AMY FREED is the author of Restoration Comedy, The Beard of Avon, Freedomland, Safe in Hell, The Psychic Life of Savages and other plays. Her work has been produced at South Coast Repertory Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Seattle Repertory, American Conservatory Theater, Yale Rep, California Shakespeare Theater, Berkeley Rep, the Goodman, Playwright's Horizons, Woolly Mammoth and other theaters around the country. Her most recent play, You, Nero debuted at South Coast Rep in January 2009, and was produced at Berkeley Rep in June of that year. Her latest play, Right to the Top will have its first reading at the Pacific Playwright’s Festival in April, 2010. Freed has been the recipient of the Joseph Kesselring Award, the Charles MacArthur Playwriting Award, is a several times winner of the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, and was a Pulitzer finalist for Freedomland. She is Artist-in-Residence in the Drama Department of Stanford University. She has been Playwright-in-Residence for South Coast Rep, and recently served as Playwright-in-Residence for San Diego's Old Globe Theater. (As of 2010)

Howard Shalwitz is Artistic Director of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington D.C., where he directed both Freedomland and the world premiere of Amy Freed's The Psychic Life of Savages. He directed the Obie Award-winning premiere of Doug Wright's Quills at New York Theatre Workshop, and has directed for the Bay Street Theatre Festival, Milwaukee Rep, John F. Kennedy Center, and A Contemporary Theatre. At Woolly Mammoth, Mr. Shalwitz has shepherded nearly 100 productions including new works by Harry Kondoleon, Nicky Silver, Sherry Kramer, Regina Porter, Robert Alexander, Billy Aronson, and many others. Through 19 seasons he has led Woolly Mammoth to its national status as a producer of adventurous new plays, garnering dozens of Helen Hayes nominations and awards. Mr. Shalwitz has served as an NEA Theatre Panelist and holds degrees from Wesleyan and Brown Universities. He was recently named a "Washington of the Year" by Washington magazine.