Joel Drake Johnson was an award-winning, internationally-produced playwright and teacher who got his start as a writer at Chicago’s critically acclaimed Econo-Art Theater (Lynn Baber, Barb Reeder and Marc Silvia, artistic directors). His plays include RASHEEDA SPEAKING, originally directed by Sandy Shinner and produced by Chicago’s Rivendell Theatre and subsequently by The Signature Theatre, NYC, as part of The New Group’s 2014–15 season under the direction of Tony and Emmy Award–winner Cynthia Nixon. It featured two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest and Tony Award–winner Tonya Pinkins as well as Darren Goldstein and Patricia Conolly. RASHEEDA was subsequently nominated for best new Off-Broadway play by the The Outer Critics Circle. Other plays include FOUR PLACES, first produced at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater under the direction of Sandy Shinner and featuring Mary Ann Thebus and Meg Thalken. It was subsequently produced in LA by The Rogue Machine Theatre, where under the direction of Robin Larsen and featuring Tony nominee Roxanne Hart, it garnered more critical acclaim that included five Ovation Award nominations, four nominations (including best play) from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, and a Garland Award for Best New Play. It has since been produced internationally. Johnson won three Illinois Arts Council grants, including one for A BLUE MOON, which was first produced at Chicago Dramatists Theatre (Russ Tutterow, artistic director) and in Woodstock, NY. Other works include AS THE BEAVER, first produced by Zebra Crossing; THE END OF THE TOUR first produced by Victory Garden; and THE FALL TO EARTH, which premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre and featured Tony Award–winner Rondi Reed. It was subsequently produced at The Penguin Rep, featuring Tony Award–winner Michelle Pawk and directed by Joe Brancato; at 59E59 Theatre in NYC, featuring Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (dir: Joe Brancato); The Odyssey Theatre in LA, featuring Oscar nominee JoBeth Williams (dir: Robin Larsen). Berkeley’s Aurora Theatre produced the premiere of THE FIRST GRADE (dir: Tom Ross), which won the San Francisco/Bay Area Critic Circle Award for best new play of 2010–11. Johnson was commissioned four times by Steppenwolf Theatre, which led to productions of A BLAMELESS LIFE (dir: Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro) and TRANQUILLITY WOODS (dir. Sandy Shinner). Johnson was nominated five times for Best New Play by Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award Committee. He taught playwriting at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, IL, DePaul University and Northwestern University. He passed away in 2020.