Ed Graczyk
Encyclopedia
Edward Graczyk is a playwright
originally from the U.S. state of Ohio
. He wrote several children's plays early in his career, but became better known as the author of 1976's Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
. In 1982, Graczyk won the Best Screenplay Award at the Belgium International Film Festival
for Robert Altman
's motion picture adaptation.
about 1941. Between 1968 and 1973, he lived in Texas
and wrote children's plays such as Aesop's Falables and Livin' de Life. He began to develop his stage drama Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
, after driving to the small town of Marfa
and researching the customs of the area. The legend of the late actor James Dean
, and the closure of five-and-dime stores in this place, lent their influences to the play's development. Graczyk went on to say:
After his brief stay in Texas, he moved back to Ohio and served as the artistic director of the Players Theatre
in Columbus, Ohio
; his tenure there lasted from 1973 to 1993. The first version of Jimmy Dean premiered in September 1976 at Players Theatre; in early 1980, it moved to New York City
for a brief run before filmmaker Robert Altman
acquired the rights. The resulting Broadway version
, which premiered in February 1982, was not a critical success. Nonetheless, Altman soon managed to make a low-budget film adaptation financed by Viacom Enterprises and Mark Goodson Productions. The film won numerous awards at film festivals, including Best Film at Chicago
; Ed Graczyk won for Best Screenplay at the Belgium International event
.
The playwright followed up Jimmy Dean with A Murder of Crows, which opened at New York's South Side Theater in September 1988. In the early 1990s, he wrote a one-man show with Keith Carradine
entitled My Time Ain't Long. By 2003, he was living in Ohio's Miami Valley
area and was still writing plays, although in his words, "There are currently several scripts running around in my computer looking for an exit." His most recent work, The Blue Moon Dancing, will premiere in Dallas, Texas on August 20, 2010.
Throughout his career, Graczyk has also served as a theater designer and administrator. He has worked with various institutions such as the Hartford Stage Company
and the Erie Playhouse
.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
originally from the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He wrote several children's plays early in his career, but became better known as the author of 1976's Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (play)
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean is a 1976 play by Ed Graczyk, originally performed at the Players' Theater in Columbus, Ohio. The play revolves around a James Dean fan club that reunites at a Texas five-and-dime store....
. In 1982, Graczyk won the Best Screenplay Award at the Belgium International Film Festival
Brussels International Independent Film Festival
The Brussels International Independent Film Festival, or le Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bruxelles, has taken place since 1974. It originally focused on Super 8 films and today is a showcase for all kind of independent films....
for Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's motion picture adaptation.
Career
Graczyk was born in the state of OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
about 1941. Between 1968 and 1973, he lived in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and wrote children's plays such as Aesop's Falables and Livin' de Life. He began to develop his stage drama Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (play)
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean is a 1976 play by Ed Graczyk, originally performed at the Players' Theater in Columbus, Ohio. The play revolves around a James Dean fan club that reunites at a Texas five-and-dime store....
, after driving to the small town of Marfa
Marfa, Texas
Marfa is a town in the high desert of far West Texas in the Southwestern United States. Located between the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park, it is also the county seat of Presidio County. The population was 1,981 at the 2010 census....
and researching the customs of the area. The legend of the late actor James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
, and the closure of five-and-dime stores in this place, lent their influences to the play's development. Graczyk went on to say:
After his brief stay in Texas, he moved back to Ohio and served as the artistic director of the Players Theatre
Players Theatre Columbus
Players Theatre Columbus was a professional resident theatre company based in Columbus, Ohio. Founded as the Players Club by Agnes Jeffrey Shedd in 1923, the company originated as a private club for local theatre enthusiasts...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
; his tenure there lasted from 1973 to 1993. The first version of Jimmy Dean premiered in September 1976 at Players Theatre; in early 1980, it moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for a brief run before filmmaker Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
acquired the rights. The resulting Broadway version
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, which premiered in February 1982, was not a critical success. Nonetheless, Altman soon managed to make a low-budget film adaptation financed by Viacom Enterprises and Mark Goodson Productions. The film won numerous awards at film festivals, including Best Film at Chicago
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
; Ed Graczyk won for Best Screenplay at the Belgium International event
Brussels International Independent Film Festival
The Brussels International Independent Film Festival, or le Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bruxelles, has taken place since 1974. It originally focused on Super 8 films and today is a showcase for all kind of independent films....
.
The playwright followed up Jimmy Dean with A Murder of Crows, which opened at New York's South Side Theater in September 1988. In the early 1990s, he wrote a one-man show with Keith Carradine
Keith Carradine
Keith Ian Carradine is an American actor who has had success on stage, film and television. In addition, he is a Golden Globe and Oscar winning songwriter. As a member of the Carradine family, he is part of an acting "dynasty" that began with his father, John Carradine.-Early life:Keith...
entitled My Time Ain't Long. By 2003, he was living in Ohio's Miami Valley
Miami Valley
The Miami Valley, broadly, refers to the land area surrounding the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio, USA, and also includes the Little Miami, Mad, and Stillwater rivers as well...
area and was still writing plays, although in his words, "There are currently several scripts running around in my computer looking for an exit." His most recent work, The Blue Moon Dancing, will premiere in Dallas, Texas on August 20, 2010.
Throughout his career, Graczyk has also served as a theater designer and administrator. He has worked with various institutions such as the Hartford Stage Company
Hartford Stage
Hartford Stage, located in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the leading resident theatres in the United States, known internationally for entertaining and enlightening audiences with a wide range of the best of world drama, from classics to provocative new plays and musicals and neglected works...
and the Erie Playhouse
Erie Playhouse
Erie Playhouse is a historic theatre located in Erie, Pennsylvania.- History :The Erie Playhouse was established as the "Peoples Theatre" by 1882, and was incorporated as the Erie Civic Theatre Association in 1916....
.
Selected works
| Year | Title | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Aesop's Falables | |
| 1970 | Livin' de Life: A Play for Young People | |
| 1971 | Appleseed: A Play of Peace | |
| 1971 | Due to a Lack of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Canceled | |
| 1971 | Electric Folderol | |
| 1973 | Courage! A Play of War | |
| 1974 | Weeds | |
| 1976 | Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (original play) |
|
| 1982 | Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (film version) |
|
| 1988 | A Murder of Crows | |
| 1992 | Love Janis | |
| 1995 | Hometown Heroes | |
| 1995 | My Time Ain't Long | |
| 2010 | Blue Moon Dancing |