About Me
Born somewhere between the swamps of Jersey and a dead man's town, I learned some of my first love of storytelling from the inimitable Bruce Springsteen. Years spent noodling with short stories and attempting the Great American Novel eventually resolved themselves into an appreciation of the art of writing for screen and stage.
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Over the years, I crafted six feature length screenplays and four one-act stageplays.
I produced and co-directed one of those screenplays into a feature film starring Corbin Bernsen and featuring Oscar Winner Shirley Jones. Originally test-marketed as On The Wing, that film was released in 2018 as Eco-Teens Save the World! During its festival run, the film brought home two Best Picture awards and one Audience Favorite prize.
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Two of my four stage-plays have been produced: "The Blue Jay," is a first-date comedy reflecting on love, marriage, and fucked-up-ness. It was produced in New York City in May 2018 as part of the Take Ten Festival at the Jewel Box Theatre. The play starred Derek Martin and Lauren Jean Lee. Derek took home Best Actor honors, Lauren Best Actress honors and the play won Best Play of the Festival!
"Among Shrubs & Ivy" was my first one act and was produced first in Silver Spring, MD at the Silver Spring Stage and later in Annapolis, MD at Colonial Players.
My most recent screenplay and the writing work of which I am most proud is American Icon, a feature-length dramedy about a troubled former high school basketball phenom who is asked to deliver the eulogy at his old coach's funeral on the other side of the country. He carries with him the long-held secret that his coach sexually abused him while he was the star of the team. He embarks with his ambulance-chasing best friend and a free-spirited nurse on a road trip from the Jersey Shore to the Arizona desert, propelled forward by competing ideas of revenge and forgiveness. The screenplay was a semi-finalist at the prestigious Austin Screenwriting Competion in 2019. It awaits production! If you are interested, please reach out.
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My writing has taken back seat more recently to two projects of which I am quite proud. Cairn & Sky (www.cairnandsky.com) offers retreats and wellness programs to men. These programs are run primarily out of Jackson, WY. Wilderness Kids Alexandria (www.wildernesskidsalexandria.org) is a non-profit organization that provides life-enriching experiences in nature to teenagers from under-resourced and under-served communities in Alexandria, VA. I hope, men, that you'll join us on retreat in Jackson (and, women, that you'll send your guy our way); and please consider supporting Wilderness Kids with a donation of any size. (Just click the link above). Thanks!
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If you are looking for me, use the contact form here or just shoot me an email at JC at JerryCasagrande dot com. If you are in Northern Virginia and environs, look me up!