When you're the artsy, weirdo, introverted outsider growing up, you don't fit into your community. Stephen Karam More Quotes by Stephen Karam More Quotes From Stephen Karam I don't think I could write a good play if I was setting out to write about the death of the American middle class. Stephen Karam goodthinkplaydeath All of my plays are deeply autobiographical. But it's not straight autobiography. Stephen Karam deeplyplaysstraightautobiography I don't know how to produce work if it's not something that's deeply scaring me or troubling me. Stephen Karam somethingknowmework Until I have a family or a mortgage, I'm trying to keep my lifestyle simple and my apartment affordable so that I can continue to focus on theater. That's as good as it gets for me. Stephen Karam goodmefamilysimple I worry that I will lose control over the projects I get to work on. Stephen Karam losecontrolwillwork The best thing about being nominated in a category like best new play is realizing there were enough new plays to make a category. Stephen Karam newbestenoughplay Without a conscious effort, all of my plays have all featured gay characters. I'm proud of that. Stephen Karam withouteffortgayproud I think being gay has resulted in gay characters standing front and center in all of my work. Stephen Karam thinkstandinggaywork Because I didn't go to graduate school or have mentorship out of college, meeting other playwrights and developing those friendships as a result of being a 'grown up' playwright - that's become an essential community for me. My contemporaries are all my mentors whether they know it or not. Stephen Karam mecommunitycollegeschool I hope to be known as a writer who told the truth. Stephen Karam writerwhotruthhope I think that I'm going to write a bigger thing, and then I end up writing about people, and the bigger thing recedes into the background, and hope that it's still there. Stephen Karam endthinkhopepeople I lived in a basement duplex on 96th Street on the Upper West Side. Stephen Karam livedstreetsidewest I didn't quite fit in in any particular, specific way. I was a gay teenager who was into drama. Stephen Karam whogaydramaway Good actors can tell you more about your play than 1,000 hours alone at your desk. Stephen Karam youralonegoodyou Everyone will always have ideas about how to make your work better. Everyone has advice about how to end your play differently. Start it differently. And it's not about right or wrong. At the end of the day, it's your baby, and you know what's best. Stephen Karam bestdayyouwork With 'The Humans,' I've found that because it's related to very familiar forms - the family play and the thriller, almost a genre-collison play - some people want it to be one or the other. Either less dark and more of a family comedy or a full-fledged thriller with blood and ghosts jumping out of closets. Everyone's taste is different. Stephen Karam comedyfamilydarkpeople I think the best directors aren't afraid to ask questions. Stephen Karam afraidquestionsbestthink In terms of smaller changes over time, I think good plays are like poems. Every syllable counts. So I wrestle with word choice, rhythm in final drafts. Stephen Karam choicegoodthinktime I don't go into rehearsal for a production unless I've figured everything out. Stephen Karam productionouteverythinggo
