playwright | director | producer | activist
playwright | director | producer | activist
After launching his first play on PBS while still at university, John Binkley went to fight for civil rights in Lowndes County, Alabama from 1968 to 1970. He then went on to create and produce children's television for 25 years, with five series broadcast in more than twenty countries in seven languages. From 1996 to 2000, Binkley travelled to war zones producing a documentary, CHILDREN OF WAR, giving voice to teens in Northern Ireland, Israel/Gaza and urban America. Binkley then returned to writing and directing for the theatre.
NO MAN'S CHILD wrote & directed, play produced for television by K.Q.E.D./ San Francisco, broadcast on prime time PBS stations in all major U.S. cities in 1966.
NO ADULTS ALLOWED created & produced, 13 episode series for national British TV (ITV) and foreign distribution, 1984-1990.
THE PERKINS FAMILY created & produced, 13 episodes for WGBH for broadcast on PBS, 1987.
FIFTEEN created & produced, 13 episodes produced for Disney and Canadian television, 1986-1987.
65 episodes for NICKELODEON in the U.S. and YTV in Canada, plus foreign distribution; 1990-2000.
Licensed to Amazon Prime for 5 years, 2017.
NO MAN'S CHILD premiered at The Nitery Theater, Stanford University, televised on PBS in major US cities, 1966.
SEIZE THE DAY workshop reading and four week Scotland tour, 2005 - 2006.
GANG OF FOUR showcase production at Presentation House, Vancouver, B.C., 2007.
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE private industry readings in Paris, New York City and The University of Virginia; twenty one day run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2012 - 2015.
German language version premiered by the Renaissance Theater in Berlin, October 2018, directed by Guntbert Warns.
Swiss German language version premiered by Theater Matte in Bern, October 2020, directed by Claudia Rippe.
Renaissance Theater (Berlin) production contracted to tour Germany and Austria, 2022, schedule to be determined.
See PRESS below: The Times of London + UVA article
"The first children's soap opera to line up alongside big boys like CORONATION STREET, DYNASTY, and DALLAS on adult TV." DAILY EXPRESS, London, 1984.
"A kid’s eye view of family life" The Christian Science Monitor. Alan Bunce wrote,'The Perkins Family has two remarkable features: a cast of 7 to 16 year olds who play all the parts - including those of adults; and dialogue that is entirely improvised. 'Improvisation is a natural form of drama for children,' said producer John Binkley. 'It's almost an extension of play.' This rewarding experiment in television theater brings young talent and insight to bear on family issues and everyday living."
"Nielsen Research shows that a greater percentage of girls 6-14 were watching FIFTEEN than BEVERLY HILLS 90210" HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, January 29, 1992.
“Of, By & For The Children,” Los Angeles Times, TV Times 1/27/91-2/2/91. Lauren Lipton wrote regarding FIFTEEN, "While the show -- Nickelodeon's first continuing drama-- might tackle some pretty serious situations, it does so with a light touch, to make viewers laugh even if they felt like crying."
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE
"It's a scorching exploration of the stratagems with which rich and influential people can unbalance poor accusers." says theatre critic Libby Purves in her 4 star review of PRESIDENTIAL SUITE in The Times of London, August 11, 2012.
http://iris.virginia.edu/2015/02/spectrum-theatre-presents-presidential-suite-modern-fairytale
Copyright © 2021 John Binkley - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy