About
A graduate of Horace Mann H.S., the National Theatre Institute, Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia University’s School of the Arts (MFA), Steve has had 13 books published.
His books include COURBET’S BLUE PARROT: Poems of Love and Sex, published by ShiftPoetry Press, who will also put out his next collection, WILD DOGS: POEMS OF WAR AND RESILIENCE, in 2022. Cune Press has published two earlier volumes of poems, DREAMING IN THE MAZE OF LOVE-GRIEF-MADNESS and TWISTED HIPSTER, as well as his two memoirs (BEST REVENGE: How the Theater Saved My Life and Has Been Killing Me Ever Since and Amazon bestseller THE 13TH BOY: A Memoir of Education and Abuse), as well as his first novel, Angel’s Glance – soon to be re-issued as DEFINITELY MAYBE NOT. Kirkus Reviews called it “A haunting and keenly observed meditation on relationships, parenthood, and the vagaries of celebrity and fame.”
His plays SAVAGE WORLD, BREAK OF DAY and THIS IS NOT WHAT I ORDERED have been published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals. Other plays include In The Mood, Sizzle Sizzle, Blue Kiss, The Kitchen Girl, Fun With Freud, Scattered Blossoms, Vincent in the Asylum, Van Gogh’s Zombie Movie, The Transformation Center, Bring Your Own and The Blessing. His adaptation of Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance was produced Off-Broadway by the Jewish Rep, was directed in revival by the great Joseph Chaikin, and has been performed all over the world. The American Wife (co-written with Ralph Pezzullo) had its World Premiere at the Park Theatre in London. He was 2019-20 writer-in-residence at the Ark Theatre in North Hollywood, where he also directed a filming of his play Blue Kiss. He has also penned book & lyrics for four musicals.
He’s written screenplays and TV limited series, including adaptations of his plays Savage World, Blue Kiss and Sizzle Sizzle, of his best-selling memoir The 13th Boy, as well as the original series, Welcome to the Castle. He has also written original screenplays Falling Masks (which has received several awards) and The Paragon. Steve is attached as screenwriter to a limited series about NFL star Kermit Alexander and his search for his mother’s killer.
He has written for The New York Times, Village Voice, New Republic, New York Newsday, Stage Raw (LA), and many others. He wrote about the Arts and pursued several investigative stories, and was the only reporter to meet with the boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter in maximum security prison after Carter’s second conviction for triple murder. Steve has taught writing workshops, edited manuscripts, and was the first literary manager for Primary Stages Company (Off-Broadway). He has been the recipient of a Federal Writing Grant and several other grants and residencies.
Stephen can be found on the New Play Exchange.