Julia May Jonas
Julia May Jonas is an American playwright and novelist. She published her debut novel Vladimir, which she helped adapt into the Netflix series of the same name. Jonas has also presented multiple plays in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theater, including A Woman Among Women.
Early life and education
[edit]Jonas grew up in New Jersey.[1] She briefly attended a school for troubled girls when she was 17.[2] Jonas originally studied acting at New York University, originally to study acting, before shifting to playwriting.[1] She later received an MFA in playwriting from Columbia University in 2012.[2]
Career
[edit]Jonas founded the theater company Nellie Tinder in 2003.[1] Jonas's works with the ensemble include For Artists Only in 2009,[3] Evelyn in 2012,[4] and Emily Climbs (Machine Méchant) in 2015.[5]
All Long True American Stories
[edit]In 2015,[6] Jonas began to develop a five-play cycle of works that reimagined works of 20th century male American playwrights. She described the goal as to "take these male experience plays and write them for the female experience."[7] As of 2026, two—A Woman Among Women and Problems Between Sisters—have been produced at professional theaters,[8][9] with a third—We Used to Wear Bonnets & Get High All The Time—having been produced at Skidmore College.[10] The cycle forms its name from the five plays from which it drew inspiration.[9]
| Title | Basis | Premiere venue | Premiere year | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Woman Among Women | All My Sons | The Bushwick Starr | 2024 | [9] |
| We Used To Wear Bonnets & Get High All The Time | Long Day's Journey Into Night | Skidmore College | 2018 | [10][9] |
| Problems Between Sisters | True West | Studio Theatre | 2024 | [8] |
| in which Kim Sparrow is Prey to Unfortunate Circumstances | American Buffalo | Not yet premiered | [11] | |
| Untitled Zoo Story Project (Autosaved)[12] | The Zoo Story | |||
Vladimir
[edit]Jonas started writing the novel Vladimir during the COVID-19 pandemic after considering the concept since 2018. The MeToo movement provided a major inspiration for the book. Jonas also considered the role that sexism played in how society consider older women's desires. Specifically, Jonas said:[13]
I wanted to write about a wife who had been brought down by offenses she had been aware of, but had not committed, and I also wanted to write about a 58-year-old woman who still feels desire even though society, especially in our country, believes an older woman’s desire is supposed to be fading.[13]
The novel was published on February 1, 2022. It received generally positive reviews and commercial success.[1][13] In 2024, Sharon Horgan's Merman production company optioned the book.[14] The book would be adapted into a limited series by Netflix, starring Rachel Weisz as the protagonist, John Slattery as her husband, and Leo Woodall as Vladimir. Jonas was credited as series creator and showrunner.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Jonas is married to the writer Adam Sternbergh, who is an editor at The New York Times Magazine. They have two children. In 2022, Jonas frequently used the social media site Twitter until her novel Vladimir was published in 2022.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Marriott, Hannah (2026-03-08). "Vladimir author Julia May Jonas: 'We're imprisoned by our obsessions'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- 1 2 Harnetiaux, Trish (February 2012). "Nellie Tinder Sets Fire to Evelyn". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- ↑ Rocco, Claudia La (2009-12-15). "One Fraught Summer in the Country". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- ↑ Zinoman, Jason (2012-02-29). "Like a Cocktail Waiting to Be Stirred". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- ↑ Soloski, Alexis (2015-04-20). "Review: In 'Emily Climbs (Machine Méchant),' a Botched Rebirth". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- ↑ "We Used To Wear Bonnets & Get High All The Time". theater.skidmore.edu. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ Jones, Chloé Cooper (2022-12-28). "Chloé Cooper Jones Asks Julia May Jonas About Her Breakout Year". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- 1 2 "Problems Between Sisters (Regional, Studio Theatre, 2024)". Playbill. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- 1 2 3 4 Ramírez, Juan A. (2026-05-14). "A New Interpretation of an Arthur Miller Classic Sidesteps the Obvious". Vogue. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- 1 2 Goepfert, Bob (2018-11-15). "'We Used to Wear Bonnets and Get High All The Time ' set to showcase at Skidmore College". Saratogian. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ McDonald, Vanessa (2024-05-13). "How is Julia May Jonas Rewriting Sam Shepard with Problems Between Sisters?". The Washingtonian. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ Winik, Marion (2022-02-04). "Review | In 'Vladimir,' a woman's desire takes her to dangerous places". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- 1 2 3 Rightmyer, Jack (2022-05-25). "Skidmore professor hits success with first novel 'Vladimir'". Times Union. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- ↑ "'Bad Sisters' Star Sharon Horgan Plans to Adapt Julia May Jonas Novel 'Vladimir' for the Screen". People.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ "Julia May Jonas on Bringing 'Vladimir' to Netflix—and What She Changed Between the Book and Series". ELLE. 2026-03-05. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
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