"Copeland’s writing is sharp and effective... an inspiration to playwrights everywhere." 5 Stars DC Metro Arts
Writer
Founding Artistic Director NYMadness
CECILIA COPELAND is a Midwestern, Latin-American, Israeli, Non-Princess and legal resident of Australia who chooses to live in her adopted home, New York.
She climbed Masada at five years old, studied classical ballet and martial arts, was a dancer for MTV and owned her own cafe. She wrote her first short story in kindergarten about a snowflake, her first poem about hating vacuum cleaners, and in 1999 she wrote her first futuristic sci-fi short film about a female bomber blowing up amusement parks brought down by a female cop. That script won her a SPECIAL EFFECTS GRANT from METRO SCREEN AUSTRALIA and answered the nagging call of uncertainty over her life's path. She is still writing sci-fi-horror-fantasy and strong female protagonists all these years later.
Copeland is an Alumna of the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa BA with Honors and a Minor in Dance and the Ohio University MFA. She graduated from Stella Adler Studio in NY where she was invited back to teach Playscript Analysis for Actors.
Copeland is an Athena List Finalist with THE COPELAND CASE, a Member of the New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW), an inductee into the INDIE THEATER HALL OF FAME, WINNER BEST DRAMATIC SCREENPLAY Female Eye Film Festival, BEST TV PILOT La Femme Int. Film Festival, VAN GOGH AWARD Amsterdam Film Festival, BEST DRAMATIC SCREENPLAY Queen Palm Film Festival, and a National New Play Network Featured Writer among others.
She climbed Masada at five years old, studied classical ballet and martial arts, was a dancer for MTV and owned her own cafe. She wrote her first short story in kindergarten about a snowflake, her first poem about hating vacuum cleaners, and in 1999 she wrote her first futuristic sci-fi short film about a female bomber blowing up amusement parks brought down by a female cop. That script won her a SPECIAL EFFECTS GRANT from METRO SCREEN AUSTRALIA and answered the nagging call of uncertainty over her life's path. She is still writing sci-fi-horror-fantasy and strong female protagonists all these years later.
Copeland is an Alumna of the Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa BA with Honors and a Minor in Dance and the Ohio University MFA. She graduated from Stella Adler Studio in NY where she was invited back to teach Playscript Analysis for Actors.
Copeland is an Athena List Finalist with THE COPELAND CASE, a Member of the New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), League of Professional Theatre Women (LPTW), an inductee into the INDIE THEATER HALL OF FAME, WINNER BEST DRAMATIC SCREENPLAY Female Eye Film Festival, BEST TV PILOT La Femme Int. Film Festival, VAN GOGH AWARD Amsterdam Film Festival, BEST DRAMATIC SCREENPLAY Queen Palm Film Festival, and a National New Play Network Featured Writer among others.
PUBLISHING NEWS
NEWS: FILM & TV
13th ST SCARE
WINNER
Toronto Int. Women Film Festival
FINALIST
Oaxaca FilmFest PitchFest
SEMI-FINALIST
Renegade Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST
NYC Horror Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
HorrorHaus Film Festival
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Hollywood Horrfest
Underground Indie Film Festival
QUATER FINALIST
Creative World Awards Screenwriting Competition
SEMI-FINALIST
Filmmatic Horror Screenplay Awards
SEMI-FINALIST
Renegade Film Festival
THE COPELAND CASE named FINALIST for the ATHENA LIST
ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL 2023
Based on the true story of the Copeland Kidnappings.
ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL 2023
Based on the true story of the Copeland Kidnappings.
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More Film Success
TALTRIX named FINALIST for GISFSA
Geneva International Science in Fiction Screenplay Awards
Logline: In 5514, RT, begins her first day at TALTRIX University and must navigate the politics that tore apart her world, while learning to control her powers to prep for her gauntlet run on Keplar Neptune. When her criminal father rigs the gauntlet against her, surviving proves him right but failing means death.
Geneva International Science in Fiction Screenplay Awards
Logline: In 5514, RT, begins her first day at TALTRIX University and must navigate the politics that tore apart her world, while learning to control her powers to prep for her gauntlet run on Keplar Neptune. When her criminal father rigs the gauntlet against her, surviving proves him right but failing means death.
