BOTBP: Robert Schenkkan, Award Winning Writer: “What’s The Successful Working Writers Life Really Like?

Today on my radio show, Business Off The Beaten Path, I had a nice conversation with award winning writer, Robert Schenkkan. Robert also had some great advice for aspiring writers that makes this interview well worth the listen. For the complete interview, please click here.

Robert Schenkkan is a Pulitzer-prize winning playwright, author of THE KENTUCKY CYCLE, which shattered 70+ years of American Theater history by becoming the first play to win the Pulitzer prize before it appeared on Broadway. He has written 9 other full length plays as well as a collection of short plays. For Film, he co-authored THE QUIET AMERICAN (Oscar nominated for “Best Actor.”) For Television, he wrote CRAZY HORSE (TNT) and the mini-series, SPARTACUS (USA). Recently, his two-part mini-series adaptation of THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN aired on A&E and was the #1 rated mini-series/movie event of the year and was nominated for six Emmy’s including “Best Miniseries.”  He also wrote four episodes for the eagerly anticipated HBO/Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg mini-series THE PACIFIC, Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg. Air in 2010.

We discussed what the writers life is really like and the many interesting writing projects that Robert has going on right now.

Robert is currently adapting Xenophon’s, ANABASIS, as a feature film for SONY.
Other films in development currently include: FALL OF SAIGON at Fox Film, about the evacuation of Saigon; THE CO, about the first Conscientious Objector to win the Medal of Honor; and THE RULES, an adaptation of Ben Mezrich’s best-seller, UGLY AMERICANS, currently set up at 2929.

For the stage, Robert’s play BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON, which had a very successful run here in Seattle at the Seattle Repertory Theater, is opening at the Geffen Theater in late October in advance of what I hope will be a run in NY in the Spring.

Robert has commissions from the Seattle Children’s Theater to adapt the Newberry Award winning novel, A SINGLE SHARD, by Linda Sue Park; and for a new play for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as part of their American History Project. Robert is also working on two new musicals: A NIGHT AT THE ALHAMBRA CAF… which was recently work shopped at the Krannert Performing Arts Center; and THE TWELVE, a new rock musical in collaboration with composer, Neil Berg.

To listen to the full interview, click here:

To reach Robert directly, please go to his website: www.robertschenkkan.com.