born April 13, 1937, Lebanon, Mo., U.S.
U.S. playwright.
He began writing plays in 1962 and became cofounder and director of the Circle Repertory Company (196995), a regional theatre in New York City. His plays, which are known for their experimental staging, simultaneous dialogue, and deferred character exposition, include Lemon Sky (1970), the long-running hit The Hot l Baltimore (1973), The Mound Builders (1975), Talley's Folly (1979, Pulitzer Prize), Burn This (1987), and By the Sea (1996).