John Olive
Core Writer
Minneapolis, MN
Biography

John Olive is a widely produced (Manhattan Theatre Club, Old Globe, ACT/Seattle, South Coast Rep, Steppenwolf, the Guthrie, and many others) and award-winning (Bush and McKnight Foundations, National Endowment For The Arts, Kennedy Center Award For Drama, others) playwright. Plays include: MINNESOTA MOON, STANDING ON MY KNEES, THE VOICE OF THE PRAIRIE, KILLERS, GOD FIRE, SINGAPORE, EVELYN AND THE POLKA KING, and many others.

John has also written extensively in the area of Theater For Young Audiences: Seattle Childrens, the Arden, Peoples Light, First Stage Milwaukee, Oregon Childrens, Nashville Childrens, and many others. SIDEWAYS STORIES FROM WAYSIDE SCHOOL, JASON & THE GOLDEN FLEECE, THE MAGIC BICYCLE, PHAROAH SERKET & THE LOST STONE OF FIRE, JOHNNY TREMAIN, etc. John has recemtly completed an adaptation of Lauren Baratz-Logsted's The Sisters Eight.

John has written novels (Deep River, Smartass), screenplays (for Amblin', ShadowCatcher Entertainment, Disney), theater reviews (www.HowWasTheShow.com). John has taught play and screenwriting at the University of Minnesota, the University of Washington, the Loft, the Playwrights' Centers, etc.

John has also published a book, about the magic of bedtime stories: Tell Me A Story In The Dark.

John lives in Minneapolis with his wife Mary and their son Michael.

Agent Information

Susan F. Schulman
454 W 44th St
New York, NY 10036
schulman@aol.com

Successes

A film producer in London has taken an option on the film rights to John Olive’s play CARELESS LOVE.

John Olive's adaption of Sideways Stories from the Wayside School will be produced by Outcry Theatre.  See https://www.outcrytheatre.com/sideways-stories-from-wayside-school.html for more information. 

John Olive's adaptation of Sideways Stories From Wayside School was produced at Main Street Theatre, in Houston, TX. http://www.mainstreettheater.com/youththeater/sideways_2017.html

John Olive's new children's book, Tell me a Story in the Dark, published by Familius, provides readers with the tools they need to create and tell magical bedtime stories, helping parents use their imaginations to spark their child's. The book is scheduled for release on March 17, 2015.