Winnie Holman

Winnie Holzman created "My So-Called Life," the short-lived, much-loved show that offered a realistic, empathetic look at teenagers' lives in the 1990s. It starred Claire Danes in a career-making performance as Angela Chase, a 15-year-old girl trying to find her own identity amid the confusions of growing up. Although the show was critically acclaimed, its low ratings sank its future (it didn't help that Danes likely wasn't returning for a second season). And so "My So-Called Life" ended after 19 episodes. Although it was little-seen upon its first airing, when MTV chose to rerun the series -- often in marathon sessions -- the teen drama gained a new audience. With its rich characterizations and multiple storylines it played like "thirtysomething" for the high-school set. And no wonder: Holzman got her first TV writing gig on "thirtysomething," under the tutelage of its creators Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. She collaborated with the pair again in 1999 with the show "Once and Again." In 2003, Holzman took her talents to Broadway -- collaborating with Stephen Schwartz on the blockbuster musical "Wicked," for which she won a Tony Award.