Marsha Norman Quotes

Powerful Marsha Norman for Daily Growth

About Marsha Norman

Marsha Norman, born on March 7, 1947, in Louisville, Kentucky, is an acclaimed American playwright, screenwriter, and author. Raised in a creative family where storytelling was encouraged, she developed a passion for literature at an early age. Her interest in theater flourished during her college years at the University of Louisville, where she studied dramatic writing. Norman's professional career took off with her first play, 'Getting Out,' which won the Obie Award and Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1980. This groundbreaking work, set in a women's prison, provided a stark yet sensitive portrayal of female inmates adjusting to life outside after their release. Inspired by her personal experiences and social issues, Norman's works often reflect complex narratives centered around women and their struggles. One such example is 'The Tin Woman,' which was inspired by an actual heart transplant recipient and explores themes of love, loss, and redemption. Her screenwriting credits include adapting her own play 'Night Mother' into a film starring Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft. Norman also penned the screenplay for 'The Color Purple,' based on Alice Walker's novel, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1985. Throughout her distinguished career, Marsha Norman has been recognized with numerous accolades and awards, including two Obie Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, and three Tony Award nominations. Her work continues to resonate, pushing boundaries and providing thought-provoking perspectives on contemporary issues.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"We write to taste life twice."

This quote by Marsha Norman implies that writing serves as a way for individuals to experience life more deeply and intimately than they might otherwise, offering a second chance or taste at life through the exploration and expression of thoughts, emotions, and experiences in their written works. In essence, writing allows us to relive moments, delve into complexities, and gain new insights about ourselves and the world around us.


"The play is the subconscious made conscious."

Marsha Norman's quote suggests that plays, as a creative art form, serve as a medium for authors to bring their subconscious thoughts, feelings, and experiences into conscious awareness, and share them with an audience. By crafting characters, dialogue, and plotlines that reflect their inner world, playwrights offer insights into the human condition in a way that can be both cathartic and illuminating for both creators and viewers alike.


"I believe in the power of the story."

Marsha Norman's statement "I believe in the power of the story" emphasizes the transformative potential stories hold in our lives. Stories are more than mere narratives; they are vessels that convey emotions, ideas, histories, and lessons, which can inspire, educate, challenge, or comfort us. They connect us to each other as humans by enabling us to understand and empathize with diverse experiences. In this sense, stories possess an inherent power that transcends their simple written or spoken form, making them valuable tools for personal growth, social change, and the preservation of our shared humanity.


"I've found that if you have a story to tell, it will find its way out."

Marsha Norman suggests that personal narratives or stories are innately compelling and will eventually emerge when one has something important to express. This quote implies the power of human experiences in shaping our identity and creativity. It encourages individuals to embrace their stories, trusting that they hold significance and will resonate with others, fostering connection and understanding in the process.


"Art is the act of revealing yourself."

Marsha Norman's quote suggests that creating art, in any form, is a process of self-discovery and expression. It implies that artists use their work to delve into their inner selves, uncovering truths, emotions, ideas, and experiences that are unique to them. In essence, the act of creating art serves as a mirror, reflecting one's identity and allowing others to gain insights into the artist's personality and worldview.


After I won the Pulitzer, there was this sense of, 'OK, that's enough for you. Now go away.' What I wanted was to keep writing, keep working. But no one would produce anything of mine they didn't think would be as big as 'night, Mother.'

- Marsha Norman

Big, Anything, Away, OK

My view is that musicals are love stories with great final scenes. It's just that simple. Musicals are also conflicts between two worlds. And by those criteria, 'The Color Purple' is actually exactly the kind of story that makes for a great musical. Yes, it's got hard stuff in it, but so does 'Les Miserables' and 'Phantom of the Opera.'

- Marsha Norman

Love, Opera, Worlds, Les

If someone wants to say 'I love you' in a straight play, they say it, and then it's the other person's turn to talk. But in a song, you can sing about it for another three minutes. The musical form has that unique opportunity to express at length what joy really feels like.

- Marsha Norman

Love, Play, Feels, Unique Opportunity

At the heart of the failure of most plays is the inability to carry on a thoughtful conversation about your work with yourself.

- Marsha Norman

Most, Inability, Plays, Conversation

If I had not had music in my life, I would be the neurasthenic vision of the playwright.

- Marsha Norman

Music, Vision, My Life, Playwright

I grew up at the piano, and I longed to write musicals.

- Marsha Norman

Piano, Up, Grew, Musicals

Music expresses longing and love and joy better than any piece of dialogue you can ever write.

- Marsha Norman

Love, Expresses, Any, Longing

People listen to music with cavemen ears: Is it a bird song or the call of a lion? The audience at a musical is dancing in their hearts.

- Marsha Norman

Song, Dancing, Audience, Hearts

There are days when I think the National Endowment for the Arts should issue a quota system for the production of plays by women - especially when you realize women buy 70 percent of all theater tickets.

- Marsha Norman

Production, I Think, Tickets, Quota

Think of a musical as a string of pearls. If you don't have a string, you can't put the pearls around your neck.

- Marsha Norman

Think, String, Musical, Neck

People do think that if they avoid the truth, it might change to something better before they have to hear it.

- Marsha Norman

Truth, Think, Better, Avoid

What I hope to do is create a play that investigates the ongoing violence toward women and children in the world, and searches for some kind of answer to the question, 'What Can We Do?'

- Marsha Norman

Play, Some, Searches, Women And Children

When 'night, Mother' opened, I did not know how long it would be before I would have another show on Broadway.

- Marsha Norman

Night, Broadway, Before, Opened

Knowing is the most profound kind of love, giving someone the gift of knowledge about yourself.

- Marsha Norman

Love, Gift, Most, Profound

Success is always something that you have to recover from.

- Marsha Norman

Success, Success Is, Always, Recover

In the theater, when people hear that you're writing a play, they want to know what it's all about, whether there's a role for them. You write it fairly quickly, and it becomes a group activity before you're really ready to have company.

- Marsha Norman

Play, Activity, Role, Fairly

Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.

- Marsha Norman

Soul, Writing, Illustrations, Book

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