David Rabe

Born in Iowa, David Rabe graduated from Loras College and started work on a M.A. in Theater in the Villanova University graduate program. After dropping out, he was drafted into the Army in 1965 and he then spent 1966 in Vietnam. Returning to the States, he went back to Villanova to complete his degree. He started writing plays on Vietnam, but began his professional writing career in journalism as a feature writer for the "New Haven Register." In 1971 his first play to be done in New York was THE BASIC TRAINING OF PAVLO HUMMEL, which Joe Papp produced at the Public Theatre. STICKS AND BONES followed, along with THE ORPHAN, BOOM BOOM ROOM, and STREAMERS, all produced by Joe Papp. Other plays include GOOSE AND TOMTOM, HURLYBURLY, and THOSE THE RIVER KEEPS. His play A QUESTION OF MERCY premiered at New York Theatre Workshop. He has also written the screenplays "I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can," "Streamers," and "Casualties of War." His dramatic work has been honored by numerous Tony nominations and Obie Awards, by the Drama Desk, "Variety," the New York Drama Critics Society and the Outer Critics Circle. He won the Tony in 1972 and has received the Hull Warriner Award for Playwriting three times. He is the author of two novels, "Recital of the Dog" and "The Crossing Guard," which he co-authored with Sean Penn.