Maria Irene Fornes Biography (1930-)

Born May 14, 1930, in Havana, Cuba; came to the United States, 1945, naturalized citizen, 1951; daughter of Carlos Luis (a public servant) and Carmen Hismenia (Collado) Fornes. Addresses: Agent: Helen Merrill, 435 West 23rdSt. No. 1A, New York, NY 10011.

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
playwright, director
Birth Details
May 14, 1930
Havana, Cuba

Famous Works

  • Credits; Stage Director
  • The Annunciation, Judson Poets Theater, New York City, 1967.
  • Dr. Kheal, Festival of Short Plays, American Place Theater, New York City, 1974.
  • Fefu and Her Friends, American Place Theater, 1978.
  • Life Is a Dream, INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, New York City, 1981.
  • A Visit, Theater for the New City, New York City, 1982.
  • Exiles (musical), INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1982-83.
  • Promenade, Theatre Off Park, 1983.
  • The Danube, American Place Theatre, 1984.
  • Sarita, INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1984.
  • The Conduct of Life, Theater for the New City, 1985.
  • Cold Air, INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1985.
  • Mud, Theater for the New City, 1983, later Westbeth Theatre Center, 1986.
  • Lovers and Keepers, INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1986.
  • Abingdon Square, American Place Theatre, 1987.
  • Going to New England, INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1990.
  • Also director of productions of The Successful Life of 3: A Skit for Vaudeville, Molly's Dream, Aurora, Cap-a-Pie, Washing, Eyes on the Harem, Evelyn Brown (A Diary), and A Matter of Faith.
  • Credits; Stage Plays
  • The Widow, produced in New York, 1961; published as La Viuda in Cuatro Autores Cubanos, Casa de las Americas (Havana), 1961.
  • There! You Died, first produced at Actor's Workshop, San Francisco, 1963; produced as Tango Palace (also see below) with The Successful Life of 3: A Skit for Vaudeville (double-bill) at Firehouse Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, 1965, later Theatre Genesis, New York City, 1973.
  • The Successful Life of 3: A Skit for Vaudeville (also see below),first produced with Tango Palace (double-bill) at Firehouse Theatre, 1965, then Sheridan Square Playhouse Theatre, 1965.
  • Promenade (musical; also see below), first produced at Judson Poets Theater, 1965, later Promenade Theatre, New York City, 1969.
  • The Office, first produced at Henry Miller's Theatre, 1966 (preview performances; never officially opened); published by Establishment TheatreCo., 1965.
  • A Vietnamese Wedding (also see below), first produced at Washington Square Methodist Church, New York City, 1967, then La Mama Experimental Theater, 1969.
  • The Annunciation, first produced with The Successful Life of 3:A Skit for Vaudeville (double-bill) produced at Judson Poets Theater, 1967.
  • Dr. Kheal (also see below), first produced at Judson Poets Theater, 1968, then New Arts Laboratory, London, 1969.
  • The Red Burning Light: or Mission XQ3 (also see below), first produced for Open Theatre European Tour, Zurich, Switzerland, 1968, then at La Mama Experimental Theater, 1969.
  • Molly's Dream (also see below), first produced at Tanglewood Workshop, Boston, MA, 1968, later New York Theatre Strategy, 1973.
  • Promenade and Other Plays (includes Tango Palace, The Successful Life of 3: A Skit for Vaudeville, Promenade, A Vietnamese Wedding, Dr. Kheal, The Red Burning Light: or Mission XQ3, and Molly's Dream), published by Winter House, 1971, reprinted by Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1987.
  • The Curse of the Langston House, first produced at Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1972.
  • Aurora, first produced at New York Theatre Strategy, 1973.
  • Cap-a-Pie, first produced at INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, NewYork City, 1975.
  • Washing, first produced at Theater for the New City, New York City, 1976.
  • Lolita in the Garden, first produced at INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1977.
  • Fefu and Her Friends, first produced at New York Theatre Strategy,1977, then American Place Theater, 1978; published in Wordplays 1, Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1981.
  • In Service, first produced at Padua Hills Festival, Claremont, CA,1978.
  • Eyes on the Harem, first produced at INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1979.
  • Evelyn Brown (A Diary), first produced at Theater for the New City, 1980.
  • (Adapter) Federico Garcia Lorca, Blood Wedding, produced at INTARHispanic American Theatre, 1980.
  • (Adapter) Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Life Is a Dream (three-act),produced at INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1981.
  • A Visit, first produced at Padua Hills Festival, 1981, then Theater for the New City, 1981-82.
  • The Danube (also see below), first produced at Padua Hills Festival, 1982, then Theater for the New City, 1983, later American Place Theater, 1984.
  • Mud (also see below), first produced at Padua Hills Festival, 1983, then Theater for the New City, 1983.
  • Sarita (musical; also see below), first produced at INTAR HispanicAmerican Theatre, 1984.
  • No Time, first produced at Padua Hills Festival, 1984.
  • Abingdon Square, produced in Seattle, WA, 1984, later American Place Theater, 1987.
  • The Conduct of Life (one-act; also see below), first produced at Theater for the New City, 1985.
  • (Adapter and translator) Virgilio Pinera, Cold Air, produced at INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1985; published by Theatre Communications Group, 1985.
  • (Coauthor of lyrics and music) Carmines Sings Whitman Sings Carmines, produced at Playwrights Horizons, New York City, 1985.
  • Maria Irene Fornes: Plays (includes Mud, The Danube, Sarita, and The Conduct of Life), published by Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1986.
  • The Trial of Joan of Arc on a Matter of Faith, first produced at Theater for the New City, 1986.
  • Lovers and Keepers (three one-act musicals), first produced at INTAR Hispanic American Theatre, 1986; published by Theatre Communications Group, 1987.
  • Drowning (adapted from Anton Chekhov's story of the same title; one-act; produced with six other one-act plays under collective title Orchards), first produced at Lucille Lortel Theater, New York City, 1986; published in Orchards, Knopf, 1986.
  • Art, first produced at Theater for the New City, 1986; published in Box Plays.
  • The Mothers (title changed to Charlie; also see below), first produced at Padua Hills Festival, 1986.
  • (Adapter) Chekhov, Uncle Vanya, produced at Classic Stage CompanyTheatre, New York City, 1987.
  • Hunger (also see below), first produced by En Garde Productions, 1989.
  • And What of the Night? (includes Hunger, Springtime, Lust,and Charlie [previously The Mothers]), first produced at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee, WI, 1989.
  • Also author with Remy Charlip of Dance, produced in London, 1972,and of lyrics for Lines of Vision, produced in New York, 1976.

Further Reference

Books

  • Betsko, Kathleen, and Rachel Koening, Interviews with Contemporary Women Playwrights, Beech Tree Books, 1987.
  • Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series, Volume 28, Gale, 1990,pp. 174- 180.
  • Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 7: Twentieth-Century American Dramatists, Gale, 1981.
  • Marranca, Bonnie, Theatre Writings, Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1984.
Periodicals
  • American Theatre, September, 1985.
  • Bomb, fall, 1984.
  • Chicago, April, 1990, p. 89.
  • Drama Review, December, 1977.
  • New York, March 18, 1985, p. 28.
  • Nuestro, June-July, 1980, p. 65.
  • Theater, winter, 1985.
  • Theatre Times, March, 1984.

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