The Fellows Gazette Volume 56 Published by the College of Fellows of the American Theatre Summer 2011 Launching our Fiftieth! In the Spotlight:

The 2011 meeting of the College of Fellows in R. Keith Michael Washington, DC, welcomed four new Fellows, set in motion our 50th Anniversary celebration in 2015, and I first met Fellow R. Keith Michael in 1956 when expanded the participation of Fellows in ceremonies Keith, his wife, Marion, and I were pursuing graduate and panels during the weekend. studies in theatre at the University of Iowa. More and more, I have come to believe that some things about Keith never change. He retains his refreshingly youthful sense of wonderment about the things he The College of Fellows Wishes to Thank has yet to discover in the world, particularly – but Dean Emeritus Scott J. Parker certainly not exclusively – in the world of theatre and for of art. His eagerness to see, explore, and absorb His Years of Service here, there, and elsewhere is infectious, but is likely, as a Member of the Board of Directors at times, to cause problems: Getting in touch with and Keith can prove difficult. “Sorry to be so late getting for His Stewardship as Dean of the College back to you, but Marion and I just returned from . . . [fill in New York, London, Berlin, Paris, Beijing, or Despite a holiday weekend, over sixty-five members locations in any came together, mixing business and pleasure, for a of more than reception at the Cosmos Club and the day-long sixty countries] events at the Kennedy Center. The Roger Stevens where we saw Address brought together Fellows Jack O’Brien and [fill in plays, William Ivey Long for an introduction of good- theaters, natured bantering as the two collaborators reviewed museums, their partnerships on Broadway in Hairspray and fascinating Catch Me If You Can as prelude to O’Brien’s customs, address. The Broadway director then talked about intriguing the extraordinary avenues that opened up during the sights].” In the photo, Keith is standing next to a early part of his career, but in his closing remarks he friend he met in India. talked with sobering reflection about the vanishing career-paths for today’s young professionals and As a boy in a small rural town in Pennsylvania, Keith the need to preserve an increasingly endangered art had never had any experience on a stage until he form impacted by extraordinary cost-cutting was a freshman art major in a college in yet another measures across the land. small town in Pennsylvania. He was cast in a student directed one-act play. As a result, he was prodded At the Cosmos Club, there was evidence of early by a professor during the following year to try out planning for our 50th celebration. A PowerPoint for a main-stage production of Yellow Jack. To presentation, prepared by Felicia Londré and Bob Keith’s “amazement”, he was tapped to play the Schanke, brought familiar faces from past meetings lead. Robert Porterfield of the Barter Theatre, on on-screen during the reception. It is the intention of campus to give a lecture, saw a dress rehearsal and the PowerPoint creators to add images over the next asked Keith to come to New York to audition for a four years in order to make visible in April of 2015 slot at the Barter. This led to a summer job as the our fifty years of good fellowship. juvenile with the Barter’s second company in Luray, Virginia, after which Porterfield offered Keith the role Following the investitures of four distinguished new of the Gentleman Caller in a national tour of The Fellows in the Kennedy Center’s Opera Tier Box, Glass Menagerie beginning in the fall. Keith

Launching the 50th continued on page 2 Michael continued on page 2

The Fellows Gazette 1 Michael continued from page 1 IN MEMORIAM explained the situation to me in the following way: “I was astonished. So was Bob Porterfield when I Romulus Linney replied, ‘Mr. Porterfield, I can’t do that. I have to go (1930-2011) back to college.’ ‘You haven’t graduated?’ ‘No sir.’” Hence, no national tour, but two more years of When Romulus Linney left us in January 2011 at 80, summer seasons – this time with the main company we lost one of our truly of the Barter as an actor and production stage original voices, a manager. And the rest, as they say, is history. productive and innovative playwright who, though Through all the many years of acting, directing, never a commercial studying, teaching, consulting, and producing, Dr. R. success or as famous as Keith Michael remains in many ways, the same soft- some of his spoken, unpretentious, and refreshing young contemporaries, gentleman that I first knew at Iowa. Now, fifteen nonetheless made an years after his formal retirement from his position as indelible mark on the Professor and Chair of Theatre at Indiana University, American theatre with his he is as keenly open as ever to being astonished by more than 40 plays—plus all the wonders that await him today and in the years three novels, short stories, ahead. I always look forward to seeing Keith and and librettos for two operas. As significant as his Marion. I like fresh air. writing career was, I would stress another aspect of Theodore Herstand ■ this unselfish and generous man. As I discovered in April 1986, when I had the good fortune of first Launching the 50th continued from page 1 meeting and interviewing Romulus and thus initiating a friendship of a quarter of a century, he there was a post-luncheon panel along with had a unique ability to mentor and teach young conversations with the newly-invested Fellows. writers and thus inspire the next generation of First, the three editors (Felicia Londré, Robert theatre artists in the U.S. Schanke, and Barry Witham) of the 50th anniversary volume discussed their plans for the anniversary Romulus Zachariah Linney IV was born in edition and called for volunteers to update entries Philadelphia but grew up largely in the South, from earlier volumes. And, your Dean announced moving at 13 to Washington, DC. He graduated from that the Gala Planning Committee, chaired by Oberlin College, spent two influential years in the Bonnie Nelson Schwartz and David Young, is army and later earned a MFA in directing at the Yale organizing with plans to meet next year to School of Drama (he frequently directed his own recommend site-selection, events, and “soft-shoe” plays). numbers to celebrate our Fiftieth! Romulus, who was inducted into the Fellows in Moreover, one-on-one conversations with the new 1998, began his career writing prose fiction before Fellows were orchestrated by James Still, Don turning to the stage. His plays were often influenced Wilmeth, Don Drapeau, and Gresdna Doty in a by his experience in the military, Appalachia, his setting where the conversations gave insight into immersion in history, biography, literature, and his the careers of artistic director Ed Stern, theatre dedication to regional theatre and grassroots drama. scholar/author Franklin Hildy, theatre-for-youth He adapted several contemporary novels, wrote educator Roger Bedard, and Broadway designer about the Nuremberg trials and the Vietnam War, . and penned plays about Strindberg, Wilde, Delmore Schwartz, and poet Anna Akhmatova. Ben Brantley For those unable to attend the weekend, you missed wrote in 1996 that Linney was one of our bravest an invigorating and joyful celebration of our playwrights, “running from rural dramas about collegiality as we look forward to 2015. Until next hillbilly homicides to lush meditations on Lord April 21-22—same times and same places! Byron’s ghost and Frederick the Great.” Martin Gottfried called Linney “A playwright of true Wishing all of you a pleasant summer, literacy” and Mel Gussow termed him “poet of Milly S. Barranger, Dean ■ America’s heartland.”

