Donald Margulies (born September 2, 1954) is an American playwright and academic. In 2000, he won the
Pulitzer Prize for Drama
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...
for his play ''Dinner with Friends''.
Background and education
Margulies attended
John Dewey High School
John Dewey High School is a public school in Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York City. It was founded and based on the educational principles of John Dewey. The school, under the supervision of the New York City Department of Education, was named a Ne ...
in
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, and graduated from
Purchase College
Purchasing is the process a business or organization uses to acquire goods or services to accomplish its goals. Although there are several organizations that attempt to set standards in the purchasing process, processes can vary greatly betwee ...
where he received a BFA in Visual Arts. Margulies lives with his wife, Lynn Street, a physician, and their son, Miles, in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...
.
[Rizzo, Frank]
"Play Is About Expensive Art Sold `Sight Unseen'"
''Hartford Courant'', November 24, 1993
He is a professor of English and Theatre & Performance Studies at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
.
Theater
Margulies' notable works include ''The Country House'' (2014), ''
Time Stands Still'' (2009) and ''
Brooklyn Boy
''Brooklyn Boy'' is a play by American playwright Donald Margulies. The play premiered in 2004 at South Coast Repertory and then on Broadway in 2005.
Plot
Novelist Eric Weiss, critically celebrated but unsuccessful, "arrives" when his new, autobi ...
'' (2004). ''
Sight Unseen'' and ''
Collected Stories'' were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 1992, and 1997, respectively; ''
Dinner with Friends
''Dinner with Friends'' is a play written by Donald Margulies. It premiered at the 1998 Humana Festival of New American Plays and opened Off-Broadway in 1999. The play received the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Plot
Gabe and Karen, a happily m ...
'' was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2000.
Margulies said of ''Sight Unseen'', "It's about loss, like most of my plays, and about identity."
[ ]Ben Brantley
Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...
noted themes in his works: "The central motifs in ''Brooklyn Boy'' have always been visible in Mr. Margulies's work, from the willed amnesia of the self-invented artist (''Sight Unseen'') to the hazy lines between fiction and reality (''Collected Stories''). And Eric's fractious, divided family, summoned in recollection in ''Brooklyn Boy,'' has been anticipated in ''The Loman Family Picnic'' and ''What's Wrong With This Picture?''
''Long Lost''
The play was developed in connection with the Nashville Repertory Theatre Ingram New Works Festival. The unfinished play was given a reading in May 2015 at the Festival. The play focuses on a "long-overdue reunion between two middle-aged brothers." ''Long Lost'' opened Off-Broadway, produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...
, at New York City Center — Stage I on May 14, 2019 in previews, officially on June 4. Directed by Daniel J. Sullivan, the cast features Kelly AuCoin
Kelly AuCoin (born February 14, 1967) is an American actor who has appeared in film, television, and theater. He is best known as "Dollar" Bill Stern on '' Billions'' ( Showtime), and Pastor Tim on ''The Americans'' ( FX). He has had recurring ro ...
, Annie Parisse, Lee Tergesen
Lee Allen Tergesen (; born July 8, 1965) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in '' Weird Science'', as Tobias Beecher in HBO's prison drama '' Oz'', and as Evan Wright in '' Generation Kill,'' as well as guest starring in many othe ...
and Alex Wolff
Alexander Draper Wolff (born November 1, 1997) is an American actor and musician. He first gained recognition for starring alongside his older brother Nat in the Nickelodeon musical comedy series '' The Naked Brothers Band'' (2007–09), which ...
.
''The Country House''
The play takes place in the Berkshires
The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...
, where Anna, an actress, is appearing at the Williamstown Theatre Festival
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. I ...
. She is entertaining her son, a failed actor, Elliot; a handsome famous actor, Michael; her son-in-law, Walter, who was married to her deceased daughter, and his girlfriend/fiancé, Nell and his daughter Susie.
''The Country House'' opened on Broadway on October 2, 2014, at the Manhattan Theater Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. It was a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse, where it had its world premiere on June 11, 2014, directed by Daniel Sullivan and starred Blythe Danner ("Anna"), Eric Lange
Eric Lange (born February 19, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for his work on television, where he has appeared in a wide variety of both supporting and leading roles.
