Award-Winning Playwright and Screenwriter
Plays
An accomplished playwright, Shanley has written over 20 plays, the most popular being: Danny and the Deep Blue Sea Savage in Limbo The Dreamer Examines His Pillow Italian American Reconciliation Four Dogs and a Bone Beggars in the House of Plenty Pyschopathia Sexualis Cellini Where's My Money? Dirty Story Defiance Storefront Church *Doubt Tony Award winner for Best Play, 2005 Drama Desk Award winner for Outstanding New Play, 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner, 2005 Obie Award winner for Playwriting, 2005 |
Screenplays
Shanley has written many scripts for the screen as well as directed and acted in movies since the late 1980s. Some of his writing credits include: Five Corners (1987) *Moonstruck (1987) Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay The January Man (1989) Joe Versus the Volcano (1989) Alive (1993) We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993) Congo (1995) Danny and the Deep Blue Sea (2002), Adapted Screenplay *Live from Baghdad (2002) Emmy Award Nominee for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, 2003 *Doubt (2008), Writer, Director Academy Award Nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay, 2008 Golden Globe Nominee for Best Screenplay, 2008 |
Brief Biography
Born in 1950, Shanley is the product of a Catholic family growing up in the Bronx during the Civil Rights Movement. The youngest of five children, Shanley describes his childhood neighborhood as an extremely violent and racist place. Because of these characteristics, Shanley found himself to be an outsider during most of his youth, including within his own family. Even in his adult years, he and his mother had an awful, tormented relationship. Shanley has admitted that many of his harder female characters are inspired by his own mother.
Although he was raised Catholic, he chose not to continue practicing any faith during his life. Even from a young age he proclaimed he did not believe in a god, which got him into much trouble during his Catholic schooling.
Shanley first discovered his talents and interest as a writer at the young age of 11, endlessly writing poems in school. After one year in college, he dropped out and joined the marines, later serving in Vietnam. Once he returned, he went back to school at New York University studying theatre. Before his career as a writer really took off, Shanley worked in a variety of jobs, some of which included being a bartender, operator and locksmith. His first screenplay, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea is what put Shanley on the map as a writer.
Although he was raised Catholic, he chose not to continue practicing any faith during his life. Even from a young age he proclaimed he did not believe in a god, which got him into much trouble during his Catholic schooling.
Shanley first discovered his talents and interest as a writer at the young age of 11, endlessly writing poems in school. After one year in college, he dropped out and joined the marines, later serving in Vietnam. Once he returned, he went back to school at New York University studying theatre. Before his career as a writer really took off, Shanley worked in a variety of jobs, some of which included being a bartender, operator and locksmith. His first screenplay, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea is what put Shanley on the map as a writer.
Stylistic Overview
"Writing is acting is directing is living your life."
Shanley's words describe his approach to playwriting. He writes to evoke change, foster conversation, and raise questions about things in life we as humans take for granted, like for instance, a feeling of certainty. With Doubt, Shanley wanted to "write a play that celebrated the fact that you can never know anything for certain," and explored the "idea that doubt has an infinite nature that it allows for growth and change" (Levy 1).
Writing in a variety of genres, Shanley's works cover many topics encompassing gripping stories about human relationships through family, love, and much more. He has said he particularly enjoys writing about hierarchies and figures of authority.
"I am interested in hierarchies. I think they reveal society."
Shanley embraces subjects meant to move an audience in his writing, often addressing politics, religion and personal struggle. He has a talent in writing people at the peak of their struggle, at their breaking point.
Shanley's words describe his approach to playwriting. He writes to evoke change, foster conversation, and raise questions about things in life we as humans take for granted, like for instance, a feeling of certainty. With Doubt, Shanley wanted to "write a play that celebrated the fact that you can never know anything for certain," and explored the "idea that doubt has an infinite nature that it allows for growth and change" (Levy 1).
Writing in a variety of genres, Shanley's works cover many topics encompassing gripping stories about human relationships through family, love, and much more. He has said he particularly enjoys writing about hierarchies and figures of authority.
"I am interested in hierarchies. I think they reveal society."
Shanley embraces subjects meant to move an audience in his writing, often addressing politics, religion and personal struggle. He has a talent in writing people at the peak of their struggle, at their breaking point.
Doubt: A Story Close to Home
Shanley has revealed many of his inspirations behind writing this play. The feeling of doubt has always fascinated him, and he wanted to center a story around the feeling itself. Before he began writing, Shanley said:
“I felt surrounded by a society that seemed very certain about a lot of things. Everyone had a very entrenched
opinion, but there was no real exchange, and if someone were to say, “I don't know,” it was as if they would be
put to death in the media coliseum. There was this mask of certainty in our society that I saw hardening to the
point that it was developing a crack–and that crack was doubt" (Levy 1).
