Claude Solnik

Claude Solnik ( https://csolnik.wixsite.com/playwright ) is an award winning journalist, playwright and co-founder of the Textile Theater Co. and the Long Island Rep. whose work has been presented in New York City, Long Island, Philadelphia and Paris. He is the in-house playwright for Theater for the New City, which has presented a wide range of his work.

Mr. Solnik's plays are known for strong subject matter, character and dialogue, ranging from contemporary to historic settings, mixing drama and comedy. A Life in the Rye, directed by Joe John Battista, was named among the top ten plays of the year by theaterscene.net. His play Victoria Woodhull, which tells the story of the first woman to run for president, played at TNC (directed by Donna Mejia) and on Long Island (directed by Robert Previto). As TNC emerged from the pandemic, it presented his play, Sex, Shoplifting and Rock & Roll directed by JD Glickman.

TNC, which has helped develop Pulitzer prize winning plays and long been a home to new work, has presented numerous other plays Solnik has written, A Walk on the Beach (directed by Donna Mejia), based on a true story, is about a sculptor who makes a sculpture of JFK that creates a controversy on the Cape. Birds of Paradise (directed by Nicki Reed), another TNC production, is a historic drama about life in the Great Depression.

Solnik's work includes contemporary stories as well as those set in the past. Sandcastles (directed by Bob and Joanne Domingo) is about a mystical encounter on a beach with a twist at the end. TNC also presented The Fare (directed by Scott David Reeves), telling the story of a Pakistani cabbie's conflict with a banker, after a dispute over the cab fare. Scott David Reeves also directed Grace is Good, a #metoo drama with a twist. Pedro Castillo is Innocent is about an innocent man in prison. Nowhere Man (directed by Donna Mejia) is about a man hired to be Paul McCartney's double. The Bohemians (TNC) and Harmony in A Flat (the Triad) (both directed by Hamza Zaman) are comedies that tell the story of newlyweds moving into an old apartment.

TNC has presented numerous other full length plays Solnik has written including Lady from Limerick, about an Irish woman who travels to New York for plastic surgery; The Falls, about a one night stand that turns into a trip to Niagara Fall; Caretaker of Corofin, about an American abroad, and Butterfly Hour, following the struggles of a soldier who returns home. Imagine, a series of scenes inspired by Beatles songs directed by Thom O'Connor, also had a successful run at TNC.

Other theaters have presented Solnik's work as well. Studio Theatre Long Island presented his Year of the Iguana about Rose and Tennessee Williams directed by David Dubin. Newsday described the writing as "lyrical enough to be worthy of the master." The Bare Bones Theater Co. presented Theater Games , directed by Jeff Bennett, in Northport. All the Sandcastles in the Sahara won first prize as best play in the Northport One Act Festival. Solnik also has adapted work for theater. Theater 294 presented Chekhov's The Kiss, a sprawling adaptation of an Anton Chekhov short story. His play Lemon Tree, about a love affair between a woman and a man who develops Alzheimer's, also had a successful run at Theater 294, which also presented staged readings of The Man With All the Luck and Perfect Night for the Prom.

An award winning journalist and playwright, Solnik seeks to capture character and story on stage. His play The Unamerican, about Arthur Miller, Marilyn Monroe and Elia Kazan with John John Battista on board to direct, is set for a premier at TNC later this year.

https://csolnik.wixsite.com/playwright