Laura Eason

LAURA EASON is a long-time Lookingglass ensemble member and has served the company as a writer, director, actor, songwriter, co-director of artistic development, literary manager and, for six years, Artistic Director.

Now primarily a playwright, she is the author of more than fifteen plays, both original work and adaptations.  Produced full-length plays include SEX WITH STRANGERS (Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, 2011), ETHAN FROME (Lookingglass Theatre Chicago, 2011), THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER (Hartford Stage, People’s Light), AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Lookingglass; Baltimore Centerstage; Kansas City Rep), WHEN THE MESSENGER IS HOT (59E59, NYC; Steppenwolf, Theatre Schmeater, Seattle), REWIND (side project, Chicago), AREA OF RESCUE (Andhow Theatre, NYC), A TALE OF TWO CITIES (Steppenwolf), HUCK FINN (Steppenwolf), THE GHOST’S BARGAIN (Two River Theater, NJ), THE COAST OF CHICAGO (Walkabout Theatre, Chicago), OUR SECRET LIFE (Middlesex School), 40 DAYS (University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point), THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP (Lookingglass, co-adaptor), 28 (Lookingglass) and IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER (Lookingglass, Touchstone Theatre, PA). 

Produced short plays include MR. SMITTEN and JACK AND THE COLLECTION (WET, NYC), IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED (City Theatre, Miami), USA-001A (ATC, Chicago), and LOST IN THE SUPERMARKET (Vital Theatre, NYC).

Laura has directed several of her own plays including IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, 28, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS and ETHAN FROME. Additional Lookingglass directing credits include Joy Gregory’s DREAMING LUCIA, David Catlin’s LOOKINGGLASS HAMLET, and J. Nicole Brooks’ FEDRA: Queen of Haiti. 

Her plays have been developed at Rattlestick, New York Theatre Workshop, MCC, and New Georges in New York and SF Playhouse in San Francisco.  Her work is published by Smith and Kraus, Playscripts, and Broadway Play Publishing where she is a former playwright of the year.  Laura is the recipient of Jeff Awards for both new work and adaptation.

As an actor, Laura performed in New York at BAM, Lincoln Center and in Metamorphoses on Broadway as well as regionally at Berkeley Rep, Seattle Rep., the McCarter, The Arden, Steppenwolf, and Goodman Theatres.  At Lookingglass, Laura has appeared in more than 20 productions including the world premieres of The Arabian Nights, The Odyssey, La Luna Muda (also co-composer) and Hard Times.  Most recently, she was seen as Emily Webb opposite David Schwimmer’s George Gibbs in Our Town directed by Anna D. Shapiro and Jessica Thebus.    

Laura is an alumna of the Women's Project Playwrights Lab and America-in-Play and an Affiliated Artist with New Georges, all in NYC.   She is a proud graduate of the Performance Studies Department of Northwestern University.  Originally from Chicago, she lives in Brooklyn, NY.  Updates and more information available at her website: www.lauraeason.com