BIOGRAPHY
Playwright Charlene A. Donaghy writes stories which transport her audiences and readers into the magic embraces...and beyond.
Charlene A. Donaghy is an award-winning writer with plays produced and/or awarded from New York City to Los Angeles, in Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. Hansen Publishing Group publishes Charlene’s collection of play Bones of Home and Other Plays. Other publications of her fiction work, plays, and poems include: Best American Short Plays, She Persisted, Best 10-Minute Plays, Estrogenius, In the Eye, Louisiana Literary Journal, and others. Charlene was Founder and Festival Director of the Warner International Playwrights Festival and Producing Director for the Tennessee Williams Theater Festival. She teaches playwriting, screenwriting, and fiction writing at University of Nebraska Omaha’s Creative Writing MFA, and theatre in UNO's Department of Theatre, where she was awarded the Part-time Faculty Award for the College of Communications, Fine Art, and Media. She is a founding member Boston’s Proscenium Playwrights and a member of New York’s 9th Floor Playwrights, The Playwrights Center, Honor Roll!, and The Dramatists Guild of America where she served seven years as inaugural Connecticut/Western New England Regional Representative. Charlene is a breast cancer survivor and holds true Tennessee Williams words in "Camino Real" Make Voyages! Attempt them! There's nothing else.
Charlene A. Donaghy is an award-winning writer with plays produced and/or awarded from New York City to Los Angeles, in Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. Hansen Publishing Group publishes Charlene’s collection of play Bones of Home and Other Plays. Other publications of her fiction work, plays, and poems include: Best American Short Plays, She Persisted, Best 10-Minute Plays, Estrogenius, In the Eye, Louisiana Literary Journal, and others. Charlene was Founder and Festival Director of the Warner International Playwrights Festival and Producing Director for the Tennessee Williams Theater Festival. She teaches playwriting, screenwriting, and fiction writing at University of Nebraska Omaha’s Creative Writing MFA, and theatre in UNO's Department of Theatre, where she was awarded the Part-time Faculty Award for the College of Communications, Fine Art, and Media. She is a founding member Boston’s Proscenium Playwrights and a member of New York’s 9th Floor Playwrights, The Playwrights Center, Honor Roll!, and The Dramatists Guild of America where she served seven years as inaugural Connecticut/Western New England Regional Representative. Charlene is a breast cancer survivor and holds true Tennessee Williams words in "Camino Real" Make Voyages! Attempt them! There's nothing else.
RESUME
PUBLICATIONS
Bones of Home and Other Plays by Charlene A. Donaghy
PRODUCTIONS, AWARDS, HONORS, AND OTHER SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
4 a.m. Friends
TEACHING PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Faculty
THEATRE PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Producer, 2015-2019
EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Bones of Home and Other Plays by Charlene A. Donaghy
- Collection of Plays – Hansen Publishing Group, NJ & NY
- She Persisted, Applause Theatre & Theatre Books (2022)
- Best Ten-Minute Plays 2018, Smith & Krause (2019)
- Best American Short Plays 2014-2015 - Applause Books (2016)
- 25 * 10-Minute Plays for Teens, Smith & Krause (2015)
- Best American Short Plays 2011-2012 - Applause Books (2013)
- Manhattan Theatre Source's EstroGenius Festival, New York, NY (2012)
- Best American Short Plays, 2009-2010 – Applause Books (2011)
- Manhattan Theatre Source's EstroGenius Festival, New York, NY (2011)
- Featured Publication – Fiction - In the Eye: A Collection of Writings, Thunder-Rain Publishing, Alamogordo, NM, - Wearing Silk
- National First Runner-up – Poetry - Louisiana Literary Journal, Thibodaux, LA - Phoenix
- National Publication – Poetry – Louisiana Literary Journal, Thibodaux, LA – Stillness: 8/29/05
- Regional Publication – Fiction – Mad River Literary Journal, Winsted, CT – Silent Morning
PRODUCTIONS, AWARDS, HONORS, AND OTHER SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
4 a.m. Friends
- Production - Confidence Theatrics - Washington, DC
- Production - Cone Man Running Theatre - Houston, TX
- Workshop Production - Goshen Players - Goshen, CT
- Workshop Production - University of Nebraska Omaha New Ways, New Works Festival - Omaha, NE
- Staged Reading - League of Professional Theatre Women - Gracewell Productions - Waterbury, CT
- Staged Reading - Shelterbelt Theatre - Omaha, NE
- Staged Reading - Truro Playwright Collective - Truro, MA
- Broadway Option - Backers’ Audition Reading – Madison Square Productions, New York City, NY
- Dramatic Reading - Reston Players, Reston, VA (Washington, DC area)
- Dramatic Reading – Chart Production/9th Floor, New York, NY
- Developmental Production – University of Memphis, Memphis, TN
