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Philip Middleton Williams ’71

Philip received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama from the University of Miami, a Master of Fine Arts in playwriting from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in theatre from the University of Colorado. His first play, “The Hunter”, was produced at the University of Minnesota as a part of his master’s degree requirements. “Dark Twist” was staged by the Actors Ensemble Theatre of Boulder, Colorado. “The Purer, Brighter Years” premiered at the Old Town Playhouse in Traverse City, Michigan. “Here’s Hoping”, commissioned by Northern Michigan Planned Parenthood for the Troupe Teen Theatre Company, was presented in Petoskey, MI. 
Other works include “Ask Me Anything and Other Short Plays”, a collection of ten-minute plays that include “Ask Me Anything”, directed by William Roudebush, “Last Exit and A Life Enriching Community”, directed by Jerry Jensen, and “Which Way To The Beach”, directed by Steven A. Chambers, at the New Theatre’s Miami 1-Acts Festivals. “A Moment of Clarity” premiered at Magic Curtain Productions Still Got It Players Short Attention Span Play Festival in Orlando, FL. His work has also been seen in the South Florida One-Minute Play Festivals. His newest work, “All Together Now”, won first place in the 2016 Playgroup LLC playwriting contest. “Can’t Live Without You”, was his first play to receive a New York production, at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre in January 2008.  In 1992 he was appointed to the national advisory board of the William Inge Theatre Festival. He has written numerous articles on the works of Inge and Lanford Wilson and contributed to The Facts on File Companion to American Drama edited by Jackson R. Bryer and Mary C. Hartig. His doctoral thesis, A Comfortable House – Lanford Wilson, Marshall W. Mason and the Circle Repertory Theatre, was published by McFarland and Company in 1993.
Just recently “A Moment of Clarity” has been selected as part of the 36th William Inge Theatre Festival New Play Lab in April, where it will be read by actors and have a talk-back.  Philip is also presenting a paper at the festival’s scholars conference, and this will be his 25th trip to the William Inge Theatre Festival, which is dedicated to the life and career of the playwright William Inge who gave us “Picnic” and “Bus Stop.”  (William Inge was also the uncle of JoAnn Kirchmaier, whose family grew up in Perrysburg.)
 
Philip is a member of The Dramatists Guild.
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