If his critically-acclaimed plays were not well known to Broadway audiences, he was certainly Assisted by Dean Emeritus Scott Parker, John established in the regions, Off-Broadway (he was the Lee Beatty signs the official Register. first playwright given a full season by the Signature

Linney continued on page 3

The Fellows Gazette 2 Linney continued from page 2 Heinig, Ruth Beall Reid, Barbara Herstand, Theodore Rosenblatt, Bernard Theatre in 1991-2), international repertory venues, Hill, Ann Rubin, Joel and academic theatres (his work was always noted Huerta, Jorgé Sabinson, Harvey for its intellectual underpinning, artistic seriousness, Jennings, Coleman Schanke, Robert A. yet he was clear about always striving for Jewell, James Schwartz, Bonnie Nelson entertainment value and telling a story). His plays Koep, Jeffrey Shaw, Ann ran the gamut in theme, content, mood, and Korf, Jean Smiley, Sam structure. Among his works were The Sorrows of Lazier, Gil Smith, Wallace Frederick (1967), The Love Suicide at Schofield Londré, Felicia Stein, Howard Barracks (1972; his only Broadway production), Holy Mason, Marshall Sumner, Mark Ghosts (1976), Childe Byron (1978), Tennessee McGraw, William Terry, Megan (1979), Pops (1986), Unchanging Love (1991), True Medoff, Mark Walker, Ethel Crimes (1996), A Lesson before Dying (2000), Michael, R. Keith Weiss, David Ambrosio (1992), and Love Drunk, one of his last Muller, Alfred White, George plays. Murphy, Donn Whitmore, Jon In 2005 Romulus delivered the Roger L. Stevens Oaks, Harold Wilmeth, Don Lecture and inspired the Fellows with his topic, O’Brien, Jack Witham, Barry “Teacher,” a moving address on the power of Parker, Scott Wright, Jack mentors and the importance of teachers affecting Pawley, Tom Young, David students. And Romulus was a living example of this kind of generosity of spirit. While writing, he was almost always teaching (at Columbia, Princeton, the News of the Fellows University of Pennsylvania, Hunter College, and MILLY BARRANGER: Milly has been named a Harry Brooklyn College, among others). He was frequently Ransom Center Research Fellow, The University of honored for his work, including an Obie for Texas at Austin, and awarded a travel fellowship to Sustained Achievement in Playwriting, Guggenheim complete research on literary agent Audrey and Rockefeller Fellowships, American Arts and Wood for a book entitled Audrey Wood and the Sciences awards in Literature and Drama, etc. He Playwrights. was thrice married, most recently to Laura Callanan, and he had two daughters, one being the KAREN BERMAN: In March, Karen directed the extraordinary actress Laura Linney. premiere production off-Broadway of Milledgeville Memoirs. The development of Milledgeville Memoirs Don B. Wilmeth, Dean Emeritus ■ began with oral history interviews of the citizens of Milledgeville, Georgia's antebellum capital. The play was based on those interviews and the production “Fifty for the Fiftieth” Campaign included video, photographs, original music and Within four years, we will be celebrating our dance. Love stories, poignant World War II stories, “golden” anniversary. and powerful race relations stories created the landscape for this play. The following Fellows have contributed generously to our campaign to provide early support for the JAMES BRANDON: James recently published five anniversary volume and the work of the planning articles: “Approved and committee for our celebration in 2015. Disapproved Kabuki and Neo- Classic Plays: December 1945,” Albee, Edward Crawford, Jerry “Three Kabuki War Plays During the Bank, Rosemarie Davis, Jed War of East Asia” (also in Barranger, Milly Corey, Orlin Japanese), “Translation of the Berman, Karen Corey, Shirley Kabuki Play Mussolini,” “A Short Brandt, Carole Distler, Tony History of the Association for Asian Brooks, Avery Dolan, Jill Performance,” and “Earle Ernst: Founder of Asian Carter, Dan Doty, Gresdna Theatre Studies.” Some of these articles are Cauble, John Drapeau, Don available in print or electronically (send requests Church, Jeff Dyke, Marjorie to [email protected]). He is currently writing a Clay, Jack Eek, Nat book-length analysis of post-war censorship of Cole, Art Eigsti, Karl Kabuki by the American-led Occupation (1945-1952). Conlin, Kathleen Evans, Tom Cook, Doug Ezell, John JERRY CRAWFORD: Jerry’s wife, Pat, who battled Cooper, Judith Flatt, Robyn Baker Waldenstrom blood cancer and COPD, died on June Corey, Orlin Fletcher, Winona 26. News continued on page 4

The Fellows Gazette 3 News continued from page 3 Crossroads, 1952-1965.