- National Partners of the American Theatre Playwriting Award – Kennedy Center ACTF Region 1 (New York City & state plus New England)
- National Finalist – Ashland, Oregon New Plays Festival; Phoenix, Arizona New Works Festival; and Houston’s Wordsmythe Play Development
- Production - Festival of Independent Theatre Cos - Jersey City, NJ
- Production - Tennessee Williams Theater Festival - Provincetown, MA
- Production - Warner International Playwrights Festival - Torrington, CT
- Production - Going IT Alone - Invisible Theatre - Tucson, AZ
- Production - Five Minute Mile - Cone Man Running Productions - Houston, TX
- Production - Playhouse 44 - 9 Tens on 44 - Avon, CT
- Production - Warner International Playwrights Festival - Torrington, CT
- Production - Staged InTent - Gracewell Productions - Ivoryton, CT
- Production - Towne Street Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
- Production - Warner International Playwrights Festival - Torrington, CT
- Production – League of Professional Theatre Women - NY and CT
- Production – Voices of African American Woman - Waterbury, CT
- Production – Vintage Soul Productions - New Haven, CT
- Production – Voices of African American Woman - Waterbury, CT
- Production – Boston Theatre Marathon, Boston Playwrights Theatre
- Production – Warner International Playwrights Festival, Torrington, CT
- Production - Warner International Playwrights Festival, Torrington, CT
- Production – Ramapo College Festival of New Plays – Mahwah, NJ
- Production – Boston Theatre Marathon – Wheelock Family Theatre, Boston, MA
- Production – SWAN – Support Women Artists Now – New Urban Theatre Laboratory, Boston, MA
- Commissioned Piece and Production – “Will Work For…” BoCoCa Arts Festival, Brooklyn, NY
- Production - Warner International Playwrights Festival, Torrington, CT
- Production – Know Theatre Artists and Playwrights Festival, Binghamton, NY
- Production - New Orleans Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, New Orleans, LA
- Season-opening Production – New Urban Theatre Laboratory, Boston, MA
- Winner – Nor’eastern Playwrights Showcase, Rutland, VT
- John Cauble Short Play Award National Semi-finalist - Kennedy Center American College
- Theatre Festival, Region One, New York City & State plus New England states
- Award – One Act Play – Bottle Tree Productions, Ontario, Canada
- Production - Collage: A Collection of Short Plays, Boston Playwrights Theatre
- Production – Ramapo College Festival of New Plays – Mahwah, NJ
- Production – Ramapo College Festival of New Plays – Mahwah, NJ
- Production - SWAN – Support Women Artists Now – New Urban Theatre Laboratory, Boston, MA
- Production – Know Theatre Artists and Playwrights Festival, Binghamton, NY
- Production - Collage: A Collection of Short Plays, Boston Playwrights Theatre
- Production, Encore – Manhattan Theatre Source's EstroGenius Festival, New York, NY
- Production – West Coast Players, Clearwater, FL
- Production – Theatre One Play Fest, Middleboro, MA
- Staged Reading – “Sanctuary Plays”, Abingdon Theatre, New York, NY
- Regional Finalist - 10 Minute Play - Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region One, New York City & State plus New England states
- Production – Five and Dime – New Urban Theatre Laboratory, Boston, MA
- Production – Warner International Playwrights Festival, Connecticut
- Production - Warner International Playwrights Festival - Know Theatre Producers - Torrington, CT
- Production - Know Theatre, Binghamton, NY
- National Semi-Finalist - John Cauble Short Play Award, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region One (New York City and state plus New England)
- Staged Reading - Actors Civic Theater Celebration of African-American Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
- Staged Reading - Pittsburgh New Works Festival, Pittsburgh, PA
- Reading with improvised music inspired by the play - Fifth Letter Productions - Studio 59, Torrington, CT
- Production – Five and Dime – New Urban Theatre Laboratory, Boston, MA
- Production – Puttin’ on Your Shorts 3 - Poor Mouth Theatre Company, Bronx, NY
- National Selection – New Play Development Workshop, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Chicago, IL
- Production – Bluegrass C&T College & Diane Evers Dancers, Lexington, KY
- Production – Kansas City Women’s Playwriting Festival, Kansas City, MO
- National Finalist – Heideman Award – Actors Theatre of Louisville, Louisville, KY
- Production, Encore - Manhattan Theatre Source's EstroGenius Festival, New York, NY
- Production – “Home is Where the Heart is” Panoply Arts Festival, Huntsville, AL
- Alternate Selection - New Play Development Workshop, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Los Angeles, CA
- Winner – 10 Minute Play and Nomination for Special Recognition - Kennedy Center American College
- Theatre Festival, Region One, New York City & State plus New England states
- Production – 10 Minute Play – West T. Hill Community Theatre, Danville, KY
- Production – Firehouse Theatre – Newburyport, MA - The Wrong Taxi?
