Author Profile: Willard Simms
WILLARD SIMMS is the author of 11 published plays and 14 produced teleplays. Recently his play Wright From America, was one of the winners of the Juneteenth National Playwriting Competition in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the co-author, with Glenn Benest, of POE, an eleven character drama which won the Maltese Falcon Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His one person play, Einstein: A Stage Portrait, has played Off Broadway at the American Jewish Theatre, and been produced all over the world. Bye Bye Blackbird made virtually every media Critics Pick list at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and completed a world tour with Guy Masterson Productions. Mr. Simms is an expert in biographical drama, and his television work includes scripts on Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, George Washington, Benedict Arnold, St. Francis of Assissi, as well as three episodes of the network series Family. Mr. Simms directed and served as Dramaturg for the play The Triumphs and Tragedies of Frank Lloyd Wright, which played in Los Angeles to rave reviews and is currently on a national tour.
Mr. Simms has received writing commissions from the New Orleans Repertory Theatre, Denver Center Theatre (twice), Colorado Bi-Centennial Commission, BACA Downtown Theatre, California Lutheran University, Oklahoma University, and the Schwayder Theatre of Denver.
His witing Fellowships include The National Endowment for the Humanities, Shubert Theatre Foundation, Arrowhead Stage Company, Colorado Theatre Commission, Denver Public Library, and the Denver Mayors Committee.
Published plays: The Wizard of Oz in the Wild West, Jim Bridger: Mountain Man, Thursday Meets the Wolfman, Star Wars, 2000, King Midas and the Golden Touch and Alice in Wonderland (adapted from the book) – with Pioneer Drama Service; The Acting Lesson, Miss Farnsworth, Two’s A Crowd, The Passing of an Actor, Then and Now – with Dramatists Play Service; Einstein: A Stage Portrait and The Ugly Duckling (a musical for children) – with Dramatic Publishing.
Writing awards include the Mystery Writers of America, the Shubert Foundation, the University of Louisville, the University of Oklahoma, the Telluride Theatre Festival, Drama-Logue, and the Colorado Authors League.
