Promotional Boxes
Main Content
Shaun McKenna
Books and Lyrics
Shaun McKenna's writing career began with Killing Camille (Paines Plough, Old Red Lion 1990) and continued with the Royal Theatre, Northampton for whom he adapted Richard Llewellyn's How Green Was My Valley (1990), R.F. Delderfield's To Serve Them All My Days (1992) and wrote Ruling Passions (1995). Subsequent plays include Fever (1997, revised 2005).
For TV he writes psychological thrillers, including The Crooked Man (2003); Like Father, Like Son (2005) and the forthcoming Flesh And Blood. With his regular composing partner Stephen Keeling, he wrote Book & Lyrics for Maddie (Salisbury 1996, London 1997). Their version of Heidi, intertwining the classic children's tale with the story of its creator, Johanna Spyri, opened to critical acclaim in Switzerland in 2005 and will play in Switzerland and Germany in 2006. They have also been commissioned to write a sequel. They are currently creating a major new musical based on a classic adventure and Die Schweizermacher for Switzerland in 2007. They previously contributed to the Mercury Workshop's unique collaborative show The Challenge (1992). A forthcoming project with composer Ali Johnson is a musical set in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
For BBC radio he has adapted The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Ghost Train, East Of Eden, Smiles Of A Summer Night, Seawyf And Biscuit, The Cry Of The Owl, Mrs.Warren's Profession, To Serve Them All My Days and written Meeting Jack and Me And Little Boots, a comedy about Caligula's horse.
For Oberon Books, Shaun has edited eight books of scenes for actors.