- Production – Warner International Playwrights Festival – Torrington, CT – The Perfect Job
- Production - Cone Man Running Productions - Houston, TX - An Invitation to My Circus
- Production - Vintage Soul Productions - New Haven, CT - Grand Theatre Journey
- Production - Vintage Soul Productions - New Haven, CT - Under the Baby Clothes Quilt
- Production - Virtual One Act Festival - Worldwide - I Like
- Production – BostonSLAM! – Boston, MA – Everything Has a Season
- National Finalist - Full-length play - Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, New Orleans, LA – Trinity
- National Honorable Mention – Poetry - Asheville Writer’s Workshop, Asheville, NC - Drift
TEACHING PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Faculty
- University of Nebraska Omaha Graduate & Undergraduate Theatre & Creative Writing. Awarded 2025 Part-time Faculty of the Year Award from College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media - 2011-Present
- Lesley University Interdisciplinary Graduate Theatre & Creative Writing - 2010-2015
- Warner Theatre Center for Arts Education, Torrington, CT - 2007–2015
- Boston College – Screenwriting
- New Orleans Tennessee Williams Literary Festival – Devised Theatre
- Tufts University, Cambridge, MA – Production & Stage Management
- KCACTF Region 1 – Playwriting
- University of Memphis – Playwriting & Theatre
- Emerson College, Boston, MA – Playwriting
- Lesley University, Cambridge, MA – Playwriting
- Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH – Creative Writing
- American Women Playwright Pioneers; Anti-Hero Cinema; Art & Craft of Playwriting; Arts Entrepreneurship-Artist Executive; Arts Management-Intersection of Arts, Business, and Culture; Contemporary American Women Playwrights; The Craft of Script Analysis; Dramaturgy; Global Citizenship in the Arts; Introduction to Theatre/Theatre Appreciation; Magical Realism Cinema; Taylor Swift & Friends-The Drama of Storytelling, Stage, and Spectacle; Theatre History I-From Mystery to Hip-hop; Theatre History II-Breaking the Mold; Writing the 10-Minute Play-Flash of Lightening; Voices of Female Diversity in Contemporary American Drama
- Bad to the Bone-the Humanity of Anti-Heroes in Drama; Devised Theatre; Dramatic Monologues-What Not to Say on a First Date; Flash of Lightning: Writing Shorts Scripts and Flash Fiction; The Hero’s Journey-Mythic Structure for Dramatic Writing; Playing Tag in an Elevator-Crafting Taglines, Loglines, and Elevator Pitches; Looking Good on Paper: Crafting Professional Documents that Showcase Art and Commitments; Objects-Voicing Characters’ Interior and Exterior Lives; Pink Elephants-Writing with Spontaneous Creativity; Seeing is Believing-Storytelling by Design; Take Me Away-Setting as Character; Theatre Speak-Script Development Through the Language & Conversations of Production; Time Travel-Writing Historical Stories; The 36 Dramatic Situations
THEATRE PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Producer, 2015-2019
- Association for Theatre in Higher Education Award of Excellence in Playwriting
- Award co-creator and annually solicit, read and select winning full-length plays from 150 submissions
- Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 5
- Warner International Playwrights’ Festival - 2012-Present
- Solicit, read, and select winning scripts from over 150 submissions from around the world. With Production Manager: assign directors, source actors, produce plays
- Association for Theater in Higher Education National New Play Development Workshop
- Advancing organization from script solicitation through reading, securing respondents,on-site coordination of 8 winning scripts from over 200 submissions
- Provincetown Tennessee Williams International Theater Festival, Provincetown, MA
- Full organization of international theatre festival with productions from around the world and throughout the United States. Contract all venues, productions, and staff. Manage staff of 30 and annual intern program. Develop and manage the graduate-level Tennessee Williams Institute. Oversee all aspects of guest services for over 100 artists and staff annually. Produce national tours.
- Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, Provincetown, MA 2007
- Cornwall Players & Northwestern Connecticut Community College, CT 2006
- Warner Theatre, Torrington, CT 2005 – 2010
EDUCATION
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA) – Creative Writing – Writing for Stage & Screen (Major) and Fiction (Minor) – Lesley University, Cambridge, MA
- Master Certification in Arts Administration - University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Baccalaureate of Arts (BA) - Creative Writing and Literature – Vermont College, Montpelier, VT
- Associate in Arts (AA) – Northwestern Connecticut College, Winsted, CT – Valedictorian
- Advanced Participant Guest Artist – Kennedy Center Summer Playwriting Intensive
- Special Citation for Excellence in Education, State of Connecticut General Assembly
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- Association for Theater in Higher Education (ATHE)
- Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP)
- Dramatists Guild of America including Southern New England Regional Representative
- Honor Roll!
- International Center for Women Playwrights
- League of Professional Theatre Women
- The Playwright’s Center (PWC)
- 9th Floor Playwrights and Actors Collective
- Proscenium Playwrights (founding member)