JILL DOLAN: Jill will receive the 2011 Outstanding FELICIA LONDRÉ: Felicia will give nightly Teacher Award from the Association for Theatre in ShowTalks for Heart of America Shakespeare Higher Education in August. She edited and wrote Festival’s 2011 production of Macbeth. Then she the introduction to A Menopausal travels to Nancy, France, to give a paper at the Gentleman: The Solo Performances Tennessee Williams centennial symposium on of Peggy Shaw, due out from Williams’s European connections. Her paper is titled Michigan this summer. She has “En Avant! Tennessee Williams Between Hyperborea written essays most recently for and the Mediterranean.” Performance Research, Theatre Survey, and Performing Arts DONN B. MURPHY: Donn retired from the Journal. She will spend the summer presidency of Washington's National Theatre at in Galway, Ireland, teaching a midnight, last New Year’s Eve, and is enjoying the Princeton Global Seminar at National University of new responsibility of developing his personal Ireland with Stacy Wolf. website, at nowstar.net. He celebrated with a cruise on The Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship BERNARD DUKORE: In Winter 2010, Modern Drama afloat. An excellent production of Hairspray was published his article “Seriousness Redeemed by among the entertainments aboard. Frivolity: Ayckbourn’s Intimate Exchanges.” He just returned page proofs of two articles that will be in BARBARA REID: Barbara was sorry to miss the last this year's (2011) SHAW: The Annual of Bernard gathering, because of a scheduled trip to London to Shaw Studies, published by Penn State University visit her daughter. She is now off to spend two Press: “Sophoclean Shaw with Solos” and “How to months at their cabin near Blowing Rock, N.C. to get Win an Election.” The latter is a revised version of a little writing time. She’s trying to become a poet in an oral presentation delivered at a plenary session her semi-retirement from acting! However, in early of the conference of the International Shaw Society June she did a reading of a new play written by a in Washington, D.C. in 2008. former student, and with several other former students in the cast. It was a lot of fun to be with NAT EEK: Co-authors Nat Eek and Ann Shaw have them again. just finished Volume II of The History of ASSITEJ (The International Association of Theatres for BERNARD ROSENBLATT: Bernie has been elected Children and Youth)-1976-1990, published by Chair-elect of the Knoxville Museum of Art Board of Sunstone Press, Santa Fe, NM in April, 2011. They Trustees, President of the Knoxville Jewish are now at work on Volume III (1991-2005) which will Community Family of Funds ( a community complete the history. Volume I was published in foundation) and Chairperson of the S.E. April 2009. They document the growth and Consortium Partnership with the Hadera-Eiron development of professional theatre for young Region in Israel. audiences in the U.S., and also other countries. ROBERT SCHANKE: In August, GIL LAZIER: Gil directed a sold-out production of Bob is appearing on two panels at August: Osage County for the the annual convention of ATHE and FUSION Theatre Company in is presenting a eulogy for Doric Albuquerque. Then Gil and Wilson at the pre-conference of Kathryn took a wonderful trip to the LGBTQ Focus Group. He Hong Kong and Bali. Upon their continues as editor of the Theater return, Kathryn had three pieces in the Americas book series for accepted in the Southern Illinois University Press, Fiber Arts Fiesta, one of which which has just published its 21st book. He has just took second prize. Gil directs published with Palgrave Macmillan his tenth book, a Steven Dietz's Becky's New Car for the Banyan biography of a forgotten, award-winning, pioneering Theater Company in Sarasota in June, followed by playwright, titled Queer Theatre and the Legacy of the Southwestern premiere of Yasmina Reza's God Cal Yeomans. of Carnage in July. BONNIE NELSON SCHWARTZ: Founder of SAMUEL L. LEITER: Sam had tickets to fly to Japan Washington, DC’s Helen Hayes Awards for theatrical for a research trip on April 1, but the earthquakes, achievement, Bonnie presented the new Helen tsunami, and nuclear meltdowns of March made him Hayes forever stamp before a crowd of 2,700 at the rethink his priorities. After all, it's not easy being 2011 Helen Hayes Awards at the Warner Theatre. green. He now plans to go in October, when he Schwartz said, “25 years ago when the Awards were hopes to acquire the material he needs to finish his new book, now called Ebi-Sama! Kabuki at the News continued on page 5

The Fellows Gazette 4 News continued from page 4 in theater. If you play it safe, if I’m safe, you’ll be face down in the carpet in 12 minutes, but because founded, Helen Hayes you think, oh, my God, he doesn’t know where he’s said, ‘Well, I’ve been an going with this address. [laughter] And I encourage actress all my life, and NOW, I you to hold onto that thought. am an award.’ If she were with us today, Helen would say, I really wanted to call the address, not The View from ‘…and now I’m a stamp!’” the Trenches, but The View from the Life Boats. And JAMES STILL: In March, Jim presented the keynote I will be a little bit more clear about that after I tiptoe address, “The Peaceful Warrior: What's Fabulous through the history lesson. I’m going to try to do this Got to Do With It?”, at the New Works Festival in as quickly as possible, because I do find Austin, Texas. In April, his play, And Then They biographies that are not one’s own biography Came For Me, was performed in Beijing in April by a stultifyingly boring. If I am in the next 20 minutes U.S., British and Australian cast, and he was a Writer still discussing my third appearance in my second in Residence at the Weston Playhouse in Vermont graduate year, you will start flinging things at me. where he worked on a new play, The House That If there was an epiphany in my life, it happened in Jack Built. This fall he is directing his new play, I the early sixties at the University of Michigan (which Love to Eat, a play about American culinary icon was basically Roger Stevens’s alma matter as well) James Beard at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. where I sat one night at the Lydia Mendelssohn DON B. WILMETH: Don has written book reviews for Theater in my then-accidental role of reviewing for Theatre History Studies, The Brecht Yearbook, the campus newspaper. The theater company was Choice, and The Journal of American History. He is the young itinerant APA repertory, the Association completing his second year (of six) as a juror for the of Producing Artists, headed by Ellis Rabb, and his George Freedley Theatre Book Award. The 29th book wife at the time, . The production in his Palgrave Macmillan series will be published in was Sheridan’s School for Scandal. I’d never seen June. In March he was a featured speaker at the anything like it. I’d never seen anything so annual meeting of the Ephemera Society of America remarkably fitting, so economical, so original, so in Old Greenwich, CT, on the subject of Theatrical contemporary, so elegantly perfect as that Playbills. production. I was stunned. And I made it my irritating job over the intervening two or three years to try to infiltrate that group of “The View from the Trenches” people. I cannot tell you how many times I Roger L. Stevens Address auditioned for Ellis Rabb as a young actor. He didn’t like me at all. And it says something about our by Jack O’Brien survival in these situations that I didn’t understand that. I just thought it was a test of my endurance. And meanwhile my hair kept going and going and going. I started writing lyrics. I started writing plays. And after I went to New York and taught for a couple years at Hunter College, Ellis took me on as his personal assistant, and that began the journey. That [What follows is an group of people included John Houseman, who edited transcription of came in as a producer, T. Edward Hambleton of the O’Brien’s 40 minute Phoenix Theatre, , , address.] and Stephen Porter. Those were the directors, and there was one assistant, and that was me. I sat with each of those people and took their notes. I have often thought that what really separates our art from When I was about to do this address, they asked me any other art is that you really cannot get it from a for a copy, and you can tell right now, that’s not book. going to happen. They asked for a title” I said, “Yes.” The title is The View from the Trenches, If you’re lucky enough to sit with people like that and because at that time I was finishing my stewardship watch the production evolve and take their notes in . And I thought, my God, after an excess and, more importantly, see them fail—not succeed. of 25 years I must have some perspective on what it Success feels great. Failure teaches you what to do is we’re doing. I don't write anything down, let alone and how you evolve. It was, I contend, the a speech, basically, because of fear. By that I mean postgraduate training of my generation. And over six I’m not quite sure where I’m going with this. I have years with that company I watched them do the most some notes here, a few. But without the element of uncertainty . . . I don't think there is any real passion O’Brien continued on page 6

