Michael McGrinder

Michael McGrinder grew up in the South Bronx, New York City. He spent his early twenties in England where he was part of a vital poetry scene and acquired a taste for and an interest in theatre.

Returning to New York, he lived on the Lower East Side and quickly became involved in the developing Off-Off-Broadway scene, so new at the time it was generally referred to as café theatre.

His first production, a double-bill of one-act plays, was given life at The Playwrights Workshop. He then began showing his work at the legendary Old Reliable Theatre Tavern, located in the funky back room of a Polish bar in a dangerous section of the East Village. “It’s easy to find. Just turn left at the burning automobile,” and “No wonder we get such good crowds. Everyone’s afraid to come here alone.” His plays were also produced at such leading theaters as La Mama, Bastiano’s Cellar, The Playbox Studio and at The Library Theatre of Lincoln Center.

He published Proscenium, a newsletter which The Village Voice described as “Off-Off talking to itself.” He also hosted a weekly cable TV show of the same name presenting excerpts from Off-Off shows and interviews with the production’s writer, director and actors. The show was later rechristened Michael McGrinder Presents to allow for an expanded format.

Along with artists Judy Pendleton and Helen Lau, he was a founding member of Artists Rights Association, an organization devoted to securing reproduction rights and royalties for artists as well as encouraging artists to use copyright symbols on their work.

Michael McGrinder’s plays have been published by The Smith, Breakthrough Press and Dramatics Magazine and by And/Or Books.

His concern for the preservation of vital plays from the early years of Off-Off-Broadway led to his founding The Old Reliable Press, online as oldreliableprss.com.

He has several projects in the works and has a growing list of books available through Amazon Barnes & Noble, Smashwords.com and many other online booksellers.

Read more of this interview.

Website: http://oldreliablepress.com
Twitter: @mmcgrinder
Facebook: Facebook profile
Blog: http://michaelmcgrinder.com

http://amazon.com

3minute play    aa    alcoholics anonymous    allen ginsberg    american drama    american poetry    angels    annunciation    art    audition    baseball    blessed mother    blessed virgin    boss    bus stop    business    catholic    celibacy    children    comedy    communication    contemporary poetry    crucifixion    drunkenness    early off off broadway    early offfoffbroadway    early offoffbroadway    ellen stewart    family    funeral    funeral home    god    grief    healing poetry    healing wounds    holy family    humor    irish    irish american    irish catholic    isobel gowdie    jesus    la mama    light comedy    love    love and sex    love story    magi    marriage    monologue    mother of jesus    mother theresa    mourners    nativity    nondenominational    norman speedy hartman    nuns    one act play    oneact    parody    plays from the 60s    playwrights workshop    poetry    precellphones    relapse    romance    scotland    snow    sobriety    spiritual    spiritual book    spiritual call    spiritual work    spirituality    st joseph    sunset    the devil    the old reliable theatre tavern    theatre of the absurd    thinking    tony bastiano    verse drama    wake    witch    witch burnings    witch queen of scotland    witch torture    witch trials    witches    witches sabbat    women authors   

• Write To Remember on Aug. 02, 2014
  
  Grandfather's Uncle is a delightful story, and Phil McQuillan can be happy that he has accomplished his purpose, i.e. making sure his dad is remembered for the guy he was. We're asked to recall our own family members, and I had a moment of resonance when I read that Big Phil's mom wrangled a family of twelve. My own mother was the oldest of twelve in Ireland, and was the only girl. Every time her mother had a baby she was pulled out of school to take care of the family. I learned to take a punch from her. A little too often. It was nice to meet Big Phil and the rest of the McQuillan family. Nice work.