Lynn Manning

About the Artist

Playwright Lynn Manning presents “Weights” a solo show about people that shares his life from childhood poverty through his evolving creativity as a blind artist. Born in Fresno, and raised in Los Angeles, Lynn Manning is an award winning playwright, poet, actor, and former World Champion Judo player. His accomplishments and much success come after being shot and blinded in 1978. He has appeared on many TV shows and commercials; and has written and starred in the independent short film, “Shoot!”

“Weights” traces Manning’s life from his impoverished childhood in South-Central L.A. to the present through poetry, music and narrative. This powerful play penetrates the inner spirit within all of us to address adversity in times of extreme hardship. Directed by Robert Egan with set design by Akeime Mitterlehner, this actor continues to inspire his audiences with his gifts and talents. His poetry has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, most recently, Staring Back (The Disability Experience From The Inside Out), and Grand Passion, an anthology of Los Angeles poets.

Lynn wishes to thank the following individuals: Center Theater Group for originally producing Weights; Robert Egan of The Mark Taper Forum, for his Directorial contributions to Weights and my performance of it; Irene Oppenheim, my friend and mentor, for her dramaturgical input and Victoria Lewis of The Mark Taper Forum’s “Other Voices,” for her relentless support and advocacy on behalf of Weights. Lastly, an unfathomable thanks to the staff and volunteers of the Braille Institute of America.