Kelly Younger
Professor of English and Affiliate Faculty of Theatre Arts
Biography
KELLY YOUNGER is a screenwriter and playwright. He spent three years developing and writing a Disney Animation Feature film and served as a member of the Disney Animation Story Trust, working on such films as Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen 2, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, and others in development including the Short Circuit short film series. He also participated in the Pixar Animation Brain Trust on Cars 3, Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, Onward, and other forthcoming Pixar films.
Younger is currently writing and developing several projects for The Muppets, having already written and co-executive produced Muppets Haunted Mansion, and co-created and co-executive produced Muppets Now streaming on Disney+. He is also currently writing a feature film for Disney Studios, developing an animated television series with Shadowmachine, Brian Calhoun, and Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band, a tv series with Gloria Calderon Kellett for Amazon, an original holiday feature for Imagine, and an animated adaptation of a beloved children’s book for Apple. Younger has also developed with Paramount Animation, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Skydance Animation.
Younger co-wrote the hit comedy Kalamazoo with Michelle Kholos Brooks (Dramatists Play Service, 2016; Riva Shriver Comedy Award.) Other theater projects include Banished Children of Eve (commissioned and produced by New York’s Irish Repertory Theatre); and Ink (finalist for the Joanne Woodward/Paul Newman Drama Award.) His play Tender was nominated for Best New Play IRNE award, was a finalist for the prestigious Laurents/Hatcher Award, and was part of Manhattan Theatre Club’s “7@7” series, directed by Lynne Meadow, starring David Harbour.
Younger’s short play, Mandate (Samuel French, 2015) won the 39th Samuel French Off-Off-Broadway Short Play Festival and has received productions as far away as Edinburgh and Dubai. Other short plays include Let’s Get Physical (Hollywood; Miami; Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and Best Lei’d Plans (Hollywood, starring Markie Post and Mindy Sterling; Barrington MA; Miami).
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Younger earned an MA in Classics (Mythology, Folktales, and Fairy Tales) at Loyola University Chicago and PhD in Literature and Drama Studies from University College Dublin in Ireland.
Younger is currently writing and developing several projects for The Muppets, having already written and co-executive produced Muppets Haunted Mansion, and co-created and co-executive produced Muppets Now streaming on Disney+. He is also currently writing a feature film for Disney Studios, developing an animated television series with Shadowmachine, Brian Calhoun, and Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band, a tv series with Gloria Calderon Kellett for Amazon, an original holiday feature for Imagine, and an animated adaptation of a beloved children’s book for Apple. Younger has also developed with Paramount Animation, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Skydance Animation.
Younger co-wrote the hit comedy Kalamazoo with Michelle Kholos Brooks (Dramatists Play Service, 2016; Riva Shriver Comedy Award.) Other theater projects include Banished Children of Eve (commissioned and produced by New York’s Irish Repertory Theatre); and Ink (finalist for the Joanne Woodward/Paul Newman Drama Award.) His play Tender was nominated for Best New Play IRNE award, was a finalist for the prestigious Laurents/Hatcher Award, and was part of Manhattan Theatre Club’s “7@7” series, directed by Lynne Meadow, starring David Harbour.
Younger’s short play, Mandate (Samuel French, 2015) won the 39th Samuel French Off-Off-Broadway Short Play Festival and has received productions as far away as Edinburgh and Dubai. Other short plays include Let’s Get Physical (Hollywood; Miami; Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and Best Lei’d Plans (Hollywood, starring Markie Post and Mindy Sterling; Barrington MA; Miami).
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Younger earned an MA in Classics (Mythology, Folktales, and Fairy Tales) at Loyola University Chicago and PhD in Literature and Drama Studies from University College Dublin in Ireland.
Education
University College Dublin - National University of Ireland
Ph.D.
Drama Studies
University College Dublin - National University of Ireland
M.A.
Drama Studies
Loyola University, Chicago
M.A.
Classical Studies
Social
Areas of Expertise
Muppets
Play Writing
Drama
Theatre
Fairy Tales
Irish Drama
Modern Drama
Contemporary Drama
Screenwriting
Entertainment Industry
Animation
Writing for Animation
Disney/PIXAR
Television Writing
Producing
Industry Expertise
Writing and Editing
Animation
Entertainment
Accomplishments
Fritz B. Burns Distinguished Teaching Award
Awarded by Loyola Marymount University, 2011
Teacher Eddy Award
Awarded by LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce
State of California Senate Teaching Recognition
Awarded by State of California
California Legislation Assembly Teaching Recognition
Awarded by California Legislature Assembly
County of Los Angeles Commendation for Teaching
Awarded by County of Los Angeles
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Affiliations
- Dramatists Guild of America
- Comparative Drama Conference: Board Member
- Pacific Residents Theatre: Associate Member
- Writers Guild of America
- Comparative Drama Conference: Board Member
- Pacific Residents Theatre: Associate Member
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Links
Languages
- Classical Greek
- Classical Latin
Courses
Fairy Tales
FFYS 1000
Introduction to Drama
ENGL 2209
Language of Drama
ENGL 2200
Creative Writing for Non-Majors
ENGL 2205
Play Writing Workshop: One Acts
ENGL 4413
Play Writing Workshop: Full Lengths
ENGL 4424
Modern Drama
ENGL 3316
Contemporary Drama
ENGL 3326
RoadRead
ENGL 3373
Chekhov
ENGL 3398
Theatre & War
ENGL 3398
Performance & Media
ENGL 3398
Irish Drama
ENGL 3398
Art of War: Stage & Screen
ENGL 3398
Art of Monologue
ENGL 3398
Fairy Tales
ENGL 3398
Comparative Drama
ENGL 5580
Drama, Theory, Criticism
ENGL 5598
Classical Literature in Translation
ENGL 5598
Critical Methodology
ENGL 6600
Genre Seminar: Drama
ENGL 6602
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Articles
Not What, But How
Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationYounger, Kelly (2010) "Not What, But How," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 38, Article 10.
Honors, Inc.
Journal of the National Collegiate Honors CouncilYounger, Kelly, "Honors, Inc." (2004). Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council --Online Archive. Paper 140.