Anthony J. Piccione is an award-winning autistic writer and producer based in New York City. Born in Rochester, New York and raised in Connecticut, Piccione is best known for his work in the indie theatre scene as a playwright and as the founder of the Neurodivergent New Play Series and the Talking It Out Virtual Arts Festival in Support of Mental Health Awareness.
His debut full-length play A Therapy Session with Myself, a semi-autobiographical drama about living with social anxiety and autism, premiered at the New York Theatre Festival’s 2019 NYWinterfest in January 2019 before transferring to the Kraine Theater in May for an extended run. This was followed by One Empire, Under God, an epic dystopian drama about the dangers of religious extremism and right-wing populism, made its live premiere at The Tank in November 2021 after previously premiering via Zoom earlier that year, followed by a virtual fringe festival tour planned for 2022. Another full-length play The Lone Wolf Society, a psychological thriller about gun violence and toxic masculinity, was presented as a staged reading at The Tank in November 2022 and is slated for publication at Next Stage Press in March 2024.
Additionally, Piccione’s eclectic canon of short and one-act plays have been produced at various NYC and regional venues, including The Tank, the Hudson Guild Theatre, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Midtown International Theatre Festival, and Manhattan Repertory Theatre. His short drama about bullying and teen suicide What I Left Behind was named the NYWinterfest’s Best Short Play of 2018, and he was also nominated for a 2018 Planet Award for Outstanding Playwriting for his experimental drama about political corruption and economic injustice 4 $tages, and his children’s play about climate change An Energy Tale was named a finalist in the Connecticut-statewide Wright the World playwriting contest in 2016.
As a screenwriter, his short film he wrote about PTSD The Fire That Won’t Stop was named an official selection at the Venice Short Film Awards, the Paris International Short Festival & the Hollywood International Golden Age Festival and is now available for streaming on Vimeo. He is currently developing his first feature film What I Left Behind - based on his short play What I Left Behind and his full-length play A Therapy Session with Myself.
In addition to his work as a writer, Mr. Piccione is also the Founding Artistic Director of the Neurodivergent New Play Series dedicated to promoting the work of neurodivergent playwrights, as well as the Talking It Out Virtual Arts Festival dedicated to raising mental health awareness through digital programming in theatre, film, poetry, and visual art since 2020. He has also previously worked as a scriptwriter-for-hire, and his work has been commissioned by Sesame Workshop, Speaks Volumes Productions, and various other clients. He has also taught playwriting classes at EPIC Players and Broadway Weekends and has previously worked as a contributing writer at OnStage Blog and Five-Star Arts Journals and as a teaching assistant at Hartford Children’s Theatre and New Britain Youth Theater.
Piccione received his BA in Theatre (with minors in Writing and Film Studies) from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2016. He is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Autistic Theatermakers Alliance.
“When you read a script by Anthony J. Piccione, you are struck by the seamless joining of the relevant, the provocative, the emotional and the sheer art of good storytelling. It is a unique talent. His works stand out on a crowded stage and leaves the reader and the viewer with questions, with inspiration and with satisfaction. Smart, plain speaking and very special!”
-Paul Smith, Founder of Smith Scripts
“Anthony Piccione is a talent to watch. He’s remarkably productive, discussing important issues with intelligence and skill every time he appears. Watching this young man develop is a joy. It’s his kind of persistence that gives me hope for the future of live theater.”
-Jan Ewing, Critic at Hi! Drama
“I have worked with Anthony in multiple productions, and I hope to continue to do so. It has been wonderful working with Anthony and the great teams he assembles. I consider Anthony an important new voice in theater, bringing political and personal urgency to issues of human rights, health, and mental illness. I could be more proud to have played a part in his work!”
-Louise Heller, Actress
“From An Energy Tale to A Therapy Session with Myself, Anthony J. Piccione’s plays has impacted people of all ages. He writes from the heart; effortlessly drawing his audience to reflect and rethink on current affairs. Every play from Anthony is worth watching.“
-Gemia Foo, Actress & Producer
“I have worked with Anthony on different occasions and projects he did. His dedication and compelling work as a playwright and a director clearly transcend him as the artist that he is. He doesn’t hold back on his vision and tasty thought-provoking substance on the subject matters he tackles in his works. I am grateful for the opportunities that I have worked with him and I can guarantee that Anthony is one of the playwrights and creatives one must keep an eye into.”
-Francis Mabborang, Actor
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The Neurodivergent New Play Series
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