The Fellows Gazette 5 O’Brien continued from page 5 bicentennial.” And so they picked me because John and I were having such a good time with this extraordinary pieces. You Can’t Take It With You perfectly terrible opera. I was the last person hired, with Rosemary Harris as the ingénue, to my the whitest person you have ever seen enter a room. knowledge, began the commercial revivals on It was a trial by fire and one that was the making of Broadway of American plays. No my life and career. one had done that. We in APA had lost our Ford Foundation Grant that It went on to win a Tony. I got my first nomination in was to permit us a season at the 1976-77. And it changed my life. From there, Craig Lyceum. We were stuck in Ann Noel, who had hosted me earlier out at the Old Globe Arbor. Ellis saw the production run- Theater, eventually invited me out to the Globe. If through [of You Can’t Take It With any of you ever knew Craig, he would be the last You] and said, “I would like the person you’d want to see walk away. So when I took company, to go into New York for over, I kept him there, a) because he was a fount of six weeks, just so they know that we information; b) because he was one of the best existed and that they will remember directors I knew; and c) because I loved him. And to us.” It was the biggest success of my knowledge that may be the only business the year; it ran two years while we situation where a CEO picks another CEO to take got our funding back and again over and doesn’t leave. In all the years that we were risked breathing life into a moribund there together, we never had a moment’s situation. disagreement, never an argument. It was a Ladies and gentlemen, for the better part of four or wonderful relationship. He died just a just a year and five years, APA was employed for 52 weeks on a half ago, in his nineties—beloved, cherished and Broadway, in Los Angeles, and in Toronto. Playing remembered forever. repertory! This is never mentioned in reviews. APA But that gave me the opportunity to become what I finished in 1970. It had been ten years of brutal, called the “poster boy” for regional theater. For 25 exhausting touring and repertory production. It was years basically I ran that theater with him, with Tom an extraordinary group, a collective group of actors Hall as my managing director. There was a tradition and directors and an experiment perhaps never to stretching back to 1935 with names like B. Iden be returned to. Payne, of Shakespeare being done outside in Balboa After which, John Houseman took me to Juilliard, Park. And in those 25 years, if you looked up from where for two years I directed people like Gregory your position in the country, you saw extraordinary Mosher, Christine Baranski, Christopher Reeve, men and women doing what I was doing in different Robin Williams, Patty LuPone, and Kevin Kline. And places—Dan Sullivan up in Seattle, Des McAnuff for two years I worked with them as their associate across the town from me, Mark Williams at the artistic director. You know what that meant—I got to Huntington. I mean, we were all children of a be my own boss. Isn’t life amazing? The jobs that tradition. I didn’t have a choice. Houseman, Le you think are going to bear fruit very often don’t. Gallienne, Ellis Rabb, Rosemary Harris, Alan And the ones that no one is paying attention to Schneider—they fed me; they were candid; they suddenly make some cosmic connection. were honest; they were straightforward. They were generous. [While at Juilliard, O’Brien worked on a production of a “perfectly terrible opera” with John DeMain, They taught me everything I knew. And I felt I had an who also happened to be the music director of the obligation to return the favor, an obligation basically Houston Grand Opera.] to stand up for American classical work, to try to find a way that we could do primarily Shakespeare in It was the Bicentennial, and they [Houston Grand the summer but everything else as well. Now, to call Opera] were doing artists from all over the country to come there and Porgy and Bess for serve the text, which is absolutely visceral for me. I the first complete don't feel the need to write my name on any production of the production. I honestly think if you don't see my work opera as Gershwin I’ve done the best job; because the writer and the wrote it, uncut. They actor are basically what unites, and we are only wanted Hal Prince there as directors, as facilitators, to make the bad to direct it. Who moments go away, not necessarily to draw attention wouldn't? Hal was to ourselves. booked for two years and couldn't But like the boy in the barnyard lifting the calf, I find the time. But they were under the constraints of didn’t choose all the assignments myself, but those saying, “Look, we’ve got to do this in the O’Brien continued on page 7

