Ryan Clarke is an Albuquerque-based screenwriter and playwright whose work blends dark comedy, social satire, and intimate character drama. Across a slate of 20+ feature scripts, his stories often follow deeply flawed people pushed into impossible situations, finding humor, tension, and humanity in characters who are entirely in over their heads.
His screenwriting recognition includes Grand Prize Winner, 30th Annual Fade In Awards Comedy Competition (#FightForNoah); Semifinalist, 30th Annual Fade In Awards Comedy Competition (The Trencherman); 2026 Top 10 Finalist, ISA Table Read My Screenplay at Cannes (A Walking Shadow); 2026 Quarterfinalist, Finish Line Script Competition (#FightForNoah); two-time Semifinalist, ISA Emerging Screenwriters Competition (Flashbang and Ghost of the Highway); and four additional 2026 Honorable Mentions from Finish Line (The Finalists, How to Be a Human: A Musical with No Songs, Ghost of the Highway, and Dead Signals).
As a playwright, Ryan is a three-time winner of FUSION Theatre Company’s short works festival, “The SEVEN”, in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The stage version of A Walking Shadow was also selected in 2026 for The Road Theatre Company’s 17th Summer Playwrights Festival.
Recent Recognition
2026 has been a breakthrough year for Ryan Clarke’s screenwriting and playwriting, with recognition from Fade In, ISA, Finish Line, The Road Theatre Company in North Hollywood, and FUSION Theatre Company in Albuquerque. These honors span dark comedy, social satire, and drama, reflecting a growing slate of stories.