David Schmader is an American writer known for his solo plays, his writing for the Seattle newsweekly The Stranger, and his annotated screenings of Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls. He is the author of the 2016 book .
In 1993, Schmader authored the playLetter to Axl, in which he "uses his autobiographical stories and his obsession with the notoriously homophobic, misogynistic, chemically dependent rock star Axl Rose as a way of examining homophobia, masculinity, and the scary power of the mass media to inspire unrequited love in millions of people."
''Straight''
In his 1999 solo play Straight, Schmader "takes an undercover excursion into the world of sexual reprogramming...that utilizes Christian fundamentalist ideas in attempt to curb homosexual desires." In 2002, Straight was turned into a performance film which screened at film festivals in Seattle, Austin, Minneapolis, and Washington, D.C.
''A Short-Term Solution to a Long-Term Problem''
Schmader wrote his third solo play in 2011. A Short-Term Solution to a Long-Term Problem, which Schmader also performed, is "a comedy about unfunny things: children who die, adults who get sick, and the intricate damage religion can inflict on young people."
Published work
''The Stranger''
From 1998 through 2014, Schmader served as a writer and editor at the Seattle alternative newsweekly The Stranger, writing the column "Last Days: The Week in Review." Schmader also wrote investigative essays on the Michael Jackson 2005 criminal trial and the AVN Awards in Las Vegas. With cartoonist Ellen Forney, Schmader created the five-part series "What the Drugs Taught Me," which was reprinted in Forney's 2007 collection I Love Led Zeppelin. Between 2002 and 2004, Schmader curated and hosted Pizzazz!, a citywide talent show produced by The Stranger and presented on opening night of the Bumbershoot Arts Festival. Schmader writes a cannabis column for The Stranger as of 2016.
''Showgirls'' annotation
In 1999, Schmader began hosting screenings of Paul Verhoeven's film Showgirls, touring his annotated screenings to film festivals and supplying the commentary track for the special-edition Showgirls DVD
''Weed: The Users Guide''
Following the decriminalization of recreational marijuana in Washington State, Schmader wrote , a handbook for the sane enjoyment of marijuana. Weed was published in 2016 by Sasquatch Books. Schmader uses his knowledge of marijuana news and policy in his role as a columnist on Leafly and a podcast host for the Roll-up.
Critical reception
Schmader's plays have received positive reviews from mostly local outlets, including The Stranger, Seattle Weekly, and Seattlest. Seattle Weekly called 1999's Straight "brilliant" and "a compassionate, funny, but ardently intelligent exploration of the basic concepts of gender identity." Reviewing 2011's A Short-Term Solution to a Long-Term Problem, The Stranger wrote " protean wit, his willingness to stare without blinking into howlingly painful emotional cyclones, and his unfailingly calibrated ethical compass are three virtues every writer should strive to emulate." Some of Schmader's works have gained recognition nationally, most notably his Showgirls annotation. In its review of Schmader's annotation, The Onions A.V. Club stated, "Schmader provides a running commentary on and a deep understanding of these movies' multiple failures—giving them a second, legitimately entertaining life."