The Fellows Gazette 6 O’Brien continued from page 6 So where does the trench leave off and the life raft start? In the years that I was at the Globe, there was of you who have run departments, companies, a publication, something called The Artistic Home.I anything, you know that eventually somebody don't know if any of you remember it, but it had to do doesn’t show up. They either have a better job or a with nurturing. It had to do with my garden produces worse excuse. But you’re left basically with a show begonias and yours produces lilacs; how in this and no director. And what does an artistic director extraordinary country of ours different communities do? Picks up the show and does it. Some of the give rise to different artistic voices. We were very things I chose for myself were not necessarily the aware in the nineties, Des McAnuff and I, being in best things that I had done. Some of the things that I Southern with two theaters literally ten thought—how do I put this?—beneath me? And over minutes car journey from each other, of the those 27 years, basically, I realized that I had an differences in our programming and what that meant advantage that many people never have, which is to to a vivid, exciting community. The fact that we were work in all these different fields. good friends was one thing; the fact that we were And so when that chapter of my life closed—and, competitive was thrilling. Because we were believe me, I thought it was closing—low and behold desperately not only trying to identify what in our I have the third act. The Globe was doing 12 to 14 own group was the work we believed in, we were shows a year toward the end of my tenure, and offering it up as positive that we were worth you’re bound to get lucky sooner or later. Some of funding. them went East, and I went with them. And when I In this country we have a problem that we build a finally stepped away from the Globe, there was birdhouse and hope the birds will come. But Jean- another chapter of my life—going on to New York. Louis Barrault, who headed Théâtre Marigny in When Gregory Mosher and André Bishop shifted France when it first started, and Madeleine Renaud, away from Lincoln Center, I did a piece for them his wife, said famously, “The subsidy is not for the called Two Shakespearean Actors on the Broadway years when we’re good; it’s for the years when we stage. That was great fun with Brian Bedford and aren’t good. Because nobody can do that.” And now Victor Garber, but lots of interesting young actors in I look around and I see that we are fighting for our a company of 28 people. We had a great time. artistic lives. Fundraising is difficult, money is tight, people are conservative. I mean, I was appalled to Then came Damn Yankees, which started at the open the New York Times yesterday to see the Globe, and the book for which I wrote with George announcement that The Intiman Theatre in Seattle Abbott. He was 105. He died had released its birds to go feed elsewhere and that at 107, fueled by two years of they would not be completing their season. They unmitigated anger at me. As stopped. One hopes that that is a temporary he famously said to Rob situation; one fears it is a trend. Marshall, “The kid . . .” He called me “the kid.” He was Now when someone comes up to me and says, 105; of course, I was the kid. “How did it happen? How did you get started? I have “The kid says everything to confess that the path by which I came to this spot nice to you and then goes today is completely overgrown and has dissipated. It ahead and does exactly what doesn’t exist anymore. I don't know where to send he wants.” I read a vote of confidence in that them. If I were starting out, I’m not all together comment. certain that I would choose to be the artistic director of an organization that needed me primarily as a But basically I ended up with a fundraiser. It’s not basically that we were producing list of productions in New York, art worth funding. We are now trying to fund different from what I thought I something that could become art. We have got to was starting out to do or look around us at the imaginations of young men finishing. The Full Monty and women who are passionate as we have been opposite Stoppard’s passionate, who believe as we all believe, who will Convention of Love, giving rise pick up a standard and raise it and say, “Follow me!” to many people saying, “Wait a because without that thrilling sense of leadership, minute—this is the same guy what’s on the stage will be conservative, predictable doing two shows in the same and simply useful, more or less. year.” And I thought—get a regional job; you’ll figure this I don't know what to tell you because I’m worried out. Henry IV for Lincoln Center with Kevin Kline, about this. I don't know where the leaders are going then Hairspray, Stoppard’s The Coast of Utopia, and to come from. I look at that vast spread of regional recently Catch Me if You Can. It’s been an theaters that are doing so well just trying to keep extraordinary ride. O’Brien continued on page 8

The Fellows Gazette 7 O’Brien continued from page 7 Needed for 50th Volume their constituency and raise money for their payrolls, and I know that Rocco Landesman, for one, Fellows inducted prior to 2005 need to send Bob has said an alarming thing, that some of them Schanke a 100 word mini-citation that can be used shouldn't be funded because we’re funding the for publication. It should summarize the original organizations, not the art. That is fighting words and citation plus add later achievements. . . . and true. We must wake up. We must ignite young men and women to feel as Ellis Rabb and Bill Also needed are volunteers to write 100 word Ball did in the fifties when they stood at the top of citations of deceased Fellows. the Eiffel Tower and did not look at Paris on their trip abroad but argued where the nunnery scene should Finally, anyone who has photos of our meetings be in instead—isn’t that adorable? Where is prior to 1999 should contact Bob or Felicia Londré. the hunger? Where is the passion to dig a trench from which you cuddle and huddle with those people who believe as you do, that what you’re Minutes of the Annual Business doing matters – not just fulfilling the coffers but Meeting saying something about the work. College of Fellows of the American Theatre Years ago when our British cousins did a piece Sunday, April 24, 2011 called Noises Off and everybody got just giddy with Kennedy Center, Washington DC excitement, I got angry. George Kelly did that in a Dean Milly S. Barranger, Presiding play called The Torchbearers. And as an exercise, I Minutes submitted by Jon Whitmore, Secretary suppose, I scheduled The Torchbearers—cut the 1. Attendance Roll Circulated. 28 Fellows signed the living daylights out of that bitter, angry third act, but roll for the Annual meeting [Names held in did something that Ellis taught me to do. When he Secretary’s files] did the great production of You Can’t Take it With 68 Fellows are attending the weekend events You, he said, “Here’s the French’s acting edition. We 2. Call to Order and Welcome: Dean Barranger will now do everything in it.” I was appalled. I 3. Greetings and Regrets: thought that that’s the last thing the director should Dean Barranger listed those who sent regrets on do. He said, “Don't you understand? There on the the meeting agenda. page from the stage manager’s book, the marks are 4. In Memoriam: A moment of silence was observed George S. Kaufman’s directions—where people for the loss of four outstanding Fellows: went, what they did, and how it worked. I want You Craig Noel (April 3, 2010) Can’t Take it With You in our repertory as sanctified Helen Krich Chinoy (May 24, 2010) as Stanislavsky’s production of The Seagull is with Oscar G. Brockett (November 7, 2010) Moscow Art Theater.” And so we did. Now, he, with Romulus Linney (January 15, 2011) Rosemary Harris and Clayton Corzatte, Donald 5. Recognition of Service to the College of Fellows Moffatt and all the rest of them, he actually put a during the Year: different mantle on Kaufman’s work. But there it Dean Barranger thanked the Board: the terms of was. I had been told all my life that the funniest act Bob Schanke, Scott Parker, and Jon Whitmore in comedy ever written in America is the second act have expired. Whitmore will stay on to fill a one of The Torchbearers—that’s George Kelly’s direction year unexpired term and remain Secretary. in that book. And you know what? I did it. I changed Thanks went to Bonnie Nelson Schwartz for the third act, and I worked on the first act, but the Cosmos Club arrangements, including the second act I followed every direction. And there PowerPoint presentation, created by Felicia were moments, ladies and gentleman, so filled with Londré and Robert Schanke. Thanks went to all laughter, the audience could not hear the actors committee heads for their service this past year. speaking. To be funny 50, 60, 70 years later, or, in 6. Approval of the Minutes for 2010 General the case of Shakespeare, 400—that’s pretty good Business Meeting writing. That’s a tradition worth maintaining. Unanimous approval of minutes as distributed. I see from my vantage point some spars in the water. 7. Treasurer’s Report: Scott Parker substituted for I see occasionally a collection of flowers, and it may Ruth Heining. Income and expenses were mean there’s dry land ahead. I’m not despondent. reviewed (details were presented in a handout). I’m not despairing, and I hope I’m not alone when I The College invested $15,000 in Dryfus fund and say I’m now just simply going to pick up my oars the money grew considerably. Final calculation and row, and I hope you’ll come with me. of funds cannot be made until June—the end of the fiscal year. The interim budget was approved Thanks for listening to me. ■ unanimously.

