Bio
Seth Rozin is the author of several plays, including MEN OF STONE (produced by Theater Catalyst in 2001, nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play, published by Playscripts, Inc.), MISSING LINK (produced by InterAct Theatre Company in 2002, nominated for a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play), REINVENTING EDEN (showcased by the National New Play Network in 2005, produced by InterAct in 2006), THE SPACE BETWEEN US (readings at Abingdon Theatre in New York and InterAct), BLACK GOLD (showcased by the National New Play Network in 2006, NNPN rolling world premieres at InterAct, Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis, Prop Thtr in Chicago, Arts West in Seattle in 2008), and TWO JEWS WALK INTO A WAR… (NNPN rolling world premieres at Florida Stage, New Jersey Repertory Theatre and Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, as well as Shadowland Theatre (Ellenville, NY), Unicorn Theatre (Kansas City), Merrimack Repertory Theatre (Lowell, MA), InterAct and Florida Studio Theatre in 2010-11. He has also written the book, lyrics and music for a new musical entitled A PASSING WIND: THE (MOSTLY) TRUE STORY OF JOSEPH PUJOL, about the rise and fall of the world’s greatest “fartiste,” which will be premiered as part of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Philadelphia Inernational Festival of the Arts in April, 2011. Seth is the recipient of two playwriting fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the 2007 Smith Prize, as well as a 2002 new play commission from the Foundation for Jewish Culture. He is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of InterAct Theatre Company in Philadelphia, where he has directed over 45 productions, including the world premieres of Thomas Gibbons’ PERMANENT COLLECTION, BEE-LUTHER-HATCHEE, BLACK RUSSIAN, A HOUSE WITH NO WALLS, and 6221. He served as President of the National New Play Network from 2002-2006, and currently Chairs the Philadelphia New Play Initiative.
Plays
A PASSING WIND (5m/3f)
A musical comedy chronicling the (mostly) true-life story of history’s greatest “fartiste” — Joseph Pujol (a.k.a. Le Petomane) — who rose from humble baker to Paris’ most popular entertainer at the Moulin Rouge. Le Petomane and his superior posterior regaled patrons with uncanny imitations, unprecedented musicality and feats of extraordinary anal agility. He grossed-out thousands while out-grossing such luminaries as Claude Monet, Erik Satie and Sarah Bernhardt. Until World War I left unprecedented devastation in its wake, and Le Petomane’s act of crepitation no longer tickled France’s funny bone. Narrated by Sigmund Freud, this charming chamber musical juxtaposes sophisticated culture and bathroom humor, high brow and low brow, the sublime and the ridiculous.
*World premiere production at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Philadelphia International
Festival of the Arts (April, 2011)
TWO JEWS WALKED INTO A WAR… (2m)
Ishaq and Zeblyan are the last two Jews in Kabul, Afghanistan. They seek to rekindle their faith, rebuild their synagogue and repopulate their community. But they hate each other. Driven apart by mutual animosity, this Middle-Eastern odd couple must commit to a great act of faith in order to achieve their shared goal of keeping the Jewish diaspora alive in Afghanistan. But will they kill each other first?
*National New Play Network rolling world premiere productions at Florida Stage, New Jersey Rep/Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey. Subsequent productions at Shadowland Theatre, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Florida Studio Theatre.
BLACK GOLD (4m, 2f)
What happens when an African American man in Detroit’s inner-city buys an oil rig on eBay and discovers oil in his back yard? Six actors play over 80 roles in this highly theatrical futuristic satire about America’s oil addiction run amok.
*Winner, The Smith Prize (2007)
*National New Play Network rolling world premiere productions at InterAct Theatre Company, Phoenix Theatre in Indianapolis, Arts West Playhouse in Seattle and Prop Thtr in Chicago.
REINVENTING EDEN (6m,1f)
A renowned geneticist is investigated for illegal experiments he conducted years earlier, opening up a Pandora’s box of genetic secrets in his own family, while exploring the political and personal implications of modern genetic science.
*Produced at InterAct Theatre Company (2006)
THE SPACE BETWEEN US (4m,3f)
A surreal drama inspired by the true-life story of minimalist sculptor Carl Andre and his Cuban-American artist-wife, Ana Mendieta, whose prophetic and tumultuous marriage ended when she fell (or was pushed) to her death in 1985.
MISSING LINK (3m,3f)
A couple lose their only daughter in a tragic plane crash and are catapulted into conflicting crises of faith in this human drama about grief, faith, and the evolution of the human spirit.
*Produced by InterAct Theatre Company, Civic Theatre of Schenectady, NY, Swarthmore
Players’ Club, PA.
*Barrymore Award nomination, Best New Play (2002)
MEN OF STONE (4m,1f)
Michelangelo’s fierce and majestic statue of Moses comes to life as the wrong person in this irreverent comedy about the intractability of human nature and the pursuit of perfection.
*Produced by Theater Catalyst, Philadelphia (2001)
*Published by Playscripts, Inc.
*Barrymore Award nomination, Best New Play (2001)
*Honorable Mention, Best New Play, Philadelphia Weekly (2001)
Awards and Fellowships
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Playwriting Fellowship (1998)
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Playwriting Fellowship (2000)
National Foundation for Jewish Culture New Play Commission (2001)
The Smith Prize (2007)
