Mason was born in Bossier City, Louisiana on February 2, 1955. She excelled in English and became interested in playwrighting while in high school. Her professional writing career began while a drama student at Grambling State University.[1]
Careeredit
While attending Grambling,[2] she won the Norman Lear Award for comedy writing from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for her play, Livin’ Fat.[1][3] The following year she won the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award for A Star Ain’t Nothin’ But A Hole In Heaven.[1][4] The New York Times said that Mason had created "captivating characters" in her play, but that she had forfeited letting main character Pokie face the decision between romance and a better life, when the character's boyfriend ends up joining the war in Vietnam.[5]
Mason began her professional writing career in New York city where she was a member of the NEC (Negro Ensemble Company). She has taught playwriting and screenwriting at a number of colleges and universities for more than 20 years. In 2010 she was teaching screenwriting at Columbia College of Hollywood.[6]
Mason counted Patti LaBelle, LaTonya Richardson, Jennifer Holliday and Jheryl Busby as personal friends. She is the one who gave Patti LaBelle her first acting credit on TV on the show A Different World.
She was a mother of two, daughter Mason Synclaire Williams and son Austin Barrett Williams. Mason died unexpectedly of a ruptured abdominal aorta on July 8, 2009.
Referencesedit
^ abcAndrews, Tina (August–September 2009). Stayton, Richard (ed.). "Tribute: ...And the People Shall Know Thy Name". Written by. 13 (5). Writers Guild of America, West: 8–11.
judi, mason, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, july, 2009, le. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Judi Ann Mason news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2009 Learn how and when to remove this message Judi Ann Mason February 2 1955 July 8 2009 was an American television writer producer and playwright Judi Ann MasonBorn 1955 02 02 February 2 1955Bossier City Louisiana United StatesDiedJuly 8 2009 2009 07 08 aged 54 Los Angeles California USAOccupationAuthor playwright Producer Film executiveNationalityAmericanAlma materGrambling State UniversityPeriod1975 2009Notable worksLivin Fat A Star Ain t Nothin But a Hole in Heaven The Cornbread Man Good TimesNotable awardsNorman Lear Award for ComedyLorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 References 4 External linksBackground editMason was born in Bossier City Louisiana on February 2 1955 She excelled in English and became interested in playwrighting while in high school Her professional writing career began while a drama student at Grambling State University 1 Career editWhile attending Grambling 2 she won the Norman Lear Award for comedy writing from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for her play Livin Fat 1 3 The following year she won the Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award for A Star Ain t Nothin But A Hole In Heaven 1 4 The New York Times said that Mason had created captivating characters in her play but that she had forfeited letting main character Pokie face the decision between romance and a better life when the character s boyfriend ends up joining the war in Vietnam 5 Mason was selected as one of Glamour Magazine s Top Ten College women in 1977 as was her friend Sheryl Lee Ralph an actress Mason began her professional writing career in New York city where she was a member of the NEC Negro Ensemble Company She has taught playwriting and screenwriting at a number of colleges and universities for more than 20 years In 2010 she was teaching screenwriting at Columbia College of Hollywood 6 Her television writing credits include Good Times Sanford and Son A Different World Beverly Hills 90210 I ll Fly Away American Gothic 7 Generations and Guiding Light Her film credits include Sister Act 2 Back in the Habit 8 She is also renowned for Sophie And The Moonhanger nominated for the Emmy Award CableACE Award Her stageplay credits include The Cornbread Man 9 and Indigo Blues 10 Mason counted Patti LaBelle LaTonya Richardson Jennifer Holliday and Jheryl Busby as personal friends She is the one who gave Patti LaBelle her first acting credit on TV on the show A Different World She was a mother of two daughter Mason Synclaire Williams and son Austin Barrett Williams Mason died unexpectedly of a ruptured abdominal aorta on July 8 2009 References edit a b c Andrews Tina August September 2009 Stayton Richard ed Tribute And the People Shall Know Thy Name Written by 13 5 Writers Guild of America West 8 11 www gram edu Retrieved on May 17 2008 www onstagechattanooga com Retrieved on May 17 2008 www coterietheatre org Archived 2008 09 08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on May 17 2008 query nytimes com Retrieved on May 17 2008 www geocities com dead link Retrieved on May 17 2008 garycole net Archived 2008 05 31 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on May 17 2008 Sister Act 2 Back in the Habit at IMDb nbsp www arts ufl edu Archived 2009 07 16 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on May 17 2008 www broadwayworld com Retrieved on May 17 2008 External links editJudi Ann Mason at IMDb www stageplays com permanent dead link www variety com www stainedglassplayhouse org www blacktheatrenetwork org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Judi Ann Mason amp oldid 1217643773, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
