Stephen Karam Quotes

Powerful Stephen Karam for Daily Growth

About Stephen Karam

Stephen Karam, an award-winning American playwright, was born on October 16, 1978, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Raised in a Greek Orthodox family, his upbringing played a significant role in shaping his narrative voice and thematic concerns. After earning a B.A. in English from Brown University in 2000, Karam went on to study at the Yale School of Drama where he received an M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing in 2004. His time at Yale provided him with the opportunity to develop his craft and hone his unique storytelling style. Karam's first major work, "Speech & Debate," premiered off-Broadway in 2008 and was later adapted into a film in 2017. The play, which explores themes of secrecy, identity, and the pursuit of truth among high school students, garnered critical acclaim and earned Karam a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play. In 2015, his play "The Humans" premiered on Broadway. The production received widespread critical praise, including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play, and a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play. "The Humans" offers a poignant portrayal of a family gathering for Thanksgiving, delving into themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Karam's most recent work, "Sons of the Prophet," premiered on Broadway in 2011 and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2012. This play explores the lives of two cousins dealing with loss and the healing power of family and community. Stephen Karam's work showcases a deep understanding of human relationships, particularly within family dynamics, and his ability to tackle complex themes while maintaining a captivating narrative. His unique voice continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Family is a place where we hope to find unconditional love, but more often rediscover our greatest fears."

This quote suggests that while families are typically considered a source of comfort and love, they can also be a breeding ground for personal anxieties and insecurities. The "unconditional love" that one hopes to find within a family may not always be present, leaving individuals to confront their deepest fears and vulnerabilities. It implies that families can both strengthen and challenge us, ultimately serving as a mirror reflecting our emotional landscape.


"The past isn't dead and buried. It isn't even past."

This quote suggests that the past continues to influence our present and future, making it a persistent force in our lives rather than something completely left behind. The past may not be tangible or observable like a grave site, but its effects are undeniably present in our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and decisions. It serves as a powerful shaper of our identity and experiences, reminding us that understanding our history is essential for navigating the future effectively.


"We may not always like who we are, but the people who love us do."

This quote suggests that while individuals might struggle with self-acceptance or feel dissatisfied with certain aspects of their personality, those who care for them find value in them regardless. It underscores the idea that our flaws and imperfections are integral parts of us, and it's through these unique qualities that others come to love us. The message encourages self-compassion while reminding us of the strength and depth of relationships built on love and acceptance.


"Family is where secrets lie buried in the backyard, unearthed only by the force of time or the shovel of a storm."

This quote highlights the idea that families often harbor secrets, which are usually kept hidden for various reasons such as shame, protection, or preservation of harmony. These secrets may lay dormant for years, but they can resurface unexpectedly, much like when a storm unearths buried objects. The buried secrets can cause tension and conflict within the family dynamic, emphasizing that families aren't always as harmonious or perfect as they might seem on the surface.


"The truth will out, as they say, but it takes its sweet time about it."

This quote implies that the truth eventually emerges, though not always immediately or easily. It suggests a certain patience is required when seeking the truth, as it may take time for all facts to be revealed or understood. The 'sweet time' mentioned can be interpreted as the often challenging, complex and prolonged nature of uncovering the truth. In essence, this quote underscores the importance of persistence in the pursuit of truth.


I was not exposed to a lot of culture. The shows we saw in high school, like 'Phantom of the Opera' and 'Miss Saigon,' were thrilling. But my love affair with theater started with seeing a production of 'Little Shop of Horrors' that my sister was in.

- Stephen Karam

Love, Opera, Shop, Thrilling

Under Todd Haimes' leadership, Roundabout created a black-box theater whose sole mission was to house premieres by writers who are just starting out and have zero name recognition.

- Stephen Karam

Recognition, Sole, Created, Todd

The best thing about being nominated in a category like best new play is realizing there were enough new plays to make a category.

- Stephen Karam

Play, New, Plays, Realizing

My own journey as a writer has been the discovery of different theatrical voices. Chekhov was a revelation. Tennessee Williams was another one. We read 'The Glass Menagerie' in high school, and I still remember the cover.

- Stephen Karam

Own, Been, Theatrical, Tennessee

I don't know how to produce work if it's not something that's deeply scaring me or troubling me.

- Stephen Karam

Work, Something, Produce, Scaring

'The Cherry Orchard' is a masterpiece, and there can never be too many adaptations.

- Stephen Karam

Cherry, Never, Too, Orchard

I think 'Speech & Debate' surprised people because it's a play about teenagers that took the teenagers very seriously. They are very real. People wanted to see if they identified with one of the kids, that loneliness, that yearning for something bigger. That feeling of being stuck, it's very adolescent, but those kinds of feelings linger on.

