HOWARD SKORA (Desert Playwrights’ Retreat Board Member)

HOWARD SKORA is an award-winning Los Angeles-based playwright, director, theatrical producer, and screenwriter. His most recent play, Freud on Cocaine, which he also directed, returns to the stage in Los Angeles after a sold-out run in Fall 2023.

His 2022 play, Gaslight House, which he also directed, received six  Broadway World Los Angeles Award nominations including: Best Play, Best Direction, Best Ensemble Performance and Best Performer (Alex Skuby) as well as numerous 5-star reviews, including Stage Raw: “Skora comes from a stand-up comedy background, and his mastery of humor shines in the show’s writing. Gaslight House appears to be a perfect example of his modus operandi; the witty banter and verbal comedy keep you laughing and enthralled throughout what very quickly becomes a jaw-droppingly outlandish series of plot twists. …This play is absolutely unpredictable from start to finish, in the best way, and the audience is consistently kept in suspense of what’s actually real. …Gaslight House is an unforgettable experience that puts the rage in outrageous and the theater back in therapy…this writer cannot recommend it enough.”  

Skora’s first play, Miserable With an Ocean View, directed by Jim Fall, had its world premiere in 2015, featured Oscar-Nominee Patty McCormack, and was named “Most Promising New Play” by Don Grigware in his annual Broadway World Eddon Awards. It ran for five sold-out months. The reviews called Skora “…brilliant” and the play “clever…with hilarious one-liners.” Miserable With an Ocean View garnered Best Play, Best Director, Best Lead Actor (Paul Elia), and Best Supporting Actor (Alex Skuby) nominations at the 2016 Valley Theater Awards.  

His second play, Damaged Furniture, also directed by Fall, had its world premiere in 2018 and ran for six months. It was the top-rated original comedy in Los Angeles on Better-Lemons for its entire run, with a 100% sweet critic rating. Damaged Furniture later garnered an Ovation Nomination for Featured Actress in a Play for Jessica Pohly, as well as Best Play and Best Writer nominations at the 2019 Valley Theater Awards. 

Howie studied Screenwriting at UCLA Extension, where he received the prestigious Diane Thomas Screenwriting Award for his screenplay, The Trainer.  He is also the 1st place winner of the 5th Annual Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition and used the $10,000 prize money to complete Nick Name and The Normals, his first independent feature-length documentary, which premiered in London at The National Film Theatre. Skora develops most of his work with the members of The Actor’s Gym, run by his longtime mentor, Oscar winner Bobby Moresco. He is grateful to have a home to collaborate with the brilliant actors and other creative artists who have contributed their talents to his various productions.