LOGLINE: Clara is an intern at 13th St. Scare Theater where she is offered the role of a lifetime, but the starring part comes with a permanent pair of fangs.
In the long tradition of vampire legends, 13th Street Scare is a combination of old lore with a modern twist. The seductive vampiress, Stella who leads The 13th St Scare Theater was cursed to darkness in 576 BC. Now that Stella lives in the new world, she takes on a fresh crop of interns each year hoping to find the best, brightest, most brutal and beautiful. Clara dreams of being a star, but in order to achieve her dreams it will cost more than just her talent and dedication. Stella demands her eternal soul.
In the long tradition of vampire legends, 13th Street Scare is a combination of old lore with a modern twist. The seductive vampiress, Stella who leads The 13th St Scare Theater was cursed to darkness in 576 BC. Now that Stella lives in the new world, she takes on a fresh crop of interns each year hoping to find the best, brightest, most brutal and beautiful. Clara dreams of being a star, but in order to achieve her dreams it will cost more than just her talent and dedication. Stella demands her eternal soul.
Cecilia Copeland Named
National New Play Network Featured Writer!
THE COPELAND CASE
by Cecilia Copeland
Based on the true story of the Copeland kidnappings, origins of the Uniform Child Custody Act.
WINNER BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE SCREENPLAY
FEMALE EYE FILM FESTIVAL
QUEEN SUPREME WINNER
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT QUEEN PALM INT FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER VAN GOGH AWARD BEST FIRST TIME WRITER
AMSTERDAM FILM FESTIVAL
FINALIST SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL
SIDEWRITE
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
FINALIST INROADS SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP
FINALIST FILMMATIC DRAMA SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
FINALIST THE GREAT AMERICAN SCRIPT CONTEST
FINALIST SCREENCRAFT PUBLIC DOMAIN COMPETITION
WINNER PINNACLE FILM AWARDS
FINALIST LA LIVE FILM FESTIVAL
FOR MORE INFO GO TO COPELAND CASE PAGE IN HEADER
Based on the true story of the Copeland kidnappings, origins of the Uniform Child Custody Act.
WINNER BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE SCREENPLAY
FEMALE EYE FILM FESTIVAL
QUEEN SUPREME WINNER
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT QUEEN PALM INT FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER VAN GOGH AWARD BEST FIRST TIME WRITER
AMSTERDAM FILM FESTIVAL
FINALIST SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL
SIDEWRITE
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
FINALIST INROADS SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP
FINALIST FILMMATIC DRAMA SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
FINALIST THE GREAT AMERICAN SCRIPT CONTEST
FINALIST SCREENCRAFT PUBLIC DOMAIN COMPETITION
WINNER PINNACLE FILM AWARDS
FINALIST LA LIVE FILM FESTIVAL
FOR MORE INFO GO TO COPELAND CASE PAGE IN HEADER
TALTRIX
by Cecilia Copeland
Sci-Fi TV Pilot Script
WINNER BEST TV PILOT
LA FEMME INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
SEMIFINALIST CREATIVE WORLD AWARDS
WINNER PRESENTED BY NYWIFT
New York Women and TV (NEW WORKS LAB)
SEMI-FINALIST NEXT TV WRITING & PITCH COMPETITION
QUARTER FINALIST SCREEN CRAFT SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP
QUARTER FINALIST MADE IN NY FELLOWSHIP
FINALIST LA INDIE FILM FESTIVAL
WILDSOUND FESTIVAL (BEST SCENE TV SHOW)
by Cecilia Copeland
Sci-Fi TV Pilot Script
WINNER BEST TV PILOT
LA FEMME INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
SEMIFINALIST CREATIVE WORLD AWARDS
WINNER PRESENTED BY NYWIFT
New York Women and TV (NEW WORKS LAB)
SEMI-FINALIST NEXT TV WRITING & PITCH COMPETITION
QUARTER FINALIST SCREEN CRAFT SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP
QUARTER FINALIST MADE IN NY FELLOWSHIP
FINALIST LA INDIE FILM FESTIVAL
WILDSOUND FESTIVAL (BEST SCENE TV SHOW)
ROADMAP WRITERS ROADMAP AUTHORS
Cecilia Copeland's novel THE GAUNTLET
(bases for her award winning TV Pilot TALTRIX)
has been selected for ROADMAP AUTHORS
TOP TIER Writers On the Verge
Run by Selene Castrovilla
(bases for her award winning TV Pilot TALTRIX)
has been selected for ROADMAP AUTHORS
TOP TIER Writers On the Verge
Run by Selene Castrovilla
INDIAN BILLY ICE
by Jerry Ice
Script Contributor
Cecilia Copeland
WINNER BEST HISTORICAL SCREENPLAY LA LIVE FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY EIFA AWARDS
WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY LOS ANGELES FILM AWARDS
WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY GLOBAL FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS
WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY PINNACLE AWARDS
WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY ROYAL WOLF FILM AWARDS
FINALIST BEST SCREENPLAY MOONDANCE INT. FILM FESTIVAL
FINALIST IMAGINARIUM AWARD
FIRST RUNNER UP BEST SCREENPLAY SNOWDANCE FILM AWARDS
OFFICIAL SELECTION QUEEN PALM
The story of a real life American Hero....
