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

What Catholic Twitter Taught Me About Myself

In early 2019, I started following more Catholics on Twitter. It was... read more

Returning to Live Theater... Sort of

Last Saturday was the one-year anniversary of the Broadway shut down. Performers... read more

The Royal Family is Not Special, Yet We...

If you didn't watch Oprah's interview with Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan... read more

Self-Righteousness, the Devil's Poisoned Arrow

During my Lenten reading, I recently came across a passage from John... read more

Inhumane Conditions in Texas Prisons Demonstrate Cruelty is...

A devastating storm and freezing temperatures have caused chaos and hardship for... read more

Consider Making a Gentle Lent this Year

It's hard to believe that Lent has come around again. Last year,... read more

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: The Challenge...

This past weekend was a significant landmark for me professionally. My first... read more

Has the Pandemic Permanently Changed Live Theater?

When I started this blog, I intended to write about life as... read more

Sorry ACNA, We're Calling Ourselves Gay

Last week, the bishops of the Anglican Church of North America released... read more

Doubt is Part of Faith, So Why Is...

When I was a child, my beloved great-grandmother passed away. She was... read more

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