"I've worked closely and
happily with Lawrence Harbison for a quarter of a century now, in the many years
in which he was Editor at Samuel French Inc., and later in his current role as
Senior Editor at Smith & Kraus, during which time he has been instrumental in
getting the work of hundreds of new writers into print, both in countless Samuel
French acting editions and in his many anthologies of plays, scenes and
monologues. And as a long time writer on the New York theatre scene he has
probably done more theatre going than any living human being. He's been so
helpful to so many playwrights. His deep love for the theatre and for all sorts
of plays, his unbounded enthusiasm for good work, and his tremendously clear eye
for talent are all legendary. He is also a wonderfully entertaining writer
himself, with a sense of humor and a complex, searching intellect. He's
sympathetic and honest, and has a great eye for what makes a play work and what
prevents it from being as good as it could be. There's nobody whose opinion I
value more, and nobody I could recommend more highly."
-- Don Nigro
"As a Literary Manager and
Artistic Director, I’ve helped to develop and produce over 30 World Premieres
including new plays by Nicky Silver, Andrew Bergman, and Jonathan Reynolds. As
a playwright, I’ve written a dozen plays so far, and with some luck all have
been professionally produced. I went to Larry with two plays that had been
produced multiple times, and I was too close to the material. I needed a fresh
prospective and an eye I could trust. I got that and a lot more from Larry. He
is simply amazing to work with. He knows what he’s doing, and his edits and
suggestions are incredibly smart. Larry works quick. He turned things around
fast, paid attention to the smallest detail, and was not done working until I
was. With his unique skill set, background, work ethic and natural ability to
edit, I can’t help feel that a playwright at any point in their development
would benefit greatly from working with Larry."
-- Martin Blank
"Lawrence Harbison is a
great friend and a mentor. He directed my first two plays in New York City,
helped me with obtaining representation, and was instrumental in assisting me
with productions and publications. My first published play, DREAMS OF FLIGHT,
is dedicated to him. No one is as knowledgeable about the working theatre;
further, his ability to break down a script quickly and succinctly is
legendary. I highly recommend his services."
-- Brian Mori
"To say that Lawrence Harbison has his finger on the pulse
of contemporary American drama, would not be doing him justice. It would be
more accurate to say that he is swimming in its bloodstream. He has not only
proven to be a conduit for the refined playwrights in today's limelight, but has
a gift for recognizing and lifting up those who will be in tomorrow's.”
-- Lisa Soland
(Ms. Soland teaches playwriting, Her plays have been published by Samuel French
and Smith & Kraus.
“Few know contemporary American drama as well and
as deeply as Lawrence Harbison. In his work as an editor and critic, he has seen
literally thousands of plays, and read even more. Unlike so many commentators on
play productions today, he possesses that rare ability to separate the writing
of the play from its performance and direction, zeroing in on exactly which
elements are working and why. His wide-ranging familiarity with new work, his
ability to appreciate a text distinct from its presentation, and his excellent
taste and judgment make him uniquely qualified to assist playwrights in
improving their work."
-- Jenny Lyn Bader, playwright.
Lawrence Harbison is a master of the craft of
editing, and an encyclopedia of knowledge about the theatre. He works with the
playwright respecting her journey but adds the necessary insights to make a
play move from good to great. I recommend him unconditionally.
-- Rosary O'Neill
