About Emily Claire Schmitt

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I claimed my first mystical experience at seven years old. I informed my parents that my recently-deceased great grandmother was visiting my bedroom each night and sitting in my rocking chair. I was lying, but the story served to ease my grief - and that of my parents. Since then, I have continued to search for healing through story-telling as a playwright. I earned my BA in Theatre and Philosophy from Saint Mary’s College, where I became obsessed with early Enlightenment philosopher Baruch Spinoza. After moving to New York, I completed my MFA in Playwriting at The New School for Drama, where I became obsessed with the controversial Pope Pius XII. These duel fascinations gave rise to the plays Spinoza's Ethics and The Chalice. In total, I am the author of eight full-length plays and one musical. My works include San Luis, 1989 (2012 Best Play Award, ACTF Region III), Under Further Review (2015 Princess Grace Finalist) and The Chalice (2017 production starring Tony-Nominee Austin Pendleton.) I am a Core Member of The Skeleton Rep(resents), an independent production company dedicated to the exploration of modern myth through theater, dance, and film. I am also a practicing Catholic, continually seeking a concrete manifestation of the supernatural experience I conjured as a child.

All Posts by Emily Claire

Please Get the Vaccine, Even if You're Not...

If you are young, relatively healthy and with a good immune system,... read more

A Very Small Boat: On Loving Someone With...

I used to wake up every morning in a panic. It would... read more

A Letter to My Most High Lord

Hello Friends and Readers, I'm taking a step back from my usual... read more

Can the Latin Mass Restrictions Heal The Divide...

Last week, Pope Francis dropped a proverbial bomb on Latin Mass (TLM)... read more

You Can Disagree with Your Bishop without Becoming...

Last week, Bishop William Callahan of LaCrosse, Wisconsin did something highly unusual.... read more

My Obligatory Fourth of July Post is Late,...

Today is July Fifth, and I am writing my obligatory July Fourth... read more

Lay Low and Weep: The Tragic Legacy of...

Last week, 751 unmarked graves were discovered at the site of a... read more

You Might Be Wondering Why I Stay Catholic

Given the events of the past week, I imagine some of my... read more

I Went Back to a Movie Theater for...

The last film I saw in a movie theater was The Invisible... read more

Serendipity is Still Possible, Even in a Broken...

"What is this feeling?" My friend asked on Saturday around 5:00 PM.... read more

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