ECL alumnus Anthony King (‘97), a Tony and Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and performer, has been honored with the 2024 John L. Haber Award by the New York Carolina Club in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the arts.
King is best known for co-writing Beetlejuice The Musical (Tony-Award nominee) and Gutenberg! The Musical, which recently had a Broadway run starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells. As a prolific writer and producer, King has also made his mark on numerous hit shows, including The Afterparty, Silicon Valley, Dead to Me, Search Party, and Broad City. Additionally, he co-created and executive produced Robbie. For a full list of King’s body of work, visit his IMDb profile here.
With the variety of projects he has worked on, King has to adopt many different approaches to writing:
“My writing process is different for every project, but in general I think writing is rewriting, and I think the best results come from an iterative process of constant exploration and improvement. It’s so hard not to be precious about ideas or a completed draft, but you have to be willing to kill your darlings and listen to feedback.”
A common thread in King’s diverse projects is his keen attention to his audience, particularly through the way he blends emotional expression to foster empathy:
“I really like colliding comedy with big emotional moments because I think life is often full of those surprising collisions. Some of the biggest laughs happen at funerals. People cry at weddings. I love it when an audience really feels those emotional twists and turns for the characters they’re watching. Empathy is a superpower.”
Working with others has always been a vital aspect to his writing process, especially given that King has always been drawn to the collaborative nature of drama/television:
“Writing can be a lonely journey but putting on a play or making a TV show? That takes an enormous number of people all bringing their unique talents to build something together that’s greater than anything we could have made on our own. I still find that exciting.”
King began sharpening these collaborative skills as an undergrad in the DOECL at UNC:
“A huge part of artistic collaboration is being able to have constructive critical discussions about the material you’re working on together, and I got my first introduction to those skills in my classes at UNC discussing Milton and Shakespeare and Steinbeck. Also, on a more personal note, I was lucky enough to take a creative writing class with the late Randall Kenan. I can’t claim to have known him well, but his approach to writing and his embrace of our raw talents was so warm, inviting and productive, it gave me confidence I think about often.”
Reflecting on the challenges a career in these industries presents, King said:
“There is no path. There’s no clear corporate structure, no obvious ladder to climb. It takes some luck! Your job is to improve your craft and be ready for when those opportunities come your way. But it can be hard to have patience, so you really have to enjoy the work you are doing right now, find collaborators you like to work with right now, and let go of the things you can’t control.”
Congratulations, Anthony! To read more, click here!