Claudia Allen
| Claudia Allen | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | October 2, 1954 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Known for | Chicago Playwright, Hannah Free |
| Awards | Joseph Jefferson Award |
Claudia Allen is an American playwright and educator based in Chicago, Illinois. She is known for writing LGBT characters in her plays, for Hannah Free, and for her association with the Victory Gardens Theater.
Claudia Allen was born on October 2, 1954, and grew up in Clare, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan, graduating with a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in English. In 1979, Allen left Michigan for Chicago. Allen began writing, depicting the lesbian and bisexual characters she felt were absent from media. 11 of Allen's 24 produced plays (as of 2010) have lesbian themes or lesbian or bisexual main characters. Allen is "out and proud."
Allen wrote throughout the 1980s without getting produced. Her works have been featured and produced around Chicago, such as her play They Even Got the Rienzi, which was one of only two works by women in the Great Chicago Playwrights Exposition by Victory Gardens and Body Politic theaters in 1987. In the late 80s and early 90s, Allen developed a relationship with the creative team at Victory Gardens, and saw her plays produced there in number.
Allen's most produced lesbian play is Hannah Free, which premiered at Chicago’s Bailiwick Repertory Theatre in 1992. Allen co-produced and wrote the screenplay of the 2009 film, Hannah Free, starring Sharon Gless. She also wrote the novelization, Hannah Free: the Novel (2010).
Allen has taught at DePaul University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago,Lake Forest College, and Western Michigan University.
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