Jordan Harrison (born 1977) is an American playwright. He grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington. He is primarily known for his plays Marjorie Prime, a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama which was revived on Broadway in 2025, and The Antiquities in 2025.
Biography Harrison was born in Bainbridge Island, Washington, a rural suburb of Seattle. He received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1999 and an M.F.A. from Brown University, where he studied with Paula Vogel. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. While attending Brown, Harrison began writing Kid-Simple, the story of a girl genius who listens to a radio serial. The production was first was presented at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2004.Kid-Simple actorstheatre.org, accessed October 28, 2015 The Actors Theatre of Louisville subsequently premiered his plays Act a Lady and Maple and Vine, both of which were directed by Anne Kauffman, and The Grown-Up, which was directed by Ken Rus Schmoll.Act a Lady, after being developed at the PlayPenn New Play Conference in 2005, was subsequently produced in several venues including the New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco in April 2009.Connema, Richard. "Reviews. 'War Music', 'High Spirits' and 'Act a Lady'" talkinbroadway.com, April 22, 2009
Harrison's next play, The Museum Play, followed the bizarre ongoings of a natural history museum, had workshops at Brown University (2003), readings at Playwrights Horizons (2003) and Signature Theatre Company (2005) and a production at Red Eye Theatre, Minneapolis (2004).The Museum Play playscripts.com, accessed October 29, 2015 Finn in the Underworld premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California, in 2005, directed by Les Waters.Hurwitt, Robert. Interview" San Francisco Chronicle, March 29, 2012
In 2010, Arden Theatre Company premiered The Flea and the Professor, with music composed by Richard Gray and lyrics by Harrison and Gray. The musical was commissioned by the Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Arts Education Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation and received an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. It was performed by the Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May to June 2011, directed by Anne Kauffman.The Flea and the Professor ardentheatre.org, accessed October 28, 2015
He also wrote the book and lyrics for the musical Suprema, with music and lyrics by Daniel Zaitchik. The musical had a reading at Ars Nova in May 2012, directed by Leigh Silverman after being developed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 2011 Music Theatre Conference.Hetrick, Adam. "'Suprema' Musical Reading to Feature Jason Danieley, Claybourne Elder and Betsy Wolfe" Playbill, May 10, 2012
In 2018, he premiered his new play, The Amateurs, at the Vineyard Theatre. The show began previews on February 8, 2018, and closed on March 29, 2018. Directed by Oliver Butler the play featured Kyle Beltran, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Michael Cyril Creighton, Greg Keller, Jennifer Kim and Thomas Jay Ryan.The Amateurs vineyardtheatre.org, retrieved January 31, 2018McBride, Walter. "Photo Coverage: Meet the Company of Vineyard Theatre's 'The Amateurs'" broadwayworld.com, January 9, 2018 The play received strong reviews, with The New York Times calling it "slightly eggheaded and strangely moving."
His other Off-Broadway credits include Doris to Darlene, produced in 2007, Maple and Vine in 2011, and Log Cabin in 2018, all produced at Playwrights Horizons. .Clement, Olivia. " 'Log Cabin', Starring Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Begins Off-Broadway" Playbill, June 1, 2018 His 2025 play, The Antiquities was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for its Off-Broadway run at Playwrights Horizons, and its Chicago production, presented at Goodman Theatre, was nominated for two Jeff Awards, for the production's ensemble and Harrison for the New Work - Libby Adler Mages Award.
Marjorie Prime Among his most notable plays is Marjorie Prime, which deals with themes of artificial intelligence, with Playbill calling it "a sly and surprising work about technology and artificial intelligence told through images and ideas that resonate."Purcell, Carey. "'Marjorie Prime', With Lois Smith, Opens at Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum Sept. 21" Playbill, September 21, 2014Gans, Andrew and Viagas, Robert. "'Between Riverside and Crazy' Wins the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama" Playbill, April 20, 2015. The show premiered at the Center Theatre Group Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, California, in September 2014, under the direction of Les Waters. The play featured Lois Smith as "Marjorie", Lisa Emery as "Tess", her daughter, Frank Wood as "Jon", Tess's husband, and Jeff Ward as "Walter", a computer-programmed, pixel-generated companion.McNulty, Charles. "Playing with memory in 'Marjorie Prime'" Los Angeles Times, September 22, 2014
The play had a reading at the South Coast Repertory's 2013 Pacific Playwrights Festival on April 28, 2013, directed by Pam MacKinnon,"2013 Pacific Playwrights Festival" scr.org, accessed December 15, 2015 before premiering Off-Broadway in 2015 at Playwrights Horizons"Marjorie Prime Listing" playwrightshorizons.org, accessed October 29, 2015 to critical acclaim.Gordon, David. "Stephen Root, Lois Smith, and More Start Rehearsals for 'Marjorie Prime'" theatermania.com, October 27, 2015Clement, Olivia. "Lois Smith Heads Cast of 'Marjorie Prime', Beginning Tonight Off-Broadway" Playbill, November 20, 2015 The show received the 2016 Horton Foote Prize for Outstanding New American Play,Rickwald, Bethany. "Jordan Harrison and Zayd Dohrn Awarded 2016 Horton Foote Prize" theatermania.com, September 13, 2016, and being nominated for two Drama League Awards and a Lucille Lortel Award.
