John Sparks
Raised in a devout Catholic tradition, John Sparks spent years struggling with guilt and shame surrounding his sexuality. At 30, he reached a turning point and chose to fully embrace his life as a gay man. Theater became a lifelong passion, leading to a remarkable career as a playwright, director, and mentor to hundreds of musical theater writing teams in Chicago and Los Angeles. Later in life, John found an unexpected love with his longtime friend Bill and became his devoted caregiver through his final illness. Having experienced love, caregiving, and profound loss, John also spoke openly about death and the importance of approaching the end of life with preparation, acceptance, and dignity.