Tarell Alvin McCraney (born October 17, 1980) is an American
playwright and actor, and as of July 2017 has been the chair of
playwriting at the Yale School of Drama. He is also a member of Teo
Castellanos/D Projects Theater Company in Miami and in 2008 became
RSC/Warwick International Playwright in Residence at the Royal
Shakespeare Company. In April 2010, McCraney became the 43rd member of
the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble.He co-wrote the 2016 film Moonlight,
based on his own play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, for which he
received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also wrote
the screenplay for the film High Flying Bird, which was directed by
Steven Soderbergh and released by Netflix on February 8, 2019.McCraney
was born in Liberty City, Florida. He attended the New World School of
the Arts (NWSA) in Miami, Florida, receiving the exemplary artist
award and the Dean's Award in Theater. While attending NWSA, he also
applied to and was awarded an honorable mention by the National
YoungArts Foundation (1999, Theater). He matriculated into The Theatre
School at DePaul University and received his BFA in acting. In May
2007 he graduated from Yale School of Drama's playwriting program,
receiving the Cole Porter Playwriting Award upon graduation. He also
is an Honorary Warwick University Graduate.As an actor, he has worked
with directors such as Tina Landau of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company,
Chicago, Illinois, David Cromer, and B. J. Jones, artistic director of
the Northlight Theatre (where McCraney co-starred in the Chicago
premiere of Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange), and developed a working
relationship with Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne of the
Bouffes du Nord, Paris.
playwright and actor, and as of July 2017 has been the chair of
playwriting at the Yale School of Drama. He is also a member of Teo
Castellanos/D Projects Theater Company in Miami and in 2008 became
RSC/Warwick International Playwright in Residence at the Royal
Shakespeare Company. In April 2010, McCraney became the 43rd member of
the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble.He co-wrote the 2016 film Moonlight,
based on his own play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, for which he
received an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also wrote
the screenplay for the film High Flying Bird, which was directed by
Steven Soderbergh and released by Netflix on February 8, 2019.McCraney
was born in Liberty City, Florida. He attended the New World School of
the Arts (NWSA) in Miami, Florida, receiving the exemplary artist
award and the Dean's Award in Theater. While attending NWSA, he also
applied to and was awarded an honorable mention by the National
YoungArts Foundation (1999, Theater). He matriculated into The Theatre
School at DePaul University and received his BFA in acting. In May
2007 he graduated from Yale School of Drama's playwriting program,
receiving the Cole Porter Playwriting Award upon graduation. He also
is an Honorary Warwick University Graduate.As an actor, he has worked
with directors such as Tina Landau of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company,
Chicago, Illinois, David Cromer, and B. J. Jones, artistic director of
the Northlight Theatre (where McCraney co-starred in the Chicago
premiere of Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange), and developed a working
relationship with Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne of the
Bouffes du Nord, Paris.
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