Dept. of New Playwrights

Sharr White, being smart about what theatres want and about the economic realities of playwriting. (NYT)

Laurie Metcalf plays Dr. Juliana Smithton, a biophysicist specializing in dementia whose own medical problems embroil her family, her colleagues and a touchingly confused stranger in a mystery that involves the whereabouts of Juliana’s daughter. “It’s got the medical thing, it’s got the emotional thing, it’s got the mystery thing,” said Bernard Telsey, the co-artistic director of MCC Theater.

In other words, it’s got the kinds of things that get a show produced, not to mention a three-time Emmy Award-winning star in Ms. Metcalf (“Roseanne”).

Practicality is a common theme for Mr. White, who lives in Cold Spring, N.Y., with his wife and two young sons. When he’s not shuttling around to see his works produced in cities like Chicago, Louisville and Seattle, he works full time as a fashion copywriter, an occupation he credits for keeping his wordsmith skills up to speed.

“Sharr’s not isolated in a room with a candle,” said Hal Brooks, who directed Mr. White’s Iraq War drama “Six Years” at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville in 2006. “He gets up, writes, goes to his day job, comes home, raises a family and writes some more.”