farm in southern Indiana, he runs up against a difficult question: which is more valuable, human life – or the lives of animals? A play that forces us to look at what we eat – and what we’re willing to sacrifice.

*Two more coming in the next few weeks. Can you wait??? It’s gonna be great!!!

“Good post, bro.”

Thanks, broseph! Although you should probably name me an honorary “brosephine,” just to be traditional. But if that’s not cool, I guess I’m just a “bro-nnabe” for life. Catch ya on the bro side, you bro-nglorious bro-stard!

The proof it’s really happening? I’m on the poster, guys!

The Ten-Minute Plays, including work by myself, Nicholas Pappas, and Kyle John Schmidt. Saturday March 31 at 9pm, Sunday April 1 at 4pm. BE THERE!

1. Ask to get into the middle seat without making eye contact (because you are REALLY upset about sitting in the middle seat).

2. Scratch yourself vigorously enough to shake every seat in the row, plus the ones in front of you. Where should you scratch yourself, you ask? WHEREVER.

3. Spread your legs. No, I said SPREAD your legs. As wide as possible. Ideally, your knee should be halfway across both seats on either side of you. Got ‘em in position? GOOD.

4. Go to sleep.

5. But weirdly, keep moving your legs. A lot. Like, jiggle them up and down and back and forth. Pretend your leg is a happy dog that is getting to know the leg of the person next to you. Don’t be shy! Everyone LOVES this.

6. Snore. And sort of hum? Is that seriously HUMMING?

7. Whilst putting on your jacket after the flight lands, make sure to hit the person next to you with said jacket at least three times, for no reason.

8. CONGRATULATIONS: YOU ARE GROSS.

A Wee Joke Regarding Submissions:

Knock-knock.

Who’s there?

We regret to inform you that we do not wish to solicit the rest of this knock-knock joke. We receive many worthy knock-knock jokes, and only have the time and resources to read a small percentage of them. If you wish to send us another knock-knock joke in the future, please submit the first line, as well as a current bio or resume and we will do our best to respond to you within 6-8 months.