Linda is an actress and writer based in New York City. She grew up in Colorado, moved to the east coast to study theater in her 20's and got a Master's from Trinity Rep Conservatory. 
Linda has appeared on stage in New York and regionally, and in independent films. Her plays have been produced in New York City and published by Smith and Kraus.
​Two of her short screenplays have also been produced.
Linda lives in the Bronx with her husband and two daughters.
SAG/AFTRA
AEA
Representation: Meg Pantera 212-219-9330
Perfect Love
a new solo show
​written and performed by Linda Manning
directed by Gretchen Cryer
with original music by Jono Hill
​
​premiered at the United Solo Festival 2018
​more performances coming soon
​

Review from Director Maureen Payne-Hahner
"This world is full with brave and honest performances, but not quite like this,
It was the sheer force of her work, her truth-telling, her deep dive into the known
and not knowing how she might resurface that made us feel
all the things we needed to feel."
​
Review from TheatreReview.NYC
"Nothing is off limits here as she explores love, lust, desire, betrayal, and brutality.
She relishes in the telling of her tale. Her words are courageous and
​her performance is revelatory and joyous to watch."

Award-winning playwright Linda Manning speaks out about her past -- her flamboyant absent father, her predatory stepfather, and her experiences with abuse and rape – and, in the wreckage, her search for perfect love. Hilarious and poignant, this is the story of the havoc this search wreaks on her adult life as she struggles to let it go and set herself free.
Reviews of Linda's work:
​
"Such an unusual play. Very skillfully crafted.... Beautifully written sexual encounter. The writer bore her soul. She knows the grasp that love can have. Like being possessed by a mysterious, exciting energy of the other."
There Is No You and Me - full length stage play
New Works of Merit Playwriting Contest
2017 Finalist
​
"Breathtaking, poignant, and lovely, LEARNING TO DRIVE should be a strong contender for the industry's attention and interest... A spiritual and chronological successor to nostalgic feature masterpieces like THE VIRGIN SUICIDES and ALMOST FAMOUS, LEARNING TO DRIVE is an accomplished, market-ready script ...."
Learning to Drive - feature length screenplay by Linda Manning
The Black List, Featured Script 2015 
Grand Prize Winner - StoryPros Awards Screenplay Contest 2013 

​​“Yes, Linda Manning can make this stuff up and indeed it does not get much better than this well-constructed play...."  
Bite the Apple - full length stage play
David Roberts, Chief Critic, Theatre Reviews Limited, New York, NY

"The ensemble of actresses are remarkable, particularly the evocative and nuanced performance by Manning. Bite the Apple is a smart script with intricate dialogue and beautiful language...."
Bite the Apple - full length stage play
Joseph Samuel Wright, Theatre Is Easy, New York, NY

"Writer-performer Linda Manning gives us a fiercely intelligent  and sexual Charlotte Brontë....   The writing delicately  renders the conflict between family responsibility and the artist's calling, between romantic yearning and the realities of married love." 
Do Something With Yourself! - full length stage play
The Village Voice, New York, NY

"This wonderfully quixotic piece by Linda Manning explores the struggles Charlotte faced, including her own stifling romantic ideals. With a striking level of skill and versatility," 
Do Something With Yourself! - full length stage play
TimeOut New York, New York, NY  

"The Invisible Theatre Company’s adaptation of the classic tale is strikingly fresh, thanks to playwright Linda Manning’s bold vision.... Manning had a dynamic presence .... Deftly handling the madness that lies at the heart of Poe’s tale, Manning oscillated from a petulant little girl, to a proper young lady, to a disturbing sexual force.... The amount of humor that Manning has incorporated into the script, without compromising its horror, is one of its greatest accomplishments.”
Adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher - full length stage play
The Off-Off-Broadway Review, New York, NY