Maria Irene Fornes was an influential Cuban-American dramatist, director, and playwriting teacher. Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1930 as the youngest of six children, Fornes immigrated to the United States in 1945 with her mother and one sister.
Before Fornes began writing plays, she aspired to be a painter. In the early 1950s, she studied with the Abstract Expressionist painter Hans Hofmann, whose teachings would influence her future theater work. Then, in 1953, while painting in Paris, Fornes saw the production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. The performance inspired her so much that she turned to writing plays. Fornes went on to write and direct more than 50 plays produced internationally.
Fornes has been widely recognized for her work, winning nine Obie Awards in various categories. Her most well-known works include Fefu and her Friends, The Danube, and Mud.
Fornes was also an influential teacher. She founded the Hispanic Playwrights-in-Residence Laboratory and taught playwriting throughout the U.S. Through her work and legacy, Fornes has opened the door for many women, Latinos, and experimental artists.
Hannah Kim For The Junior Times junior/1728632616/1613367853
1. Where was Maria Irene Fornes born, and when did she move to the United States?
2. Before becoming a playwright, what kind of art did Fornes want to pursue?
3. What inspired Maria Irene Fornes to start writing plays?
4. How many Obie Awards did Fornes win, and what are some of her most famous plays?
1. Have you ever seen or read a play? What did you like or find interesting about it?
2. If you could try any type of art, like painting or writing, which one would you choose and why?
3. Maria Irene Fornes was inspired by a play she saw in Paris. Have you ever been inspired by something you watched or read?
4. How do you think teaching and helping others, like Fornes did, can make a difference in the world?
Maria Irene Fornes was an influential Cuban-American dramatist, director, and playwriting teacher. Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1930 as the youngest of six children, Fornes immigrated to the United States in 1945 with her mother and one sister.
