Leigh Curran

Leigh Curran is the author of four full-length plays - The Lunch Girls, Alterations (both published by Samuel French), Walking the Blonde and Body Beautiful (both on newplayexchange.org) Leigh’s one-acts have been produced nationally and internationally. The Lunch Girls had its world premiere at The Long Wharf Theatre under the direction of Arvin Brown and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award before being directed off-Broadway by Stuart Ross. Alterations was also produced Off-Broadway under the direction of Austin Pendleton, and Walking the Blonde was produced at Circle Rep under the direction of Paul Benedict; at La Mama under the direction of Leonard Foglia and at Theatre Geo in Hollywood under the direction of Linda Carlson. Body Beautiful was developed through a series of readings and a workshop in 2019 at the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood.  Ms. Curran is a member of the LA Poets and Writers Collective and the author of four chapbooks. Her poetry has been published in Slant, Rattle and Onthebus. Her first novel, Going Nowhere Sideways, was published by Fithian Press – it is an underground favorite and is available in on-line bookstores. As an actress Ms. Curran has appeared on, off, and way off Broadway and was an original member of the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company. For 22 years Ms. Curran was the Founder/Artistic Director of the Virginia Avenue Project - a non-profit using the Arts and long-term, one-on-one mentoring to give underserved children the skills to think creatively, critically, and courageously about life goals and choices.  Leigh’s solo show, Why Water Falls, was produced at the Hollywood Fringe Festival where it received the Producers Encore Award and subsequently ran Off-Off Broadway in 2016.  Why Water Falls is available on newplayexchange.org – it can be performed by one or more actors. Website: www.leighcurran.net

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
https://leighcurran.net/
FB: Leigh Curran

MORE ABOUT ME
I feel most complete as an artist when I'm performing in something I've written.  A few years ago I wrote myself a solo show but my real thrill comes from working off really good actors who are excited to join me in bringing my stories to life.  My hope is the stigma surrounding writer/performers can be undone along with the stigma surrounding plays about older people - often written by older writers - many of them women.  In a perfect world, the life journey would be explored and celebrated from all vantage points.  My first play, The Lunch Girls, made a big splash when it was first produced - I was in my mid 30s and didn't really know what I was doing.  Now I I like to think I do ... in any event, I have a whole lot more to write about!  And I plan to keep writing about it because one day, when we can finally throw our masks to the wind, theatre will return and people will once again come together to share deep, funny, sad, complex, surprising, thought provoking, live experiences.  

WHAT I'M WORKING ON
Another play and another novel.

KEYWORDS
Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Buddhist, People of Color, Equality, Love, Aging, Loyalty, Mothers and Daughters, Sexual Identity, Transformation, Dogs, New York City, Abortion, Comedy, Drama, Therapy, Waitresses, Spirituality