Sarah Gancher is an American playwright.
Gancher is known for her work exploring epic narratives, profound themes, and rich comedy. Her play Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy[1] opened at the Vineyard Theatre in winter 2024.[2] Gancher's plays often delve into the intersection of history and individual lives, examining how places, communities, and debates evolve over time. Her works have been produced or developed at London’s National Theatre, Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre, The Public, New York Theater Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, The Vineyard, The Atlantic, Berkeley Rep, Steppenwolf, New York Stage and Film, Ars Nova, WP Theatre, The Flea, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Geva Theatre, Hartford Stage, RoundHouse, Forward Theatre, Mosaic (DC), P73, NYC Summerstage, and Telluride Theatre.[3]
Early life
editGancher was raised in Oakland, California[4][5] and attended Maybeck High School.
Career
editGancher has written two musicals with the rock band The Bengsons: "The Lucky Ones" and "Hundred Days," both of which received critical acclaim.[6][7] She was also the collaborating playwright on "Mission Drift," a musical about capitalism and the myth of the frontier, which toured internationally and received numerous awards and nominations.[8] In addition to her work in theater, Gancher has written for Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, and Madison Square Garden, and has worked behind the scenes at The Colbert Report, The Metropolitan Opera Guild, The Big Apple Circus, and Norway’s Stellapolaris. Gancher currently teaches playwriting at NYU Tisch's Department of Dramatic Writing[9] and The New School's MFA Playwriting program. She is a jazz and bluegrass violinist.[10] She holds an MFA from NYU.
Personal life
editGancher resides in Ridgewood, Queens with her husband and son.
Awards
editSpecial Citation Obie Award: "Russian Troll Farm"[11]
Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theatre[12]
New York Stage and Film Founder’s Award[13]
Plays (full length)
edit- I'll Get You Back Again
- Duet
- The Place We Built
- Klauzál Square
- Seder
- Lovebird With a Mirror
- Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy
- The Wind And The Rain
Plays (short)
edit- Settlers of Catan
- Budapest December 2011
- 1978 Verbatim
- Five Mothers
- The Great Sacrifice
- In This Place
- Anniversary
References
edit- ^ Green, Jesse (2020-10-22). "'Russian Troll Farm' Review: Clock In, Undermine Democracy, Clock Out". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ White, Abbey (2023-12-19). "Christine Lahti Joins Cast of 'Russian Troll Farm: A Workplace Comedy' Off-Broadway (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "sarahgancher". sarahgancher. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Patz, Kally (2024-02-01). "In Sarah Gancher's Plays, the Joke is on the World". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "Conversation with Sarah Gancher". Jewish Ledger. 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Brantley, Ben (2017-12-05). "Review: Waltzing With Love and Death in 'Hundred Days'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ https://playbill.com/article/read-reviews-for-ars-novas-new-musical-the-lucky-ones
- ^ "Mission Drift | The TEAM". Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "Sarah Gancher". tisch.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "The Funny Thing About Grief". Articulate with Jim Cotter. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "22". Obie Awards. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "Two Musicals Win 2019 Richard Rodgers Awards – American Academy of Arts and Letters". artsandletters.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ "Awards, Fellowships, Residences | New York Stage and Film | USA". www.newyorkstageandfilm.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ a b "Sarah Gancher (plays)". sarahgancher.org.