Name: Gary Winter

Occupation:Playwright

Affiliation: Help organize Pataphysics Workshops for Playwrights at The Flea/Member13P

URL: www.garyjwinter.com (under construction)

1.  Where did you grow up and how did you end up where you are now?

Sheepshead Bay. Home town of Vince Lombardi, Rico Petrocelli and Larry David. I ended up in Clinton Hill via the Q train.

2. Which performance, song, play, movie, painting or other work of art had the biggest influence on you and why?

Some influential plays: Len Jenkin’s DARK RIDE at SOHO Rep, mid 90’s; Irene Fornes MUD at Intar (mid 90’s), Mac Wellman’s FNU LNU at SOHO Rep. Both plays of wonder and theatrical dazzle, driven by their own internal logic and the obsessions of the playwright. Up until then I didn’t know plays could be like that, and these opened up worlds of possibilities for the first time.

3. What skill, talent or attribute do you most wish you had and why?

I’d like to be a country doctor. I don’t know why, I just think I’d like that.

4. What do you do to make a living? Describe a normal day.

I work at the English as a Second Language office at NYU. Ping is teaching me Mandarin: Yo Shiwan (Know Hope).

5. Have you ever had to make a choice between work and art? What did you choose, why, and what was the outcome?

Work and Art? I never thought there was a choice. I have to make a living and I have to write. The hard part is using my spare time effectively.