Daniel Roberts (playwright)
Daniel Roberts, born 1969, in New York City, is a playwright, editor and educator.
Early life and career
Daniel graduated with a B.A. (1992) and M.A. (1994) from the University of Pennsylvania. He edited the literary magazine Press from 1995–2001. He was the founder of the Audax Theatre Group and publisher of The Hineni Writer's Workshop Review.
He is the author of a number of plays. In 2001, with his brother Sam, he wrote the OOBR-award winning play The Beginning of the And.[1] Other works include Last Day starring Heather Raffo and Brando starring Kate Roe and Dante Giammarco, and featuring Nina Wheeler-Chalfin, which Time Out New York called "An impressive piece of writing...recalling Edward Albee or John Guare". Then there was Frankie starring Kristina Klebe, The Gold Standard starring Sabine Singh and Jordan Charney, and Monsterface starring Sarah Grace Wilson and Ted Schneider, and featuring Karen Lynn Gorney.
In addition to literary pursuits, Roberts works with the Boikarabelo, an orphanage in South Africa and, since 2004, has taught college-level poetry to 4th graders at PS 375 in Harlem. A self-proclaimed "conservative" Democrat, Mr. Roberts has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Congress in New York's new 10th district, a seat currently held by Jerrold Nadler.
According to the Audax Theatre Group's website, Mr. Roberts wrote a new play entitled Haunted House featuring Anna Wood and Jordan Charney which was called "Sparklingly original...with characters that stick" by the New York Times .
In 2011 he completed a first draft of a novel entitled Bar Maid, which will be published in 2014.
Roberts recently co-founded MAPS Inc. along with Tom Willits. MAPS brings together school children of different backgrounds through artistic collaboration and live performances of student-made, original works on a professional stage. In 2013, Mr. Roberts will open an office on Manhattan's Upper West Side dedicated to "Private solutions to public problems."
In 2012, Roberts became the CEO of UpGate, Inc., providing web-based applications that allow airline passengers to bid on goods and services, such as premium seats, via a real-time auction at the gate.
Daniel is a co-founder and board member of the Eleuthera Arts and Culture Group, a not-for-profit Bahamian organization dedicated to the cultural heritage of the island of Eleuthera.
Personal life
• Daniel Roberts's late uncle John Roberts was one of two entrepreneurs responsible for the conception and production of the Woodstock concerts of 1969 and 1994.
• Roberts's sister-in-law, Danielia Cotton a singer and songwriter, opened for Bon Jovi at Madison Square Garden in December 2005.
• The Mahogany Roberts, a rolltop desk designed by Gary Spitzer of Rolltop Desk Works, was named after Daniel Roberts.
• According to IMBD, Roberts has completed every New York City Marathon since 2001.
• A first edition of Press magazine, which Roberts edited from 1995–2001, hangs in the barroom of The 21 Club.
• Daniel Roberts's father William Roberts owned the Eclipse Award-winning thoroughbred racehorse Smoke Glacken.
• Roberts's mother, Jill Roberts, founded The Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell's Stich Building on East 70th Street in New York City. The Center opened in September 2006 under the direction of Dr. Ellen Scherl.
• Roberts is married to Nina Wheeler Roberts, a teacher, urban gardener, and student at New York City's Farm School. Together they have a daughter, Miranda Josephine Roberts, who was born in 2013.
References
- ↑ The Beginning of the And Retrieved 2011-09-03.