Today we’d like to introduce you to Donnie Jarman.
Hi Donnie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At the age of twenty, I moved from Tacoma, Washington to LA to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and begin a career in acting. I was in class with French Stewart and we did a few acting scenes together. After finishing the acting program there, I found an agent and began auditioning, and also joined several different theatre companies. After a good few years of working in and eventually managing bakeries, having grown up in Tacoma with my family owning a small bakery, I was invited to take part of a four character piece as that had not yet been written. A few weeks into the process, we lost our Playwright. I talked the director into letting me take a crack at it, and wrote my first full length play, “TIGER LILIES”, which rave reviews in the LA TIMES and the LA WEEKLY. From that moment, I decided I’d rather write and direct plays than act in them. I then wrote and directed GO FISH, which was produced as a FLIM by LA PICTURES, NINE BALL, which also garnered a rave review in the LA TIMES and was produced as a film starring Kenny Johnson. I wrote and directed four more plays, and then took a sizable break from theatre to write for film and television. Then, a few months before the Pandemic, I made a shift, started my own Playwrights Group and decided I wanted to devote my time solely to becoming an established Playwright. By that point, I’d switched day jobs from baking to bartending, which left me a more flexible schedule and a lot more time to write. When the Pandemic hit, bars closed down and I switched day jobs again, this time to driving food deliveries, which gave me an even more flexible schedule and even more time to write. During the Pandemic, I wrote non-stop. I couldn’t get enough of it. I wrote another seven full length plays in a year and a half. During that time, I also was introduced to Bobby Moresco and his long running Actors Gym. I began developing plays through the gym, and Bobby invited me out to New York to have one of my plays read by the Actors Gym members there. Through that connection, I began to make more connections in the New York theatre scene and began to be invited by different theaters there to come out for readings. I’ve also joined a few Playwrights groups at theaters here in LA to further develop my new plays. Further inspired, I wrote another seven plays. One, “THINGS TO AVOID IN A EULOGY, was produced for the Fringe two years ago, and play number twenty, THE WEIGH STATION, just had it’s world premiere at the Blue Door Theatre in Culver city, and yet another, HUBCAP MOON, is going to be given its Off Broadway world premiere sometime next year. I’m currently writing another three new plays at the same time, just had a reading of a new play last Sunday with a wonderful NY Director, Kathleen O’grady and an incredible cast that included Jorja Fox, and was just invited back to NY by New Circle this coming Monday for a reading of my lastest new play that I finished writing less that a month ago. So, after some early success and an extended break, I am writing non-stop, making some amazing connections, and having the time of my life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a thrilling bumpy road, and an incredibly long one, Though I must say, a fabulous journey. The biggest bump, I’d say, is that Playwrights RARELY make any money. So, deciding to be a playwright/director and live a life in the threatre, while also choosing to live my life. I’ve been married for a total of thirty years, have raised three kids along with first wife, Lyn Alicia, and my current wife. Michelle, and have held a full time ‘day job’ ever since moving to LA to begin this career. So making time for a full time career in writing while holding another full time job that pays the bills can be…tricky. But I work at it every day and on a good day, the two balance each other out pretty well.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I write stage plays. that’s what I do. I love to write. My wife, Michelle, who is an incredible English teacher of many years, tells me, “Writers write!” So I live by that.
I feel that I’ve gotten to the point that I can sit down in my writing office and start writing. Any time that I have free. And if I’m not typing actual words, I am constantly working on story and character development in my head. I do some of my best ‘writing’ when I’m five customers deep at the bar on a busy Friday night! But the one thing that I’ve found lately, after over thirty years of being a Playwright, is that I no longer plan anything. Everything that my characters and my story need are in the well that I have been filling since the day I was born. I allow the characters and story to draw from that well and…just sort of listen and take dictation. It’s wonderful to allow the characters and story find their own way!
The other thing that life has taught me, and I think I’m still learning this one, is that the BUSINESS of writing, making and keeping connections, and constantly putting myself out there as a working Playwright, is every bit as important as doing the actual writing. I’m fortunate enough to have Susan Ferris, CEO of Bohemia Group, as my personal manager. But it’s ultimately up to me to write and create constantly, which is what I love to do more than anything, but also to do everything I can to let the world know that I’m here.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I just got a call from a Drama Teacher in Minnesota who is looking for a one act play to take is drama students to festival with this year. I told him to give me a week and I’ll write them a one act! I’m always looking for actors and theaters that are looking for plays and want to collaborate. So, reach out and I’ll send you my anthology and let’s make some beautiful theatre together!
Pricing:
- Make me an offer!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: donnie.jarman
- Facebook: donniejarman