Minutes continued on page 9

The Fellows Gazette 8 Minutes continued from page 8 April 21-22, 2012 and April 20-21, 2013 Dean Barranger outlined the remaining events of 8. Investment Committee Report, prepared by Gil the day. Lazier, Chairman, presented by Dean Barranger. 16. Business meeting adjourned This new committee was appointed by Dean Barranger at the behest of the Board. It was Living History Theatre Project thought that having a small group of fellows plan the College’s investment strategy, assisted by We cannot complete the interviews using only the the Treasurer, might be a useful way of sorting days of our annual April gathering, so Fellows are the many financial options in a volatile encouraged to interview each other. As of July 2011, investment world. Early signs are that the the following Fellows have not been interviewed. committee has made wise choices. The interview format is provided below. 9. GAZETTE Report: Robert A. Schanke, Editor Bob Schanke handed out a written analysis of James Brandon John Cauble the year’s activities. $160 was left over in the Avery Brooks Larry Clark Lloyd Burlingame Shirley Trusty Corey account. 46 Fellows receive the Gazette on line Donald Drapeau Calvin Pritner [$16 per Fellow is saved by taking it on line]. Weldon Durham Barbara Reid Bob was thanked for the meticulous way he Ronald Engle Bernard Rosenblatt manages the information and budget of this Tom Evans Peter Sargent John Ezell Harvey Sabinson valuable communication tool for the College. Richard Fallon Bonnie Nelson Schwartz 10. Report of Corporate Secretary, submitted by ZeldaFichandler EdSherin John Cauble, presented by Dean Barranger. Linda Hartzell Megan Terry The only new event was the changing of some James Hatch Sr. Francesca Thompson Ruth Beall Heinig Jennifer Tipton wording on the website. Theodore Herstand Ethel Pitts Walker 11. Video Living History Report: Donald Drapeau Dale Huffington Daniel Watermeier Eight new members were taped this year. 60 Coleman Jennings George White people still have not been interviewed. Don Julie Jensen Jon Whitmore FayKanin JudithWilliams agreed to send the questions to Robert Schanke Gil Lazier Ronald Willis to include in the next newsletter. All were urged Samuel Leiter Barry Witham to be creative in helping each other record their Kristen Linklater Alan Woods experiences in the theatre for inclusion in the Mark Medoff Jack Wright Alfred Muller Lin Wright archive held at the University of Texas at Austin. Donn Murphy David Young Any taping format is acceptable. Harold Oaks Suzan Zeder 12. Remaining Old Business--None 13. New Business INTERVIEW FORMAT Election of Dean-Elect Dr. Felicia Londré was elected Dean-Elect, to Interviewer begins with: “Welcome to the College of take office in April 2012. Fellows of the American Theatre Living History Karen Berman has been elected as a new board archive taping of an interview with . member, with one more person to be announced It is (note the date) and we are at (give location) and I after confirming contact is made. am Fellow . 14. Several announcements were made about the I first met (name of person) (tell a short story of first upcoming 50th Anniversary. meeting or your first knowing of the person being American Theatre Fellows 50th Anniversary interviewed to set a relaxed tone.)” Volume 1965-2015: Felicia Londré, lead editor, with co-editors Then segue into these interview questions: Robert Schanke and Barry Witham. Marilee Hebert Miller is business advisor 1. What was your first experience in theatre Gala Anniversary Planning Committee Chairs: and how has that impacted your career? Bonnie Nelson Schwartz & David Young 2. Place of birth, names of parents… siblings? Dean Barranger will be appointing a new 50th 3. Outline education/preparation/early activities in Anniversary Fundraising Committee to raise the theatre. Who are the teachers or mentors additional funds needed to pay for the 50th who had impact or inspired you? Anniversary events, book, etc. 4. Questions to evoke a review of the highlights of Fifty for the Fiftieth Campaign: career. (The subject may want to supply the John Cauble started this extra fundraising interviewer with a few suggestions prior to effort. He raised over $3,000 this year. meeting in Washington.) 15. Announcements: Please send Email Directory changes to At the end of the interview, close with: “Thanks to Robert A. Schanke for the GAZETTE. (name of person) on behalf of the Fellows and the Future Meeting Dates: Living History Project.”

