R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) is a playwright, stand-up dramedian and teaching artist. He has been called “one of the most talented storytellers in Philly” by the Philadelphia Weekly. He is the author of four produced plays, including “The Spectator” (Run of the Mill Theater Company, Baltimore) and “The Affair” (LateNite Theatre, New York City). His solo show, “Will You Accept This Friend Request?” premiered in November 2011 as part of the First Person Festival.
Eric has read or performed for BalletX, Jaime Fountaine’s Second Stories at the Dive, Rant-o-Wheel, Queer Ignite, Superheroes Who Are Super!, New York’s Queer Memoir, “Live at Kelly Writers House” on WXPN and First Person Arts Story Slams, at which he has twice won Best Presentation. His writing has appeared in Columbia University’s The Collection, thinkingdance.net and The Q Review.
He has opened for comedian Kelli Dunham at New York’s historic Stonewall Inn and will be returning to Stonewall with Kelli in February 2012. He was honored to be asked to speak at the 2011 TEDxPhilly.
He is currently workshopping three plays: “Lost Boy”, a drama about the fallout from a gay-bashing at a small college; “Destination”, a modern-day adaptation of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters”; and “Divers”, a comedy about a bachelor party in Provincetown. His next storytelling show, “Overexposed: An Extremely Awkward Peep Show” is being produced by Quince Productions in February 2012.