- Stephen Karam

Play, Real People, Very, Identified

Coming home for me isn't, like, one family dinner. It's about am I gonna see 50 relatives, or am I gonna see 85?

- Stephen Karam

Like, About, Gonna, Relatives

I've always viewed 'Sons of the Prophet' as the first part of a larger trilogy - not three plays dependent on each other but three stand-alone plays connected by theme and, likely, further adventures of the Douaihy family.

- Stephen Karam

Always, Larger, Likely, Trilogy

To me, 'Glee' is totally fantastic.

- Stephen Karam

Me, Fantastic, Totally, Glee

Because I didn't go to graduate school or have mentorship out of college, meeting other playwrights and developing those friendships as a result of being a 'grown up' playwright - that's become an essential community for me. My contemporaries are all my mentors whether they know it or not.

- Stephen Karam

College, Other, Developing, Graduate School

I was the worst-dressed person in Scranton. I was a total nerd. Obviously, I got picked on, but I was also able to find my own cluster of friends, and I think when that happens, you get by just fine.

- Stephen Karam

Own, I Think, Cluster, Nerd

I was sending off my plays almost like an 8-year-old would send letters to Santa Claus. So it was a bit of a miracle when the Blank Theatre Company actually called and selected a terrible little play that I wrote.

- Stephen Karam

Play, Blank, Almost, Letters

I didn't quite fit in in any particular, specific way. I was a gay teenager who was into drama.

- Stephen Karam

Specific, Particular, Any, Teenager

With 'The Humans,' I've found that because it's related to very familiar forms - the family play and the thriller, almost a genre-collison play - some people want it to be one or the other. Either less dark and more of a family comedy or a full-fledged thriller with blood and ghosts jumping out of closets. Everyone's taste is different.

- Stephen Karam

Play, Some, Very, Forms

Chekhov would have been an excellent screenwriter. He is singularly good at dipping in and out of a group of people's lives, like Robert Altman did.

- Stephen Karam

Been, Screenwriter, Lives, Chekhov

In terms of smaller changes over time, I think good plays are like poems. Every syllable counts. So I wrestle with word choice, rhythm in final drafts.

- Stephen Karam

Think, Over, Smaller, Syllable

I don't think I could write a good play if I was setting out to write about the death of the American middle class.

- Stephen Karam

Play, Think, Middle, Middle Class

I had spent four months in Cedar City, Utah, right after graduation as an intern at the Utah Shakespearean Festival. It's a town that has many people living the polygamous lifestyle.

- Stephen Karam

Living, Intern, Months, Cedar

When you're the artsy, weirdo, introverted outsider growing up, you don't fit into your community.

- Stephen Karam

Community, Your, Introverted, Outsider

'Columbinus' was four years of my life, collaborating with a lot of people and gathering lots of information.

- Stephen Karam

My Life, Lots, Lot, Gathering

'Sons of the Prophet' is a dark comedy about human suffering. The play explores the particularly messy portions of life - the times where you find yourself coping with multiple life issues, and before any of them can be resolved, two more show up on your plate. We've all been there, I'd wager.

- Stephen Karam

Play, Been, Before, Human Suffering

To see professional actors do my work, to take it seriously - that was the thing that made me think playwriting could actually be what I do. It's not a profession that has some sort of clear career track, like, 'This is what you do to be a playwright.'

- Stephen Karam

Professional, Career, Some, Playwright

The older I get, the more appreciative I am of where I came from.

- Stephen Karam

I Am, More, Get, Appreciative

Until I have a family or a mortgage, I'm trying to keep my lifestyle simple and my apartment affordable so that I can continue to focus on theater. That's as good as it gets for me.

- Stephen Karam

Focus, Simple, Affordable, Lifestyle

Janet Carroll and Robert Pine, Chris Pine's dad, were in my first play, and they were so astonishingly good, I felt it raised my game instantly.

- Stephen Karam

Game, Play, Pine, Chris

Sometimes you realize you don't give people in your hometown enough credit.

- Stephen Karam

Give, Hometown, Sometimes, Credit

To be honest, it's more fun being the underdog.

- Stephen Karam

Underdog, Honest, More, To Be Honest

In writing 'The Humans,' I obsessed over the financial district and the architecture.

- Stephen Karam

Financial, Over, Obsessed, District

Without a conscious effort, all of my plays have all featured gay characters. I'm proud of that.

- Stephen Karam

Characters, Featured, Plays, Conscious Effort

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