Years ago, when I applied for a marriage license in California, I had to fill in a space on the form asking for my occupation. I don’t know why it’s any business of the state to have this information, but I figured if I didn’t answer I might be refused the license and lose the woman of my dreams. So, I wrote in “playwright”. I could have written “marketing consultant” or “professor”, but I chose “playwright” because my passion is writing, and most of what I wrote at the time were plays.
But when my future wife noticed the “playwright” she exclaimed with some disappointment, “I thought you promised to support me”.
I’ve written well over 100 plays, including 26 produced full-length plays (and some not produced yet). I write plays of all types. My play portfolio includes comedies, dramas, dramadies, historical dramas, even a murder trial. There are also Christmas plays, including a musical!
There are lots of one-acts, and lots of full-length plays.
There are also lots of monologs.
The target groups for my plays vary the gamut from kids to seniors, and my plays have been produced all over the United States, as well as in Canada.
A prominent writing guru has called me, “The Neil Simon of the San Fernando Valley” (the area of Los Angeles I reside), though I believe that that’s all wrong, that what the guru should’ve said is, “Neil Simon is the Art Shulman outside the San Fernando Valley”.
I have written a number of monologues which are unusual in that they are not speeches taken from my longer plays, but are whole plays in themselves, with plots, and where actors have an arc.
In addition to writing I also produce plays, and have served as a speaker on producing.
In addition to writing and producing plays, I sometimes direct, and occasionally act. Most of the plays I act in are ones I’ve written, but for the most part I’m only cast as the emergency understudy, who goes on only in the event of, well, an emergency. Unfortunately, such emergencies often happen. The lead actor gets sick, is committed to another project for a performance or two, or the other actor can’t remember his lines. And, to tell the truth, based on audience reaction, I’m not bad.
I’m a member of the several theater organizations, including The Dramatist’s Guild, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, Alliance of Jewish Theater, and Fierce Backbone.
Full Length Productions
Christmas Plays
One Act Plays
Peter Plays
Monologue Plays
Plays for Seniors
Plays for Youth
