Playwright / Composer

Actor / Director

photo: Marina McClure

Howard began his acting career at the age of 12, performing in the Hartford, CT company The Producing Guild's production of Take Me Along. He appeared with the Producing Guild in seven different productions, including The Rothschilds, The Fantasticks, Do I Hear A Waltz?, and in all three of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach trilogy, for which he received great local acclaim for his portrayal of Eugene Jerome. 

Howard earned his BA in Dramatic Literature from Vassar College, where he founded The American Theater Company, directing most of its productions and appearing as an actor in The Iceman Cometh (Hickey) and Of Mice and Men (George). When the company moved to NYC in the late 90's, Howard directed its productions of The Dog (American premiere, Todo Con Nada) and Street Scene (Signature Theater). He also directed the premiere of Eugene O'Neill's Recklessness.

Most recently, Howard has appeared in Zac Kline's "Dead Author Songs" (Tada Theatre), and in his own play "A Star Has Burnt My Eye" (Brick Theater).

Howard studied acting and directing with Jose Quintero and Estelle Parsons.

American Theater Company

The American Theater Company was founded by Howard and a group of friends at Vassar College in 1990 as a DIY group devoted to producing roll-up-your-sleeves, in-your-face, brutally realistic plays in unconventional spaces. The group was active in Poughkeepsie, NY from 1991-1993 (where it garnered significant praise from the local press), and in New York City from 1997-98. 

Production history:

  • The Iceman Cometh (1990)
  • The Stick Wife (1990)
  • Of Mice and Men (1991)
  • the great god brown (1991)
  • The Ghost Sonata (1992)
  • The Zoo Story (1992)
  • Waiting For Lefty (1992)
  • The Rope Dancers (1993)
  • On The L (1997)
  • The Dog (1998)
  • Street Scene (1998)

Scholarship

Howard worked as a Dramaturgy intern at The Hartford Stage Company and as Literary Intern at The Williamstown Theater Festival. Since 1997, he has worked as the primary research assistant to Barbara and Arthur Gelb on their ongoing biographical work on playwright Eugene O'Neill, working closely with them on their books O'Neill: Life With Monte Cristo, and its upcoming sequel. He also worked with Arthur Gelb on his memoir City Room.


Howard has lectured on playwrights Eugene O'Neill and Susan Glaspell at Suffolk University and at The Hotchkiss School.