John Susman

'''John Susman''' is an American playwright, screenwriter and a director/producer of film.

In the 1980s, he worked at Steppenwolf Theatre as literary manager, dramaturg, and assistant director on many Steppenwolf productions.<ref name=MetzGameDay/>

==Playwright== In 1990, his play ''Tiger Treadwell Takes Tinseltown'' was produced at the Ventura Court Theatre by the ''L.A. Theater Unit'' in Los Angeles.<ref>"Los Angeles Times" [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-22-ca-1808-story.html Stage Review, February 22, 1990, Robert Koehler]</ref> In 2003, his play ''Cafe Society'' was staged in Oak Park, Illinois at The Circle Theatre Chicago's New Plays Festival.<ref>"Oak Park Journal" [http://www.oakparkjournal.com/Stories2002/2003-circle-theatre-endings-writers-book.html Circle Theatre New Plays Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714224227/http://www.oakparkjournal.com/Stories2002/2003-circle-theatre-endings-writers-book.html |date=2011-07-14 }}</ref>

Susman's play ''Nelson and Simone,'' about the decades-long relationship between Nelson Algren and Simone de Beauvoir, is based on material Susman drew from de Beauvoir's 1998 book, ''A transatlantic love affair : letters to Nelson Algren.'' <ref name="ChristiansenAffair">{{cite news|last1=Christiansen|first1=Richard|title=Famed Affair Finds Way To Stage|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/10/25/famed-affair-finds-way-to-stage/|access-date=July 29, 2016|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=October 25, 2000}}</ref> It had several staged readings,<ref name="ChristiansenSeesLight">{{cite news|last1=Christiansen|first1=Richard|title=Nelson Sees the Light|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=21 July 2000}}</ref> and was first produced in 1999 as a featured play at Prop Theatre's New Play Festival.<ref name=HoulihanReview>{{cite news|last1=Houlihan|first1=Mary|title=Algren's alter ego Play sheds light on 'odd couple'|publisher=Chicago Sun Times|date=20 October 2000}}</ref><ref name=HoulihanFestival>{{cite news|last1=Houlihan|first1=Mary|title=Proving ground Festival hones writers' skills|publisher=Chicago Sun Times|date=30 April 1999}}</ref><ref name="HoulihanToSee">{{cite news|last1=Houlihan|first1=Mary|title=To See or Not to See|publisher=Chicago Sun Times|date=9 April 1999}}</ref> It was produced again in 2000 at Chicago's Live Bait Theater directed by Richard Cotovsky starring Gary Houston and Rebecca Covey. The play dramatizes the love affair between Chicago literary giant Nelson Algren and French existentialist Simone de Beauvoir.<ref>"Live Bait Theater" [http://www.livebaittheater.org/LIve_Bait_Theater/Productions.html Production History]</ref><ref name="BommerDuel">{{cite news|last1=Bommer|first1=Lawrence|title=Fighting A Duel, Russian Style|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2000/10/20/fighting-a-duel-russian-style/|access-date=July 28, 2016|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=October 20, 2000}}</ref><ref name="HelbigNelsonSimone">{{cite news|last1=Helbig|first1=Jack|title=A really odd couple John Susman's 'Nelson & Simone portrays the ups and downs of an improbable relationship (review)|publisher=Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)|date=October 27, 2000|id={{ProQuest|312298624}}}}</ref><ref name="HenningParis">{{cite news|last1=Henning|first1=Joel|title=Love and Letters in Paris and Chicago (Review)|publisher=Wall Streekt Journal|date=December 5, 2000|id={{ProQuest|398788799}}}}</ref><ref name="WeissReview">{{cite news|last1=Weiss|first1=Hedy|title=Nelson and Simone|publisher=Chicago Sun Times|date=October 25, 2000|id={{ProQuest|258758423}}}}</ref><ref name=HoulihanReview/><ref name="KleimanBetween">{{cite news|last1=Kleiman|first1=Kelly|title=Life, Love, And Nothing in Between (review)|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/life-love-and-nothing-in-between/Content?oid=903797|access-date=July 29, 2016|publisher=Chicago Reader|date=November 2, 2000}}</ref><ref name="InternationalAffair">{{cite news|title=An International Love Affair Unfolds in 'Nelson and Simone' (theatre Review)|publisher=The Beacon News|date=29 October 2000}}</ref><ref name="GodduCrossAtlantic">{{cite news|last1=Goddu|first1=Jenn|title='Nelson & Simone' tells of cross-Atlantic love|publisher=Post-Tribune Gary, Indiana|date=27 October 2000}}</ref>

==Film== In 2007, he wrote, directed, and produced the comedy short ''Making the Man'' which has screened at over twenty film festivals in the US, Europe and Japan and had its commercial release on the DVD ''Best Of 16th Raindance Film Festival Shorts.'' <ref>"The Internet Movie Database" [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2734743/ IMDb Making the Man (2007)]</ref>

Susman's first feature-length motion picture ''Game Day'', starring Romeo Miller and Lisa Zane with Chris J. Johnson and Fyvush Finkel,<ref name="TravFinalAct">{{cite news|last1=Trav|first1=S.D.|title=Formerly of 'Fiddler,' Finkel, 93, far from final act|url=https://thevillager.com/2016/03/02/formerly-of-fiddler-finkel-93-far-from-final-act/|access-date=4 August 2016|publisher=The Villager|date=2 March 2016}}</ref> is scheduled for release in 2016.<ref name="2016Film">{{cite web|title=Game Day (2016)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5040108/?ref_=nm_knf_t2|website=IMDB|access-date=July 29, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://movieplay.pro/movie_game_day_2717873 |title=Game Day 2016 |access-date=2016-08-11 |archive-date=2016-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827165610/http://movieplay.pro/movie_game_day_2717873 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Original music by composer William Susman.<ref>[https://pro-labs.imdb.com/title/tt5040108?d=tt_prodnotes_seemore IMDB pro]</ref> John Susman is author of the original screen play and co-producer.<ref name="MetzGameDay">{{cite news|last1=Metz|first1=Nina|title=Rapper Romeo Miller in Chicago filming basketball-themed indie 'Game Day'|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-rapper-romeo-miller-aka-lil-romeo-in-chicago-filming-basketball-movie-game-day-column.html|access-date=July 29, 2016|publisher=ChicagoTribune|date=October 8, 2015}}</ref>

==Awards and honors== *Illinois Arts Council *Illinois/Chicago Screenwriting Competition *Nicholl Fellowship *Uprising Playwright's Award

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|2734743}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Susman, John}} Category:Living people Category:American dramatists and playwrights Category:American male screenwriters Category:Writers from Chicago Category:University of Chicago alumni Category:New Trier High School alumni Category:Jewish American dramatists and playwrights Category:American male dramatists and playwrights Category:Screenwriters from Illinois Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American Jews