Along with these societal observations, Shanley has a more personal connection to the story in Doubt.
"A child in my family was molested by a priest. ‘The parents went first to the local level, then up the chain of
command to a highly placed church official, who took them by the hands and said: 'I'm so sorry this happened to you.
I will take care of it.' And then he promoted him. They were so shocked that they left the church for 10 years. But they
missed it, so they returned to a parish where the monsignor gave a sermon saying that with these church scandals it
was the parents, not the clergy, who were responsible. They had to leave the church again.” (Witchel 3).
Shanley has revealed many of his inspirations behind writing this play. The feeling of doubt has always fascinated him, and he wanted to center a story around the feeling itself. Before he began writing, Shanley said:
“I felt surrounded by a society that seemed very certain about a lot of things. Everyone had a very entrenched
opinion, but there was no real exchange, and if someone were to say, “I don't know,” it was as if they would be
put to death in the media coliseum. There was this mask of certainty in our society that I saw hardening to the
point that it was developing a crack–and that crack was doubt" (Levy 1).
Along with these societal observations, Shanley has a more personal connection to the story in Doubt.
"A child in my family was molested by a priest. ‘The parents went first to the local level, then up the chain of
command to a highly placed church official, who took them by the hands and said: 'I'm so sorry this happened to you.
I will take care of it.' And then he promoted him. They were so shocked that they left the church for 10 years. But they
missed it, so they returned to a parish where the monsignor gave a sermon saying that with these church scandals it
was the parents, not the clergy, who were responsible. They had to leave the church again.” (Witchel 3).
Modern Connections to Doubt
In a 2005 review, Hudson Review writer Richard Hornby cited Doubt's importance by linking its fundamental ideas to high-profile child molestation trials, most specifically the then recent acquittal of Michael Jackson. In light of what happened in these events, Hornby is critical of Sister Aloysius for being unable to do her duty.
"In an era when hysteria over child molestation has led to terrible injustice (as in the infamous McMartin childcare case), when
media outlets like CNN and Fox News act like cheering sections for the prosecution in high-profile criminal trials, when terrorist suspects are warehoused for years with rights of the accused suspended, when dozens of death row inmates are suddenly and
incontrovertibly exonerated, Doubt is a reminder of why we have rules of evidence, why suspects are supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, and why guilt must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. While I was writing this review, Michael Jackson was acquitted in his molestation trial. He was probably guilty, but "probably" is not good enough for a conviction, and should never be so. Unlike Sister Aloysius, the Jackson jury knew its duty, and did it. But the Catholic Church is also depicted as reprehensible in the play for not providing fair, impartial procedures for ascertaining abuse. Unlike Sister Aloysius, the Jackson Jury was fully able to do its duty."
In a 2005 review, Hudson Review writer Richard Hornby cited Doubt's importance by linking its fundamental ideas to high-profile child molestation trials, most specifically the then recent acquittal of Michael Jackson. In light of what happened in these events, Hornby is critical of Sister Aloysius for being unable to do her duty.
"In an era when hysteria over child molestation has led to terrible injustice (as in the infamous McMartin childcare case), when
media outlets like CNN and Fox News act like cheering sections for the prosecution in high-profile criminal trials, when terrorist suspects are warehoused for years with rights of the accused suspended, when dozens of death row inmates are suddenly and
incontrovertibly exonerated, Doubt is a reminder of why we have rules of evidence, why suspects are supposed to be considered innocent until proven guilty, and why guilt must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. While I was writing this review, Michael Jackson was acquitted in his molestation trial. He was probably guilty, but "probably" is not good enough for a conviction, and should never be so. Unlike Sister Aloysius, the Jackson jury knew its duty, and did it. But the Catholic Church is also depicted as reprehensible in the play for not providing fair, impartial procedures for ascertaining abuse. Unlike Sister Aloysius, the Jackson Jury was fully able to do its duty."
Further Reading
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/s/john_patrick_shanley/index.html
http://www.emanuellevy.com/comment/doubt-interview-with-writer-director-john-patrick-shanley-9/
http://bombsite.com/issues/24/articles/1122
http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2006-Ra-Z/Shanley-John-Patrick.html
http://www.emanuellevy.com/comment/doubt-interview-with-writer-director-john-patrick-shanley-9/
http://bombsite.com/issues/24/articles/1122
http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2006-Ra-Z/Shanley-John-Patrick.html