Biography
Richard Kramer. Mr. Kramer grew up in New York, was educated at Yale College, and began his career writing for The New Yorker. While working as a singles host on a cruise ship he wrote, from ignorance and passion, a script for the TV series Family, sent it to the producers, and a year later learned they wanted to buy it and bring him to California; had this not happened Theater District might be his tenth play instead of his first. Television taught him to cut, collaborate, and to know that deadlines help. He was also lucky to find creative partners who encouraged his specific voice and only yelled at him when it wasn't specific enough (or on time). This partnership led to series like Thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once And Again.
Mr. Kramer has won many awards and lost more, and has found that the food at losing events is somehow always better. Ever since that first Family script he has secretly seen himself as a playwright, but worried if he told someone he'd have to actually write a play. One day he did, and he has watched with pleasure as it has found a series of safe warm homes. After the first production at Steppenwolf he took out all the good stuff and put in a lot of bad stuff. Now the bad stuff is out and the good stuff is back. He hopes to write many new plays and maybe even a few old ones.
