Heidi Schreck (born September 26, 1971) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actress from Wenatchee, Washington. Her play What the Constitution Means to Me, which she also performs in, was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Awards for 2019 Best Play and Best Actress in a Play.

Career Schreck attended the University of Oregon and upon graduation worked in Siberia, teaching English. She then was a journalist in St. Petersburg, Russia. She next moved to Seattle, Washington where she started working as an actress and writer.

Schreck's first play, titled Creature, debuted in New York and was directed by Leigh Silverman and produced by New Georges and Page 73. Her following plays include There Are No More Big Secrets (directed by Kip Fagan at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), The Consultant (produced by The Long Wharf), and Grand Concourse (at Playwrights Horizons). Schreck has also written episodes of the TV series I Love Dick, Nurse Jackie, and Billions.

She is the writer and star of What the Constitution Means to Me, which opened on Broadway on March 31, 2019. This play is partially autobiographical, relating her real-life experience in participating in debates as a teen. The play was picked up as a movie directed by Marielle Heller for streaming by Amazon and released in time for the 2020 Presidential elections. The play challenges America's understanding of values and protections as they are outlined in the U.S. Constitution. In particular, Schreck points out how the document does little to ensure the freedoms and wellbeing of women and minority groups.

Schreck has performed Off-Broadway in, among others, Drum of the Waves of Horikawa (HERE Arts Center, 2007)Drum Of The Waves Of Horikawa here.org. Retrieved April 1, 2019Cote, David. Drum of the Waves of Horikawa Time Out, November 1, 2007 and Circle Mirror Transformation (2009) and How the World Began (Women's Project, 2011)Simmons, Paulanne. "Review. How the World Began " curtainup.com, January 4, 2011 at Playwrights Horizons."Schreck Off-Broadway" lortel.org. Retrieved April 1, 2019

Schreck is married to director Kip Fagan. , they live in Park Slope, Brooklyn. They have two children.

Honors and awards She won the 2008 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for Drum of the Waves of Horikawa."Obie 2008" obieawards.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019 She won the 2010 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for Circle Mirror Transformation."Obie 2010" obieawards.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019 Schreck and the cast of Circle Mirror Transformation received a 2010 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Ensemble Performance.Gans, Andrew. "Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced; 'Ragtime' and 'Scottsboro' Top List" Playbill, May 3, 2010

Her play Grand Concourse, performed in 2014–2015 at Playwrights HorizonsGrand Concourse lortel.org. Retrieved April 1, 2019 and Steppenwolf Theatres, received the Lilly Awards, the Stacey Mindich "Go Write A Play" Award for best new play in 2015,"Lilly Awards 2015" the-lillys.org. Retrieved April 2, 2019 and was a finalist for the 2014–2015 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Schreck was a Playwrights Horizons Tow Foundation Playwright-in-Residence in 2014. Grand Concourse received an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays award.Grand Concourse playwrightshorizons.org. Retrieved April 4, 2019

She received a commission from the Atlantic Theatre Company in conjunction with the Kenyon Institute at Kenyon College in June 2016. She appeared at the Kenyon Playwrights Conference and taught a master class."Atlantic Theater Commissions New Works by Simon Stephens, Jennifer Haley & More" broadwayworld.com, May 23, 2016

Schreck was a finalist for the 2018–2019 Susan Smith Blackburn prize for her play What the Constitution Means to Me. What the Constitution Means to Me was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama."Drama. Heidi Schreck" pulitzer.org, retrieved April 15, 2019 The play was nominated for the 2019 Tony Award for Best Play and Schreck was nominated for the 2019 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.McPhee, Ryan. "2019 Tony Award Nominations: Hadestown and Ain't Too Proud Lead the Pack" Playbill, April 30, 2019

Schreck is the co-winner, with Amy Herzog, of the 2019 Horton Foote Playwriting Award, which includes a $12,500 monetary award.Gans, Andrew. "Heidi Schreck and Amy Herzog Named Winners of 2019 Horton Foote Playwriting Award" Playbill, March 19, 2019

She is the recipient of the 2018 Hull-Warriner Award, presented by the Dramatists Guild of America Council for What the Constitution Means to Me. The award is presented to an American author honoring a work "dealing with social, political or religious mores of the time"."Heidi Schreck Wins 2018 Hull-Warriner Award" americantheatre.org, May 9, 2019

In 2019, Schreck won the Smithsonian magazine's American Ingenuity award.

Select works

Plays Creature (2009) There Are No More Big Secrets (2010) The Consultant (2014) Grand Concourse (2014) What the Constitution Means to Me (2019) Uncle Vanya (2024, adaptation) Searching for Elsie Parrish (2026, short play)

Television Nurse Jackie (2014-2015, 3 episodes) Billions (2016, 2 episodes) I Love Dick (2017, 1 episode, 1 co-written episode with Annie Baker)

Support for the Equal Rights Amendment

Schreck is an advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). On April 25, 2024 she spoke as part of a pro-ERA panel alongside Gloria Steinem and Carol Jenkins after a performance of the musical Suffs.

References

External links