PLAYWRIGHT

 “McDaniels’s remarkable life, career and controversy are examined in the fascinating new play by Joan Ross Sorkin.”

BroadwayWorld.com (Jena Tesse Fox)

MUSICAL BOOKWRITER

 “…a nearly perfect pastry of a show…

that rare achievement, matched only by the likes of Shrek or Aladdin.”

The New York Times (Rob Kendt)

LYRICIST

 “Go Green! is totally delightful.“

Janet Wikler

 

“…a winsome book, witty lyrics…”

Alan Sperling

OPERA LIBRETTIST

 “…Ms Sorkin’s libretto tells the story in abundane detail with subtly poetic, often rhymed lines…“

The New York Times (Anthony Tommasini)

My Works

Hover and click over the pictures below to browse by genre and discover my works in musicals, operas, plays, and more—crafted for the stage, the voice, and the heart.

“Sorkin’s script accomplishes the remarkable feat of conveying history without being didactic.

The story remains interesting throughout, and Sorkin peppers the reminiscences with little jokes here and there to keep things from getting too heavy, in what is of course a serious situation.”

NYTheatre.com, Review of (mis)UNDERSTANDING MAMMY: The Hattie McDaniel Story

Welcome

My job as a playwright is to entertain, educate and emotionally challenge the audience. Each work is a call to action, whether it be to storm the barricades, seek acceptance, or merely to love.

Upcoming and recent engagements

Concert Performance of Roman Fever

Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center
129 W. 67th St, NYC

Sunday, Nov. 22 at 4pm

Music by Louis Karchin, Libretto by Joan Ross Sorkin. Tickets and all details in flyer.

Come join us!

Announcing the release of the BORDELLO Concept Album!

Our fabulous all-star cast includes Tovah Feldshuh, Julie Benko, Pablo Torres, Shereen Pimentel, Jillian Louis, Omar Lopez-Cepero, Trevor Martin, Dana Aber, Emily Brockway, and Ellie Biron!

To learn more about the show and the album, go to the Bordello page on my website and our Bordello website.

“Masterful work…”

Classical Voice of North Carolina (Ken Hoover)

 

 

“…a stunner…delivering everything that we expect of modern opera…”

Front Row Center, “Theatre in the Triangle” (Alan Hall)