Claudia Allen

Claudia Allen is an American playwright and educator based in Chicago, Illinois. She is known for writing LGBT characters in her plays, for Hannah Free, and for her association with the Victory Gardens Theater.

Life Claudia Allen was born on October 2, Allen began writing, depicting the lesbian and bisexual characters she felt were absent from media. 11 of Allen's 24 produced plays (as of 2010) have lesbian themes or lesbian or bisexual main characters. Allen is "out and proud."

Allen has taught at DePaul University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago,

Claudia Allen has collections of scripts, drafts, programs, and other documents with DePaul University Special Collections and Archives,

Victory Gardens Theater Allen is an original member of the Victory Gardens Playwrights' Ensemble, which was founded in 1996. She often partnered with Sandy Shinner, the associate artistic director of Victory Gardens. Allen premiered many works at Victory Gardens, including I Sailed with Magellan, Winter and Fossils (both starred Julie Harris), Cahoots (starring Sharon Gless), Deed of Trust, The Long Awaited and Still Waters (all starring Deanna Dunagan), Unspoken Prayers, and Hanging Fire.

Awards Allen has won two Jeff Awards for New Works, for The Long Awaited in 1989 and for Still Waters in 1991. Allen's Jeff nominations for New Works include Winter in 1999, Xena Live Episode 2: Xena Lives! The Musical in 2002, and I Sailed With Magellan in 2007. Allen's play I Sailed With Magellan is an adaptation of Stuart Dybek's book, I Sailed with Magellan.

Allen was named Best Playwright by Chicago (magazine) in 1999.

In 2000, Allen received a Trailblazer Award from Bailiwick Repertory Theatre.