Tom Smith (playwright)


Tom Smith is an American playwright, theatre director, and professor of theatre arts. Originally trained as an improvisational comedian, Smith founded Walla Walla TheatreSports in 1988.
Smith's published plays include ', ', ', The Pathmaker, ', ', ', and ' in addition to edited versions of Much Ado About Nothing, The Comedy of Errors, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Love's Labours Lost. Additionally, he has many plays published by YouthPLAYS, including ', which ran for 2 years with LA's traveling company Enrichment Works; ', ' and . Unpublished plays receiving productions include Aunt Raini, which received a reading at Caldwell Theatre in Boca Raton and its professional premiere at Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company; Anna's Mother; Love's Memory: Eurydice and Orpheus;Small Things, Every Day;Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act; and various 10-minute plays. In January, 2009, Kendall Hunt Publishing published his book on long and short form improvisation, The Other Blocking: Teaching and Performing Improvisation.
His plays have won national and regional awards, including the Robert J. Pickering Award for Excellence in Playwriting, the ATHE Playworks Award, the Orlin R. Corey Outstanding Regional Playwright Award, and the Richard Odlin Award.
Smith has directed plays staged in Kansas City, Missouri; Seattle, Washington; Creede, Colorado; Forestburgh, NY; and Las Cruces, New Mexico.