Greg Kotis


Greg Kotis is an American playwright, best known for writing the book and co-writing the lyrics for the musical Urinetown.

Biography

Career

Kotis studied political science at the University of Chicago. He dropped out when he took a course on the Short Comic Scene, realizing that he wanted to be part of the theatre industry instead. Kotis became a member of the Cardiff Giant Theatre Company and the Neo-Futurists. He then moved to New York City. While moonlighting in fringe theater, Kotis worked as a location scout for the show Law & Order.

''Urinetown''

By 1998, Kotis had a daughter with his wife, and thus the responsibility of supporting a family. Kotis began writing Urinetown: The Musical, deciding it would be his last work:
"I told myself, I tried to find a life in the theater and we had some fun...it was time to move on. The theater life, particularly our theater life, wasn't making us any money. I would just stick to location scouting and apply myself to making money. With 'Urinetown,' I thought, 'Let's just have one last big laugh.' "
Kotis had gotten the idea for Urinetown when, on an ill-budgeted visit to Paris in 1995, he had to limit his trips to the city's prevalent pay toilets. Urinetown the Musical received ten Tony Award nominations: Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical, two nominations for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Orchestration. Urinetown has been performed around the world and in hundreds of American cities.

Other Works

His most recently produced play is Pig Farm, which premiered at The Roundabout Theatre in New York City in June 2006.

Personal Life

Kotis married his wife, writer and actor Ayun Halliday, in 1995. They have two children, India and Milo. They reside in East Harlem.