Frank J. Avella is an award-winning director, screenwriter and playwright and the recipient of a 2023 & 2019 International Writers Residency at Arte Studio Ginestrelle (Assisi, Italy) a 2018 Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship, a 2016 Helene Wurlitzer Residency Grant and a 2015 NJ State Arts Council Fellowship Award. He recently wrote and directed his first film, FIG JAM, which won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the 2021 Paris Independent Film Festival as well as 30 other accolades at festivals worldwide. Frank’s award-winning feature-length screenplays include adaptations of his plays CONSENT, LURED and SCREW THE COW and original short screenplays, HAPPY BOY, FIG DUDE and MULTITASKING. His work has been officially selected/finalist/winner at over 200 festivals worldwide.
Frank has written numerous plays that have been produced including VATICAN FALLS (2021 O’Neill semifinalist, produced by The Tank in NYC, 2022), LURED (2018 O’Neill semifinalist, produced by TNC in NYC and played the OnStage Festival in Rome, Italy), THE BUBBLE, IRIS (Know Theatre, Cincinnati), MICHAEL’S #1 FAN, 3 CAINS & UNHINGING. Other plays include: CONSENT (2x O’Neill semifinalist), FOR MAMMA, GREENER and LOCKDOWN.
His new work, FROCI centers on the Italian and Italian-American queer experience.
Frank is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild.
He was a 2023 semi-finalist for the Dramatists Guild National Fellowship.