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Ben Scranton is a Massachusetts-based playwright and actor.  His plays have been produced and received readings across the country and in Canada.  Writing honors include a Dramatic Writing Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and a two-time recipient of the Robert R. Lehan Playwriting Award from Westfield State University (MA).  He serves on the Board of Directors of Playwrights’ Platform, a cooperative of Boston-area playwrights, directors, and actors.  He taught acting and directed at The Drama Studio in Springfield, MA.  Ben grew up in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania.

Headshot June 2023.jpg

Ben Scranton

Playwright

2024

  • Production: The Back-Porch Gang (a 2-act comedy) has been chosen by The ACT Theatre Co. in Topeka, KS for their 2024 season.  A fully-staged production takes place August 9-18.

  • Public Reading: The Back-Porch Gang (a 2-act comedy) has a public reading on May 30 at The Bennington (VT) Performing Arts Center.

  • Public Reading: The Back-Porch Gang (a 2-act comedy) had a public reading on January 27 presented by Bing Productions.  Springfield, MA.

  • Zoom Reading: Charlotte's Revival (one-act version) will have a reading on May 13 presented by PlayZoomers (MA).

  • Zoom Reading: Charlotte's Revival (the full-length version which is in development) was read by Just-Write Lakeland (FL).

  • Finalist: The Back-Porch Gang (10-min version) named a finalist in the 2024 TENS Play Festival at Parish Players Theater in Thetford, VT.

2023

  • The Head of Seamus Delaney.  Nantucket Short Play Festival.  Staged reading.  Nantucket, MA.

  • The Back-Porch Gang (10 min version).  Staged-InTent reading series. Gracewell Productions.  Ivoryton Playhouse, CT.

  • The Warehouse at the End of the World. Fully-staged.  7th Annual Orange County Play Fest, Sugar Loaf, NY. 

  • The End of Society.  Fully-staged.  New Ambassadors Theater Company's Blurring Boundaries Festival.  At the Hudson Guild Theater in NYC.

  • The Head of Seamus Delaney named first place winner in Clan na Gael's One-Act Playwriting Contest.  Staged reading in Fairfield CT.

2022

  • The Overtime Theater (San Antonio). The Back-Porch Gang. Fully-staged.

  • 50th Playwrights’ Platform Festival of Short Plays (Boston). The Head of Seamus Delaney. Staged reading.

  • Crafton Hills College Festival of New Works (Yucaipa, CA). Blessings.  Fully-staged.

  • Gi60 The International One Minute Theater Festival (Houston). Unplanned. Fully-staged.

  • The Open Eye Theater (Margaretville, NY). The Back-Porch Gang (10 min version).  Fully-staged.

  • Newmarket Int'l Festival of One-Act Plays (Ontario). The Back-Porch Gang (10 min version). Fully-staged.

Plays

  • The Back-Porch Gang

  • Blessings

  • Charlotte’s Revival

  • The End of Society

  • The Head of Seamus Delaney

  • The Last Battalion of Children

  • Maude and Maxine Make Change

  • Warehouse at the End of the World

  • Weighting to be Noticed

  • Several one-minute plays

Productions & Readings

  • New Ambassadors Theater Company — NYC

  • Ivoryton Playhouse.  Gracewell Productions — Ivoryton, CT

  • The ACT Theater Company, Topeka, KS

  • Bing Productions — Springfield, MA

  • The Overtime Theatre — San Antonio, TX

  • Newmarket Int’l Festival of One-Act Plays — Newmarket Ontario, Canada

  • Crafton Hills College Festival of New Works — Yucaipa, CA

  • The Open Eye Theater — Margaretville, NY

  • Clan na Gael Players — Fairfield, CT

  • 7th Annual Orange County Play Fest — Sugar Loaf, NY

  • The International Festival of Arts & Ideas — New Haven, CT

  • The Pittsburgh New Works Festival — Pittsburgh, PA

  • The Enchanted Players —Boonton, NJ

  • Pine Crest School — Fort Lauderdale, FL

  • Nantucket Short Play Festival — Nantucket, MA

  • The Blue Sphere Alliance at the Lex Theatre — Hollywood, CA

  • The Depot for New Play Readings — Hampton, CT

  • The Drama Studio — Springfield, MA

  • Just Write Lakeland — Lakeland, FL

  • PIC (Play Incubation Collective) Northampton, MA

  • Playzoomers Table Talk— online

  • Tiny Theater Facebook page — online

  • Equity Library Theater Virtual Play Fest — online (YouTube)   

Awards & Honors

  • Recipient of a Dramatic Writing Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

  • Two-time recipient of the Robert R. Lehan Playwriting Award, Westfield State University (MA)

  • Best play nomination at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival for Charlotte's Revival

  • Finalist for the National James Stevenson Prize for Short Comedic Plays for The Head of Seamus Delaney

  • Winner of several playwriting contests from across the country

Published

  • Fresh Words Literary Magazine

  • Stonecoast Journal Literary Arts Magazine

Memberships

  • The Dramatist Guild of America

  • Actors' Equity Association

  • Playwrights' Platform

Acting

Ben has worked as a professional actor and singer, appearing on the national tour of the Broadway musical Annie and in regional theater. For seven seasons, he was a member of the resident acting company at StageWest in Springfield, MA, appearing in 17 productions. He has appeared at Hartford Stage (CT), ArtPark in Lewiston, NY, and Theater by the Sea in Portsmouth, NH, among others. With his wife, singer/actress Lorrie Armstrong Scranton, they have toured and presented a concert of Tin Pan Alley songs and stories.

Other
Education

Ben had a successful 32-year career in Realtor® Association management, including 10 years as CEO for the Realtor® Association of Pioneer Valley in Springfield, MA.

Bachelor of Science in Communications, Mansfield State University (PA)

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