David Hansen (playwright) explained

David Hansen
Birth Date:	26 July 1968
Occupation:	Stage actor, director, playwright
Spouse:	Toni K. Thayer
Website:	http://davidhansen.org

David Hansen (born July 26, 1968) is an American playwright, actor, director and arts educator. He is the founder of Dobama's Night Kitchen and co-founder of Guerrilla Theater Company and Bad Epitaph Theater Company.^[1]

He is a graduate of Bay Village High School, and holds a BFA in Theater from Ohio University^[2] and an MFA in Playwriting from Cleveland State.^[3] He is married to writer Toni K. Thayer. He is currently Education Outreach Associate for Great Lakes Theater.^[4]

Awards

• (2021) Sherlock Holmes Meets the Bully of Baker Street: Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest^[5]
• (2010) Community Workforce Fellow, Community Partnership for Arts and Culture^[6]
• (2006) Spencer Tunick In Cleveland: First Place Use of Sound (with Toni K. Thayer and Dave DeOreo for WCPN) from the Press Club of Cleveland^[7]
• (2004) I Hate This: A Play Without the Baby: Excellence in Solo Performance at the New York International Fringe Festival

Published works

• (2020) Sherlock Holmes Meets the Bully of Baker Street based on characters by Arthur Conan Doyle published by Pioneer Drama Service
• (2018) Red Onion, White Garlic (A Tale of Indonesia) published by YouthPLAYS
• (2016) The Secret Adversary adaptation of the novel by Agatha Christie published by YouthPLAYS
• (2013) Double Heart (The Courtship of Beatrice and Benedick) published by YouthPLAYS
• (2012) The Mysterious Affair at Styles adaptation of the novel by Agatha Christie published by Playscripts Inc.

Other Produced Works

• (2024) The Toothpaste Millionaire (based on the book by Jean Merrill)
• (2021) Savory Taṇhā (sixteen short plays performed by a rotating ensemble) a Zoom play
• (2019) The Way I Danced With You (The George Michael Play)
• (2019) About a Ghoul
• (2016) Twelfth Night (As Told By Malvolio) adapted from Shakespeare
• (2015) Rosalynde & The Falcon
• (2015) The Great Globe Itself
• (2013) Adventures in Slumberland based on characters by Winsor McCay
• (2010) On The Dark Side of Twilight (Evolution of the Vampire)
• (2009) And Then You Die (How I Ran a Marathon in 26.2 Years)
• (2003) I Hate This: A Play Without the Baby
• (1997) The Vampyres

One Acts and 10-Minute Plays

• (2023) Step Nine^[8]
• (2022) Here's To You, Mrs. Robinson
• (2018) Screen Play
• (2017) No Cure For Cancer
• (2015) On the Beam (part of The Cleveland Play House Centennial Plays)^[9]
• (2015) Tiresias Riddles The Fates
• (2014) Lombardo
• (2011) The Lady

Collaborations

• (2021) with Dayshawnda Ash, Melissa Crum, Emma James Dahl, John Dayo-Aliya & Maya Malan-Gonzalez
• (2014) Seven Ages with Nina Domingue, Mike Geither, Christine Howey, Anne McEvoy, Michael Oatman & Toni K. Thayer
• (2001) The Gulf with Joshua D. Brown, Kelly Elliott, Brian Fox, Margi Herwald, Derek Koger, Leah D. Krauss, Heather N. Stout & Sean Sullivan
• (1998) Cole Cuts with David Bell, Suzanne L. Miller & Toni K. Thayer
• (1996) This Vicious Cabaret with Erin Myers, Mike Schmidt, Toni K. Thayer & Jenna Weiss
• (1993) Mind Your Own Business rotating sketch show, written by ensemble
• (1992) You Have the Right to Remain Silent! rotating sketch show, written by ensemble

Performances in plays by contemporary playwrights

Hansen often performs in his own plays, and also has a history of performances in new or recently developed works by notable modern playwrights, including:

• (2015) White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour at Cleveland Public Theatre Pre-Off-Broadway^[10]
• (2013) 8 by Dustin Lance Black at Cleveland Play House^[11]
• (2012) The Velocity of Autumn by Eric Coble at Beck Center For the Arts Pre-Arena/Broadway^[12]

External links

• David Hansen website
• Review of 'I Hate This' in the New York Times
• Radio adaptation of 'I Hate This' on WCPN
• Audio diary on WCPN about Spencer Tunick

Notes and References

1. Book: Vacha, John. Showtime in Cleveland. Kent State University Press. 2001. 0-87338-697-3. Kent, Ohio and London. paperback.
2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2434020/ David Hansen biography at IMDB
3. https://neomfa.org/david-hansen-2023-graduate David Hansen - 2023 Graduate
4. Great Lakes Theater website
5. Web site: List of Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest Winners. Pioneer Drama Service. June 30, 2021.
6. Web site: Twenty artists get $20,000 each in Creative Workforce Fellowships. cleveland.com. June 30, 2021.
7. Web site: Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards. The Press Club of Cleveland. June 30, 2021.
8. Web site: BorderLight Theatre Festival lineup announced. 2023. North East Ohio Media Group. 2024-06-30.
9. Web site: 100 years and counting: Your guide to the Cleveland Play House's Centennial Weekend Celebration. 2015. North East Ohio Media Group. 2015-10-28.
10. Web site: ‘White Rabbit Red Rabbit’ @CPTCle Public Theatre Features a Different Actor Each Night. 2015. CoolCleveland. 2016-05-18.
11. Web site: Cleveland Play House to present California gay-rights story '8' in reading at Allen Theatre in PlayhouseSquare. 2013. North East Ohio Media Group. 2016-05-18.
12. Web site: 'Velocity of Autumn' takes journey through time in Lakewood: Theater Review. 2012. North East Ohio Media Group. 2016-05-18.