Alumnus Brysen Boyd '20 Named Inaugural Writing Fellow on HBO's 'Succession'

HBO recently named alumnus Brysen Boyd '20 their first ever Writing Fellow to work directly on a show in progress. Boyd will be shadowing the writers' room for the Emmy nominated series Succession, created by Jesse Armstrong. As the inaugural "We Hear for You" Writing Fellow, Boyd will have a chance to work with show writers on season three of this popular series. 

When Boyd first announced his new role on social media, he shared, "After so much loss in the past months, it all feels very cosmic that my first position post grad is not only on a show that I've loved from the start, but at a network that's influenced everything I've ever written since I was five. Overjoyed to learn how a show is made!" 

Boyd's love of screenwriting worked its way into his time at the School of the Arts, where he took as many classes with Associate Theatre Professors Lynn Nottage and David Henry Hwang studying playwriting as he did creative writing classes for his MFA in Nonfiction. 

While HBO has offered writing fellowships in the past through HBOAccess, participants in that program spent their time developing, and eventually presenting, a script suitable for HBO under the mentorship of HBO creative executives. Boyd's role will link him specifically to the Succession series, which tracks the lives of a family whose patriarch owns an enormous media conglomerate and is preparing to step back from the company. "I feel incredibly lucky to join this family," said Boyd, "in particular the wildly talented writing staff, as they work on the new season. This is a very special privilege because, as the first fellow, I get to work alongside the writers in crafting exactly what this fellowship will look like!" 

During his time with HBO, Boyd will also be the inaugural Playwright-in-Residence for Epic Theatre Company. This will give Boyd, who was chosen among dozens of applicants across the country, the opportunity to have his work featured on Epic's mainstage in 2022. 

According to Epic’s Artistic Director Kevin Broccoli, "Boyd is a unique and engaging voice that will fit perfectly with the kind of theatre we do here at Epic. I've been an admirer of his work for years, and the opportunity to collaborate with him to create a production for our mainstage while also bringing his voice and perspective to our audience is something I'm looking forward to as we plan next season." 

Brysen Boyd is a playwright and essayist. He has received fellowships and scholarships from The Kennedy Center, Sewanee Writers Conference, Columbia University, HBMG Foundation National Playwrights Retreat, Napa Valley Writers Conference, Performing Arts Initiative for Students of Color, and elsewhere. His plays have been presented in part with The Boston Theater Marathon, the Kennedy Center, Kansas City Melting Pot, Horizon Theater - Atlanta, and others. His nonfiction has most recently appeared in the Florida Review.