Forest Gump meets Last of the Mohicans.
More script information available HERE
United Solo Fest
WINNER BEST PREMIERE
ONE WOMAN
by Cecilia Copeland
directed by Joan Kane
PRODUCED BY EGO ACTUS (photos and info available at link)
STARRING POOYA MOHSENI
Description
We are virgins or whores, good or bad, cis or trans. If you're good you have to dress like it, act like it, and you better not swear or have sex! If you're bad, then you deserve every bad thing that happens to you! Choosing which kind of woman to be is the precarious path women walk before seeing we are all One Woman.
WINNER BEST PREMIERE
ONE WOMAN
by Cecilia Copeland
directed by Joan Kane
PRODUCED BY EGO ACTUS (photos and info available at link)
STARRING POOYA MOHSENI
Description
We are virgins or whores, good or bad, cis or trans. If you're good you have to dress like it, act like it, and you better not swear or have sex! If you're bad, then you deserve every bad thing that happens to you! Choosing which kind of woman to be is the precarious path women walk before seeing we are all One Woman.
(Download Resume)
Photo by Emily Lerer
Caption
Participating in Write Out Front in the Drama Bookshop in Times Sq. Featured in the NYTimes and Time Out.
Contact details: ceciliacopeland(at)gmail.com
Caption
Participating in Write Out Front in the Drama Bookshop in Times Sq. Featured in the NYTimes and Time Out.
Contact details: ceciliacopeland(at)gmail.com
Audio Excerpt: Light of Night Produced by Necessary Exposure
Featuring Cecilia Copeland as Isabelle and
Jody Christopherson as Stephanie
Directed and Designed by Natalie Johnsonius Neubert
Excerpt Available Here on ITunes
Excerpt Available Here on Soundcloud
From BroadwayWorld.com
The lack of gender diversity in American theatre has been a controversial topic for decades. While non-profit Off-Broadway companies have seen a steady rise in the number of plays produced that are written by women, there is a definite lack of equal representation in commercial Broadway.
A new art installation at Dixon Place, NECESSARY EXPOSURE: THE FEMALE PLAYWRIGHT PROJECT, aims to bring visibility to playwrights who identify as female in a series of portrait and sound installations created by Jody Christopherson, with sound design by
Natalie Johnsonius Neubert.
Jody Christopherson as Stephanie
Directed and Designed by Natalie Johnsonius Neubert
Excerpt Available Here on ITunes
Excerpt Available Here on Soundcloud
From BroadwayWorld.com
The lack of gender diversity in American theatre has been a controversial topic for decades. While non-profit Off-Broadway companies have seen a steady rise in the number of plays produced that are written by women, there is a definite lack of equal representation in commercial Broadway.
A new art installation at Dixon Place, NECESSARY EXPOSURE: THE FEMALE PLAYWRIGHT PROJECT, aims to bring visibility to playwrights who identify as female in a series of portrait and sound installations created by Jody Christopherson, with sound design by
Natalie Johnsonius Neubert.