Lange played the recurring roles of Stuart Radzinsky on the ''ABC'' ...
, David Rasche
David Rasche ( ; born August 7, 1944) is an American theater, film and television actor who is best known for his portrayal of the title character in the 1980s satirical police sitcom ''Sledge Hammer!'' Since then he has often played characters ...
and Sarah Steele
Sarah Jane Steele (born September 16, 1988) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Marissa Gold on the CBS legal drama series ''The Good Wife'' (2011–2016) and its CBS All Access spinoff series ''The Good Fight'' (2017–2 ...
; Scott Foley and Emily Swallow
Emily Swallow (born December 18, 1979) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Kim Fischer on ''The Mentalist'' and as Amara / The Darkness in the 11th season of ''Supernatural''. She also appears as The Armorer in the ''Star ...
originated roles played on Broadway by Daniel Sunjata
Daniel Sunjata Condon (born December 30, 1971) is an American actor who performs in film, television and theater. He is known for his role as Franco Rivera in the FX television series '' Rescue Me''.
Early life and education
Sunjata was born a ...
and Kate Jennings Grant
Kate Jennings Grant (born March 23, 1970) is an American actress. She has appeared in a number of Broadway productions during her career, including '' Proof'', '' An American Daughter'', and ''Guys and Dolls''. She also has appeared in films such ...
. It won the 2014 L.A. Ovation Award for Best Play (Large Theatre) and was selected an Applause Books Best Play of 2013–14.
''Time Stands Still''
''Time Stands Still'' opened on Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
on January 28, 2010, at the Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...
's Friedman Theatre
The Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, formerly the Biltmore Theatre, is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 261 West 47th Street (Manhattan), 47th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. ...
for a limited engagement. It resumed performances on September 23, 2010, at the Cort Theatre
The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was built in ...
, where it ran until January 30, 2011; between its two runs, it played a total of 24 previews and 193 performances. It starred Laura Linney, Brian d'Arcy James, Eric Bogosian
Eric Bogosian ( hy, Էրիկ Բոգոսյան; ; born April 24, 1953) is an American actor, playwright, monologuist, novelist, and historian. Descended from Armenian American immigrants, he grew up in Watertown and Woburn, Massachusetts, and a ...
and Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone ( ; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller ''The Crush (1993 film), The Crush'' (1993), earning the 1994 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and gained further prom ...
(later succeeded at the Cort by Christina Ricci), and was directed by Daniel Sullivan. The play was nominated for a 2010 Tony Award for Best Play and was a Burns Mantle Best Play of 2009–2010. Linney was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.
''Time Stands Still'' had its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse
The Geffen Playhouse (or the Geffen) is a not-for-profit theater company founded by Gilbert Cates in 1995. It produces plays in two theaters in Geffen Playhouse, which is owned by University of California Los Angeles. The Playhouse is located ...
(Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
) in February 2009 which had commissioned it. Directed by Sullivan, the Geffen premiere featured Silverstone, Anna Gunn
Anna Gunn (born August 11, 1968) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Skyler White on the AMC drama series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a ...
, David Harbour
David Kenneth Harbour (born April 10, 1975) is an American actor. He has played supporting roles in films such as '' Brokeback Mountain'' (2005), '' Quantum of Solace'' (2008), '' State of Play'' (2009), '' The Green Hornet'' (2011), ''End o ...
and Robin Thomas
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
** Forest r ...
. Its European premiere took place in Stockholm in 2009.
''Shipwrecked! An Entertainment''
The play, set in the 19th Century, focuses on "Louis de Rougemont" who was shipwrecked on a Coral Sea Island and lived with Australian aborigines, or so he tells his listeners in England.[
The play made its world premiere in the September 2007 ]Pacific Playwrights Festival
The Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF), a national forum for playwrights and theatre leaders, is dedicated to developing and producing new American plays. It is held every summer at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California.
Within the Am ...
at South Coast Repertory, where it starred Gregory Itzin
Gregory Martin Itzin (April 20, 1948 – July 8, 2022) was an American character actor of film and television best known for his role as U.S. President Charles Logan in the action thriller series '' 24''.
Early life
Itzin was born in Washin ...
and was directed by Bart DeLorenzo.
