Ken Urban

Ken Urban is a Senior Lecturer in Dramatic Writing at MIT’s Department of Theater Arts, specializing in playwriting, screenwriting, and music. His work critically examines political and social issues through radical empathy and intellectual rigor, addressing topics like LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive justice, and digital ethics. He leads collaborations between MIT’s Theater Arts and music programs, including a dance theater piece based on his band Occurrence’s album SLOW VIOLENCE.

Urban’s plays, such as A GUIDE FOR THE HOMESICK (West End) and THE MODERATE, have been produced globally and awarded prestigious grants including the 2023 A IS FOR PLAYWRITING CONTEST. His audio play VAPOR TRAIL (2022) premiered at the Tribeca Festival.

• Education: Not explicitly stated in text.
• Awards: EST/Sloan Commission, Weissberger Award, NYFA Fellowship, Four-time MacDowell Fellow.
• Grants: Venturous Commission for THE MODERATE, Sloan Foundation support.

His music projects blend indie pop, electronic, and shoegaze genres, with collaborations spanning theater, film, and audio storytelling. Urban teaches playwriting and advises projects at MIT, emphasizing interdisciplinary creativity.