The Fellows Gazette 9 College Contributions Citations of the 2011 New

LIFETIME BENEFACTORS Fellows Rosemarie Bank Jorgé Huerta New Fellow: John Lee Beatty Milly S. Barranger Julie Jensen Karen Berman James Jewell Citation by Carole Brandt Jeffrey Koep Don B. Wilmeth, Dean Emeritus Ben Cameron Jean Korf Dan Carter Gil Lazier In the late 60s I encountered an undergraduate who John Cauble William McGraw was then a budding theatre artist: playwright, Larry D. Clark R. Keith Michael director, actor, scenic designer, costume designer, Jack Clay Donn B. Murphy and poster artist. John Lee Beatty, unlike some Martha Coigney Harold R. Oaks youthful prodigies, never slowed down, and Kathleen Conlin Jack O’Brien consequently Judith Kase Cooper Scott J. Parker he has left an Jerry L. Crawford Calvin L. Pritner indelible mark Jed Davis Barbara Reid on the Paul A. Distler Bernard S. Rosenblatt American Jill Dolan theatre. From (in honor of Helen Chinoy) Brown he went Gresdna Doty Robert A. Schanke to Yale, was Donald A. Drapeau Megan Terry mentored by TomEvans GeorgeThorn ; John Ezell Dorothy L. Webb studied with Donn Finn Jon Whitmore Donald Robyn Baker Flatt Don B. Wilmeth Oenslager and . His professional career Winona Fletcher Margaret Wilkerson began as an assistant to Douglas Schmidt; in the Adrian Hall Jack Wright 1970s he first established his own reputation with Ruth Beal Heinig Susan L. Zeder the Theatre Club and the Circle Repertory Ann Hill Company.

CONTRIBUTING FELLOWS Honorees Since then, his work has been seen constantly on Barranger, Milly Vera Mowry Roberts Broadway, Off-Broadway, the regions, etc. He is Berman, Karen arguably the most prolific scenic designer today, Davis, Jed with as many as 6 Broadway shows running Distler, Paul Monroe Lippman simultaneously, over 90 in all, and some 200 Doty, Gresdna professional credits total; recent ones include the Eigsti, Karl Bill Harbin Broadway production of Driving Miss Daisy, the Evans, Tom revival of , the Lincoln Center production of Fletcher, Winona Lorraine Brown Other Desert Cities, the current hit Good People, Fletcher, Winona Oscar Brockett Theatre for a New Audience’s Merchant of Venice, Heinig, Ruth Oscar Brockett the national tour of The Color Purple, and as he Herstand, Theodore Oscar Brockett always does, advisory work on scenic environments Jennings, Coleman for City Center’s Encores! musicals, most recently Londré, Felicia Where’s Charley?. Muller, Alfred Pawley, Thomas Recognitions include 13 Tony nominations, a Tony Perkins, Kathy Lorraine Brown for Talley’s Folly, election to the Theatre Hall of Pronko, Leonard Fame in 2002, and a Lucille Lortel Award recognizing Still, James Oscar Brockett the body of his work. John’s design credits read like Terry, Megan Geraldine Brain Siks a history of contemporary theatre: , and Agnes Haaga Doubt, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Wonderful Webb, Dorothy Lowell Swortzell Town, Dinner at Eight, Morning’s at Seven, Proof, White, George C. Footloose, The Little Foxes, A Delicate Balance, , Redwood Curtain, The Destiny of Me, Ain’t Fellows interested in becoming Lifetime Benefactors Misbehavin’, Fifth of July, Knock Knock, Twelfth or in contributing to the endowment are encouraged Night, etc. etc. to send their checks to: Fellow Ruth Heinig Let me conclude with two comments that typify 1805 Chevy Chase, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Citations continued on page 11

The Fellows Gazette 10 Citations continued from page 10 Because of the remarkable nature of the work, the college received the sizable Kax Herberger opinions by his peers and colleagues. Ming Cho Lee endowment for ARTSWORK, a program that wrote in his seconding letter: “Unlike many of his promotes research and community partnerships for contemporaries . . . John Lee has remained truthful children and the arts. The concept is Roger’s and he to the essence and the core values of the play. His continues as director of the program. settings always feel right—a place where people live. John Lee is an actors’ designer.” It was Roger Bedard who masterminded the creation of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, Seconder Marshall Mason wrote: “. . . for twenty the national TYA association developed after the years he made Circle Rep excellence in scene demise of ATA. He was its first Executive Director design equal to our recognized excellence in acting and by bringing the organization to ASU helped it and creating new American plays.” Marshall grow and develop until it was ready to more to concluded that each era in the American theatre has Washington, D.C. He has also been an active board had an outstanding scenic designer whose work has member of ASSITEJ and is a trustee of the served as a beacon of excellence to his fellows. Children’s Theatre Foundation of America. Among those he lists Robert Edmond Jones, Jo Mielziner, , Ming Cho Lee, and Last year, Roger received the Campton Bell Lifetime “surely for the current theatre, John Lee Beatty.” Achievement Award for his “outstanding contributions to the field” from the American Please help me to welcome into the College of Alliance for Theatre and Education. His awards from Fellows, the extraordinary Mr. John Lee Beatty. ■ AATE started with his being named the first Winifred New Fellow: Roger L. Bedard Award Scholar. He has also received the Sara Spencer Child Drama Award and the Barbara Citation by Salisbury Wills Alliance Award from AATE.

Lin Wright, read by Orlin Corey Roger is a man of vision, a significant contributor to theatre for youth in our generation. He richly Roger Bedard has made remarkable contributions deserves his election to the College of Fellows. ■ nationally and New Fellow: Franklin J. Hildy internationally to theatre for Citation by youth. Roger Felicia Londré, Dean Elect is a scholar and has Some would say that Franklin J. Hildy is best known edited several as co-author books, his with Oscar latest being Brockett Dramatic (since the 8th Literature for edition) of the Children: A most widely Century in used theatre Review; and he has written numerous articles. He textbook in is a director and particularly at Virginia Tech America, demonstrated his artistry with productions for History of the children and adults. Theater. He is an outstanding teacher and mentor and is now Others would an endowed professor at Arizona State University. cite Frank But his major contributions to the field have been Hildy’s the creation and maintenance of major programs renown as a major player in the design and and institutions in the field. operation of Shakespeare’s Globe playhouse in London and Director of the Shakespeare Globe He created the MFA in Children’s Theatre at Virginia Centre (USA) Research Archive. Still others are most Tech. He designed and has administered, with a aware of Frank Hildy’s international leadership of an master’s hand, the Ph.D. in Theatre for Youth at IFTR working group on Theatre Architecture with ASU, the first of its kind in the country. He continues eminence grounded in Frank’s field research at as director of both the MFA and PhD Theatre for hundreds of historic theatres and theatre ruins from Youth programs at ASU. With this program he has ancient times to the 18th century. made significant national and international connections for students and visiting scholars. Citations continued on page 12

