Cori Thomas is an author and screenwriter of Liberian and Brazilian descent. Cori is co-writer of Sara Kruzan's memoir I Cried to Dream Again, published in May 2022 by Penguin Random House. She is also an award winning playwright whose works include When January Feels Like Summer, Lockdown, My Secret Language of Wishes, Pa's Hat, “Citizens Market” and more.

Early life

Thomas is the daughter of a Liberian ambassador, and the granddaughter of Cora Ann Pair Thomas who emigrated to Liberia as a missionary and founded the Lott Carey Mission. [1]

Career

The world premiere of Thomas's When January Feels Like Summer was directed by Chuck Patterson, her late husband,[2] at the City Theatre In Pittsburgh in 2010 and won the American Theatre Critics Association Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award for an emerging playwright.[3] It was subsequently co-produced by the Ensemble Studio Theatre and Page73 Productions in the Summer of 2014 in New York and directed by Daniella Topol. It was a Critics Pick of The New York Times and was brought back in October 2014 as a co-production between the Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Women's Project Theater also directed by Daniella Topol.

Other plays include Pa's Hat, which premiered at the Pillsbury House Theatre in Minnesota in 2010, directed by Marion McClinton; and My Secret Language of Wishes, which premiered at the Mixed Blood Theatre in 2011, also directed by McClinton.

In May, 2019 Lockdown directed by Kent Gash was produced at Rattlestick Theater in NY.[4]

Cori is the Andrew Mellon Playwright-In-Residence at WP Theater in NYC. She is also a current New Dramatists Fellow.

Cori Thomas is one of five playwrights to win the prestigious Helen Merrill Playwriting award.[5]


Her fellowships and residencies include the Sundance Theatre Lab in 2008.[6] O’Neill National Playwright’s Conference in 2018. And many other fellowships and residencies.

References

  1. ↑ Holloway, Daniel (December 14, 2017). "Dustin Hoffman Accused of Exposing Himself to a Minor, Assaulting Two Women (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  2. ↑ Siemaszko, Corky (December 30, 2013). "Chuck Patterson, Broadway star, dead at 68". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved December 31, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Cori Thomas' When January Feels Like Summer Wins Osborn New Play Award". Playbill.
  4. ↑ Collins-Hughes, Laura (2019-05-09). "Review: In 'Lockdown,' a Prisoner Yearns to Rejoin the World". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  5. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "Five Playwrights Receive Prestigious Helen Merrill Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  6. ↑ "Sundance Institute Announces Acting Company for 2008 Summer Theatre Lab" (PDF) (Press release). Sundance Institute. July 1, 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018. ...the seven playwrights and plays selected for this year's residency [include] ... Cori Thomas (When January Feels Like Summer; director Chuck Patterson)...
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