Writer
As a playwright, his international hit comedy Waiting For Waiting For Godot (called “delectable” by the NY Times) was awarded the Overall Excellence In A Play award at the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival and has since been produced in London, Los Angeles, Boston, Istanbul and Budapest, with future productions planned for South Korea, the UK and Italy. Dave’s other works include The Tenants (winner for Best Play at 2020 New York Winterfest), Cafe d’Automatique (2015 Best Ten Minute Play; Smith & Kraus), The Exit Interview (2013 C10 Anthology) and Thank You For Letting Me Have Sex With You (2015 C10 Anthology).
For television & film, Dave has worked on such shows as Chelsea Lately (E!), Inside College Football (CBS Sports) and The Inactives (CBS Sports pilot) as well as the digital sketch group The Shorts Show. Recently his short film Eden finished up a successful run on the international film festival circuit.
His original television pilot Leader Supreme was a 2021 2nd round selection of the Sundance Film Festival’s Episodic Lab and the Austin Film Festival Comedy TV Screenwriting Competition. Dave’s writing currently ranks in the top 17% of all scripted projects on Coverfly.com and was recently added to The Red List.
Dave is currently developing new works for stage, film and television.
Dave is a member of the Playwright/Director’s Unit at The Actor’s Studio in New York City.
“Two understudies backstage waiting for their chance to go on— That is Dave Hanson’s delectable Waiting for Waiting for Godot.”
Anita Gates, NY Times, 8/23/13
(Full length stage play)
Two hapless understudies occupy their time backstage arguing about art, life and the purpose of their existence. Described as “delectable” by The New York Times and “gleefully absurd” by Time Out New York, this hilariously witty comedy ponders Beckett, showbiz and just what on earth it’s all about. Turns out, the only people who truly understand Beckett’s Waiting For Godot, are the understudies who are Waiting… for Waiting for Godot.
Eden
The award winning short film is finally available to watch!
EDEN: After she dies, a woman wakes up in a strange after life.
Written by Dave C. Hanson and directed by Corey Scott Rutledge.
(Original pilot for television)
When your terrible family is in charge of your terrible country, the ambitious daughter of a dictator dreams of being the first woman Supreme Leader of her country. Schitt’s Creek meets Succession in a workplace comedy set around the first family of a communist dictatorship.
Runner up for the 2021 Austin Film Festival & The Sundance Institute Episodic Lab.
Story and original pilot script written by Dave C. Hanson
(Full length stage play)
Winner of the Best Play Or Musical award for the New York Winterfest 2020: Two bickering ghosts haunt a NYC apartment, unable to remember their previous life. But when a young couple moves in to the space, they start to remember themselves vicariously through the newcomers. A dark comedy about life after the human condition.
(Short Script)
An awkward couple meet for their first internet date at a mysterious french cafe, where they find out phones aren't the only things that can autocorrect their words.
Published in the 2015 Best Ten Minute Plays anthology by Smith & Kraus Publishing
Quarter Finalist for the SlamDance Festival Screenplay Competition
Winner of the 2022 Script Summit Screenplay Competition
Coverfly’s The Red List, top 5% of all comedy projects