Playwright John Belluso Dies at 36

John Belluso, the author of such plays as Pyretown and Henry Flamethrowa, was found dead in his New York City hotel room on Friday, February 10. He was 36 years old and lived in Los Angeles.

A memorial service, co-sponsored by New Dramatists and the Public Theatre, will be held at 7pm on Monday, February 27 at the Public. It is open to everyone.

Belluso, who was born in Rhode Island, had been in a wheelchair since the age of 13, due to Engleman-Camurdie Syndrome, a non-fatal bone disorder. He often included disabled characters in his plays, including Gretty Good Time, Travelling Skin, and The Rules of Charity. His other works include A Nervous Smile, The Body of Bourne, and Body Songs.

Pyretown was produced Off-Broadway by the Keen Company in January 2005, while Henry Flamethrowa was produced in New York last year by Studio Dante, with Tim Daly in a starring role. Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theatre and Trinity Repertory Company, in Providence Rhode Island, also produced that play.

During his career, Belluso received many honors, including the AT&T On-Stage Award, the Mark Taper Forum’s Sherwood Award, and the Berrilla Kerr Foundation Award. New Dramatists, where he was finishing up a seven-year residence, plans to publish several of hs plays shortly.