The play has been adapted for a film, written and directed by Michael Almereyda. The film stars Tim Robbins (Jon), Jon Hamm (Walter), Geena Davis (Tess) and Lois Smith. Principal photography began in October 2015.Ford, Rebecca. "Tim Robbins Joins Jon Hamm in 'Marjorie Prime' " The Hollywood Reporter, October 7, 2015"'Marjorie Prime' Listing" imdb.com, accessed November 3, 2015 The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival (Park City, Utah) in January 2017.Gans, Andrew. " 'Marjorie Prime' Film, with Lois Smith and Jon Hamm, Will Premiere at Sundance" Playbill, December 6, 2016 The film won the Sloan Feature Film Prize at the Sundance Film Festival; the prize includes a $20,000 cash award.Gans, Andrew. " 'Marjorie Prime 'Wins Feature Film Prize at Sundance" Playbill, January 25, 2017
In 2025, the play was revived on Broadway by Second Stage Theatre, starring June Squibb in the titular role and directed by Anne Kauffman. The production also starred Cynthia Nixon, Danny Burstein and Christopher Lowell. The show opened on November 20, 2025 at the Helen Hayes Theatre, and closed on February 15, 2026, after 17 previews and 79 performances. The production received critical acclaim, with The New York Times praising the show's timely themes, writing "the show rustles up more questions — and stirs up more trouble — than it did 10 years ago." Squibb and Burstein were both nominated for 2026 Tony Awards for their performances.
Plays and productions Fit for Feet (2003) Kid-Simple (2004) The Museum Play (2004) Finn in the Underworld (2005) Act a Lady (2006) Doris to Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine (2007) Amazons and their Men (2008) Futura (2010) Maple and Vine (2011) The Flea and the Professor (2011) Suprema (2012) The Grown-Up (2014)Humana Festival playscripts.com, retrieved February 8, 2018The Grown-Up actorstheatre.org, retrieved February 8, 2018 Marjorie Prime (2014) - Finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Amateurs (2018) Log Cabin (2018) The Antiquities (2025)
Awards and honors Harrison attended the Sundance Institute Playwrights Retreat at the Ucross Foundation in February 2007.Pincus-Roth, Zachary. "Sundance Institute Announces Writers for Ucross Retreat" Playbill, January 25, 2007 He received a Kesselring Fellowship in 2007, presented by the National Arts Club.Gans, Andrew. "Harrison, Eno, Groff and Gardley to Receive Kesselring Awards" Playbill, November 12, 2007 He received the Hodder Fellowship from Princeton University in 2009."Hodder Fellowship" princeton.edu, accessed October 28, 2015 He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2009."Fellows" gf.org, accessed October 29, 2015 He received the Jerome (2004) and McKnight Fellowships (2005) from The Playwrights' Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.Kleiman, Jaime. "Profile Playwright Jordan Harrison" mnartists.org, October 10, 2004"Past McKnight Artist Fellows" mcknight.org, accessed october 29, 2015
He was also awarded the Roe Green Award, Cleveland Play House in 2013, which included a grant of $7,500, a weeklong residency and a public reading.Simakis, Andrea. "Playwright Jordan Harrison heading to Cleveland for the Play House New Ground Theatre Festival" cleveland.com, April 21, 2013 He has also received the NEA/TCG Playwright-in-Residence Grant at the Empty Space Theatre in Seattle, Washington."Residency Program for Playwrights" tcg.org, accessed October 29, 2015 Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.2003Actors Theatre of LouisvilleHeideman AwardFit for Feet2007GLAAD Media AwardLos Angeles TheatreAct a LadyLipton, Brian Scott. "19th Annual GLAAD Media Award Nominations Are Announced" theatermania.com, January 21, 20082011Barrymore AwardOutstanding Overall Production of a MusicalThe Flea and the Professor"Barrymore Awards. 2011 Nominees & Recipients" theatrephiladelphia.org, accessed October 30, 20152015Pulitzer Prize for DramaMarjorie Prime2016Drama League AwardOutstanding Production of a Play2025The AntiquitiesJeff AwardNew Work (The Libby Adler Mages Award)Outer Critics Circle AwardOutstanding New Off-Broadway Play2026Outstanding Revival of a PlayMarjorie Prime
Notes
References Profile from Playscripts, Inc. Center Theatre Group Season Announcement
External links