Author Profile: Joe V. Graber
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Born in 1935 in Watertown, Tennessee (so named because the only source of drinking water was a large sulfur well in the center of town), Joe V. Graber celebrated the big 70 on Bastille Day, 2005. He has had a long and varied career in theatre as an actor, director, playwright, designer, producer, teacher, critic and technician. Spread rather evenly over the professional, educational and community theatre venues, his proudest accomplishment (so far) is the co-founding of the Kentucky Repertory Theatre in Horse Cave, Kentucky — now one of the best of the country's professional theatres with an emphasis on assisting new and budding playwrights.
As a playwright, Joe acknowledges four literary influences: Christopher Frye, Robert Frost, Gertrude Stein and Dylan Thomas. He has disciplined himself to write poetic/verse drama that places emphasis on acting skills and challenges, minimizing production problems, in the tradition of classical Greek drama. Usually all that's needed are a few prop pieces and a large number of actors who are willing to be stretched.
Joe always has a work in progress, has several unpublished scripts — both one act and full length (usually two act since one intermission is sufficient for the modern audience), and is always willing to send a script to anyone who might want to work with a playwright on a new vehicle. Have script — will travel.
