 Herman Farrell received his B.A., cum laude, in Drama from Vassar College in 1983, his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1989 and his M.F.A. in Playwriting from Columbia University in 1994. He teaches Playwriting, Theater History, Script Analysis, Black Theater and Topics in American Theater. He directs plays and is the Director of the Studio Season here at the University of Kentucky.
Herman is a playwright and screenwriter. Farrell was co-writer of the award winning (Peabody, AFI, NAACP Image awards) and critically acclaimed HBO Film "Boycott". Herman was nominated for a Humanitas Prize.
Recent play productions: Rome, 2004 New York International Fringe Festival ([Farrell] has beautifully written and directed this modern political drama Jocelyn Szabo, NYTheatre.com); Portrait of a President, 2002 New York International Fringe Festival (Excellence in Playwriting Award, the real star is the script, for which Herman Farrell deserves accolades and success. Frank Vigorito, OffOffOff.com); Solo Goya, Lincoln Center Director's Lab at HERE (NY 1998) (Nancy Jones, Director, Nelson Fields, Costume Designer); Bedfellows, The Flea Theater (NY 1997) (Farrell, in many ways (to his credit) a very traditional dramatist has been down this road before and skillfully maps its every twist and turn. Robert Simonson, Back Stage) Bedfellows, The Echo Theater Company (LA 1996) (Drama-Logue Award & Critic's Choice, Farrell has created a play of sly revelations that is given a skillful, seamless interpretation. Jana Monji, Los Angeles Times).
His plays have been developed in workshops and readings at Manhattan Theater Club, Crossroads Theater Company, Primary Stages, The Working Theater, New Dramatists and The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference.
Herman's work as a playwright has been recognized and honored by several national arts institutions: New Dramatists (Member Playwright 1995-2002, Joe Calloway Award); NEA Grant (To Mandela at The Working Theater 1998); NEA Grant (There at Primary Stages 1996); MacDowell Colony (Fellow 1996); 1994, 1995 & 1999 National Playwrights Conference (Bedfellows, Brodkin Scholarship Award, There, 1st Eric Kocher Playwriting Award and Memorial Day). Herman was a literary department intern at Manhattan Theater Club (1992) and Negro Ensemble Company (1993).
Herman's plays over the years have been centered on themes of race and politics. The inspiration for this work stems from his life experience with his father, Denny Farrell, a prominent African American politician in New York. His research as a playwright is currently focused on a series of plays about the life and legacy of American Presidents. Portrait of a President and Rome centered on Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, respectively. His next two plays will be titled: General George Washington and President George Washington. Herman recently completed and workshopped a play about race issues in Kentucky called Adverse Possession and he will be developing a cycle of plays about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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