The Fellows Gazette 11 Citations continued from page 11 But he doesn’t hesitate to challenge audiences as well as actors to move beyond their comfort zone. Those are but a few of Frank Hildy’s many and multi- When he guest directs at another regional theatre, faceted accomplishments that include international the sense of heightened standards is palpable. architectural consulting, service as NEH Humanities Administrator, scholarly residencies at four different In 1972, Ed Stern co-founded Indiana Repertory universities in Taiwan, three editorial boards, and Theatre, where he served eight years as artistic long lists of grants, offices held in professional director and directed more than two dozen plays. He organizations, papers presented at international joined the faculty at Rutgers University to teach gatherings, and publications. He teaches and directs directing and also taught acting in the William Esper doctoral dissertations in the Department of Theatre Acting Studio in New York. For the last eighteen at the University of Maryland where he has also seasons, he has been producing artistic director at served as chair of his department and as Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. As Fellow Jack departmental director of graduate studies in theatre. Wright’s seconding letter states, Ed Stern “elevated Our late Fellow Oscar Brockett wrote a glowing that theatre to superstar status.” seconding letter based upon a close acquaintance with Dr. Hildy since the early 1990s. Oscar Brockett One of Ed Stern’s greatest contributions to sought to entrust the continuation of his History of American theatre has been the nurturing of new the Theatre to one who would protect his rights and plays. He has served year after year on the Barrie take responsibility for any changes. Drs. Brockett Stavis play-reading committee for the National and Hildy worked together for eleven years and four Theatre Conference, and he has shown unerring editions, during which time Frank earned Oscar judgment in selecting new plays for full production Brockett’s praise for his depth of knowledge and his at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. As Fellow Scott zeal to keep the text up to date. Parker noted in his seconding letter, “when Ed Stern speaks, everybody listens.” Daniel Watermeier’s seconding letter recalls tramping around ancient Greek and Roman theatre Finally, you need to know how Ed Stern brought ruins in Greece and Turkey. “With each passing day home the regional theatre Tony Award to the and theatre site,” Dr. Watermeier wrote, “my respect Cincinnati Playhouse in 2004. He arranged a for Frank grew. He wears his considerable depth of reception for the theatre’s donors, staff, and artistic knowledge and erudition lightly, and he is an company, and had everyone stand in a circle around excellent traveling companion.” the room. Next to the door was the widow of the theatre’s founder. Through the doorway someone Let us welcome to the Fellows this serious scholar handed the Tony to her, so that she could be and jolly traveling companion: Frank Hildy. ■ perceived as the first to hold it. The Tony was then passed hand to hand around the room so that each New Fellow: Ed Stern person could be recognized as helping to earn it. Citation by Doesn’t that say a lot about Ed Stern’s ability to forge an artistic ensemble? ■ Felicia Londré, Dean Elect

One of the pre-eminent directors in the nation, Ed Stern deeply understands plays of all kinds (classics, new works in development, musicals), actors (of all kinds), production elements, and audiences. He can take a play you thought was a klunker and invest it with power and poignancy. He uses the resources of the stage in fresh ways but always in service to the play. And he knows his audiences well enough that he can stand at the entrance to his home theatre and greet by name virtually every arriving theatregoer.

The Fellows Gazette 12 Robert E. Lee Necrology of the Leonard Leone Mark Fellows Romulus Linney Monroe Lippman (* Lifetime Benefactor) Your Margaret Lynn Davey Marlin-Jones H. Darkes Albright Calendar Nellie McCaslin Ralph G. Allen Joseph Anthony Patricia McIlrath Paul Baker Brooks McNamara William M. Melnitz Future Dates for the Annual Lucy Barton Lee Mitchell Meetings in Washington DC Richard Moody Bernard Beckerman Jack Morrison Jerry Blunt April 21-22, 2012 * Oscar G. Brockett Arnold Moss DeMarcus Brown Craig Noel Frederick O’Neal Lorraine Brown April 20-21, 2013 B. Iden Payne Karl C. Bruder Norman Philbrick Isabel B. Burger Kal Burnim Thomas Poag Harold Burris-Meyer José Quintero James H. Butler John Reich Helen Krich Chinoy * Vera Mowry Roberts Richard Coe Horace Robinson * Leslie Irene Coger Edward C. Cole Douglas Russell Robert Corrigan George Schaefer Bob Schnitzer Sheppard Edmonds Dorothy Schwartz Keith Engar Samuel Selden Dina Rees Evans THE Mary Jane Evans Geraldine B. Siks Gregory Falls Sara Spencer FELLOWS John Gassner * August Staub Barry Stavis Rosamond Gilder Roger L. Stevens Arnold Gillette GAZETTE Ezra Stone Mordecai Gorelik Kenneth Graham * James F. Stuart Lewin Goff Willard Swire Moses Gunn * Lowell Swortzell William Talbot Agnes Haaga Andrew Tsubaki Claribel B. Halstead Abbott Van Nostrand William Halstead Billy Joe Harbin Lillian Voorhees Aurand Harris John Walker Walter Walters Father Gilbert Hartke Published by Nicholas Wandmacher Hubert Heffner The College of Fellows of the Winifred Ward Julia Dorn Heflin American Theatre Melvin White Barnard Hewitt Errol Gaston Hill Frank M. Whiting Burnet Hobgood Henry Williams Barbara Salisbury Wills * Francis Hodge Loren Winship Garland Wright Esther Jackson Submit Information to: Michael Kanin John Wray Young Robert Kase Robert A. Schanke, Editor * Tim Kelly 498 Edgewood Lane George Kernodle Pleasant Hill, IA 50327 Leonard Lee Korf Paul Kozelka or send email to: Jerome Lawrence [email protected] Kate Drain Lawson

The Fellows Gazette 19 Fellows Photo Gallery

Photos Courtesy of Fellows Bob Schanke & Felicia Londré and guest Kris Hildy

The Fellows Gazette 20