NOTABLE CRITIQUES

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2017 academy nicholl fellowship

"Polished, professional writing skills here. A great “What if?” premise. Highly imaginative and well crafted story that addresses many backlash scenarios with honesty and believability. So smoothly beat out with seamless cutting between scenes. Many imaginative situations and complications for the President, J.J., to overcome with unexpected results. Wonderful balance of drama and humor – often hilarious, witty banter... Outstanding cast of characters – all come to life with distinct personalities, even those with little screen time. Dialogue is so smart and snappy except, of course, the redneck, Billy Ray, but his dialogue perfectly suits his ignorant personality."

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the blacklist (2018)

"PRIDE & PRESIDENT broaches a very relevant subject matter with delicacy and intimacy. There's inherent controversy and a dramatic premise within, given the sociopolitical weight of JJ's sexuality in his position of power. The screenplay is admirable for its slew of diverse roles in positions of power, including its LGBT president and African-American female vice president. The screenplay has very functional and efficient dialogue whose emotional expressions are raw and real, often expressing its characters' vulnerable emotional areas with ease and truth. Importantly, the premise tackles socially conscious messaging through humanizing its themes and issues in a sympathetic ensemble, especially given the tragedy of Nolan's home life. The third act takes on special clarity as JJ deals with the repercussions of his announcement; it's here where the writer's moral conversations have an opportunity to come to a head in a resounding message of love and acceptance, regardless of class or political status. Ultimately, the script is a timely answer to an age of social division and strife."

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2017 screencraft fellowship

"An interesting script that explores the great premise of seeing what would happen if the President came out as gay.  With politics being so prominent in the public discussion and this social cause still needing attention, this is the kind of script that not only feels like it could find a wide audience, but also feels necessary in these times.  The writer does a good job of speaking directly to the audience and providing a number of scenarios to show the struggle of being gay in America and hypothesizing reasonably well what the reaction of the country would be in this situation."

2017 SLAMDANCE COMPETITION

"It’s an interesting idea and the way the plot is revealed is quite elegant and well done."

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2018 bluecat competition

"The writer does a great job of highlighting social issues of homosexuality, discrimination, and religion, without implementing personal bias, so that the audience is able to formulate their own opinions.... The character relations are strong, where story lines eventually intersect."

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