10/30/2026
Treasures from the Archives - Len Jenkin, novelist, playwright, director, and screenwriter, Residency #45, December 6 – 23, 1996
Len Jenkin was a Mentoring Artist during Residency #45, along with composer Jim Ragland and playwright Mac Wellman.
Len Jenkin (b. 1941) is an American playwright, novelist, screenwriter, and theatrical director. He has won three Obie Awards, including two for writing and directing his 1980 play Limbo Tales.
Born in New York City, Jenkin attended Columbia University. He has also participated in the theatre lab at the Sundance Institute. Jenkin has influenced fellow playwright Mac Wellman, who was one of the Mentoring Artists during Residency #45.
In addition to his three Obie Awards, Jenkin’s plays include Dark Ride, Pilgrims of the Night, The Dream Express, and Careless Love. His works for the stage have been produced throughout the United States, as well as in England, Germany, France, Denmark, and Japan.
As a writer for television, Jenkin has produced scripts for Family, The Incredible Hulk, and ABC Afterschool Special. His novels include New Jerusalem (also a play) and The Secret Life of Billy's Uncle Myron. The latter was written with his daughter Emily Jenkins, better known as the novelist E. Lockhart. His films include Blame it on the Night, Welcome to Oblivion, and American Notes.
Photo: A Country Doctor production photo, 1996, 12 x 9 ins., photography paper
