William M. Hoffman

I had the pleasure of seeing “As Is” on
stage, and own the VHS tape starring Jonathan Hadary and Robert
Carradine, that is as moving, and as funny at times, seeing it for the
tenth time as seeing it the first time. If it is on DVD be sure to get
it.

This
is the seventy-first post in a series highlighting the best gay and
lesbian authors from the 20th century (with a few before and after that
period) who have recorded in fiction, and nonfiction, the history of gay
people telling what life is, and was, during an important time of
history.

Biography
Born in New York City, New York, United States, Hoffman's
earliest works either were mounted in small, experimental
off-off-Broadway theaters in New York City or remain unproduced.

It
was not until 1985 that he achieved critical acclaim and public
recognition when the Broadway-theatre production of his play, As Is, one
of the first plays to focus on AIDS, opened in New York City at the
Lyceum Theatre, where it ran for 285 performances. Hoffman won a Drama
Desk Award for Outstanding Play (1985) and an Obie Award (1984-85 for
Playwriting and nominations for a Tony Award for Best Play (1985). The
following year, he adapted the work for a television production directed
by Michael Lindsay-Hogg.

In 1991, Hoffman was commissioned by
The Metropolitan Opera Company to write the libretto for The Ghosts of
Versailles first produced in celebration of the company's centennial. A
1993-televised production starred Teresa Stratas, Renée Fleming, and
Graham Clark. Hoffman earned an Primetime Emmy Award nomination for
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Classical Music/Dance Programming.

As
an editor at Hill and Wang, Hoffman promoted the careers of Lanford
Wilson, Tom Eyen, and Joe Orton, among others, by including their plays
in either his New American Plays series or his anthology, Gay Plays: A
First Collection.

Hoffman currently is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Lehman College at The City University of New York
Published plays
(Year indicated is when first produced)
As Is (1985)
A Book of Etiquette (1978)
The Cherry Orchard, Part II (1983)
Children's Crusade (1972)
Cornbury (with Anthony Holland) (1979)
From Fool to Hanged Man (1972)
Giles De Rais (1975)
Good Night, I Love You (1966)    Gulliver's Travels (1978)
Incantation (1967)
Luna - (1970)
A Quick Nutbread to Make Your Mouth Water (1970)
Saturday Night at the Movies (1966)
Shoe Palace Murray (1978)
Thank You, Miss Victoria (1965)
xxx (aka Nativity Play) (1969)

Other Credits
One Life to Live, (scriptwriter, mid-1990s)
Additional awards & acclaim
Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1992 for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team - One Life to Live (as part of a 15-member team)
Writers Guild of America Award (Best Writing, One Life to Live (1996)