[Verini, Bob]
"Review. 'Shipwrecked! An Entertainment'"
''Variety'', September 28, 2007 The play went on to productions at the Geffen Playhouse, where it again was directed by DeLorenzo and starred Itzin and Long Wharf Theatre
Long Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared.
Fou ...
in New Haven, directed by Evan Cabnet in February 2008.
The play opened Off-Broadway at Primary Stages
Primary Stages was founded in 1984 by Casey Childs as an Off-Broadway not-for-profit theater company. In 2004, Primary Stages moved from its 99-seat home of 17 years at 354 West 45th Street to the 199-seat theater at 59E59 Theaters. In 2014, the ...
, directed by Lisa Peterson, running from February 8, 2009 to March 7, 2009.[ Michael Countryman appeared in the Long Wharf and Off-Broadway productions. It received the 2009 Outer Critics' Circle Award nomination for Outstanding New Play.]["'Shipwrecked! An Entertainment' Off-Broadway"]
lortel.org, accessed November 4, 2015
Oil Lamp Theater in Glenview, IL off-Chicago produced ''Shipwrecked: An Entertainment'' in summer 2021, which was the first production of the theater company to be produced outdoors. Alan Bresloff of Around The Town Chicago writes, "... this is a fast paced easy to follow 90 minutes of pure entertainment. In fact, you might want to know if there are even more tales in this temple of imagination.” The production was also cited as Highly Recommended by the magazine. At the 2021 BroadwayWorld
BroadwayWorld is a theatre news website based in New York City covering Broadway, Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres ...
Chicago Awards, this production of ''Shipwrecked'' won 5 awards, including Best Play and Best Production (In-Person) for Oil Lamp Theater, Best Director of a Play for Corey Bradberry, Best Performer in a Play for Logan Brown, and Best Supporting Performer in a Play for Van Ferro
Van Ferro (born 15 June 1987) is an American film, television, stage and voiceover actor. He is the first actor of Filipino descent to win BroadwayWorld acting awards in Chicago in 2021 for his work in Chicago theater for that calendar year, as ...
. It was nominated for an additional 4 categories including for Best Supporting Performer in a Play for Jasmine Robertson.
''Brooklyn Boy''
''Brooklyn Boy'' began at the Pacific Playwrights Festival, in 2003, and was produced at South Coast Repertory in 2004,[Hernandez, Ernio]
"World Premiere of Donald Margulies' Broadway-Bound 'Brooklyn Boy' Begins in CA, Sept. 3"
playbill.com, September 2, 2004 on Broadway by Manhattan Theatre Club at the Biltmore Theatre in February 2005,[ and in Paris at the Comedie des Champs-Élysées. It was an American Theatre Critics' Association New Play Award finalist, a 2005 Outer Critics' Circle nominee for Outstanding New Broadway Play]["'Brooklyn Boy' Production and Awards"]
playbillvault.com, accessed November 4, 2015 and a Burns Mantle
Robert Burns Mantle (December 23, 1873February 9, 1948) was an American theater critic. He founded the ''Best Plays'' annual publication in 1920.Chansky, Dorothy (2011)"Burns Mantle and the American Theatregoing Public" in ''Theatre History Stu ...
Best Play of 2004–2005.
The play was directed by Daniel Sullivan, and its original cast at the South Coast Rep was Adam Arkin
Adam Arkin (born August 19, 1956) is an American actor and director. He is known for playing the role of Aaron Shutt on ''Chicago Hope''. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony (Best Actor, 1991, '' I Hate Hamlet'') as well ...
, Arye Gross
Arye Gross (; born March 17, 1960) is an American actor, who has appeared on a variety of television shows in numerous roles, most notably Adam Greene in the ABC sitcom ''Ellen''.
Personal life
Gross was born on March 17, 1960, in Los Angeles ...
, Allan Miller
Allan Miller is an American stage, film, and television actor.
Biography
Miller was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Anna (née Diamond) and Benedict Miller. He served in the U.S. Army after World War II during the occupation of Jap ...
, Ari Graynor
Ariel Geltman Graynor (born April 27, 1983) is an American actress, known for her roles in TV series such as ''I'm Dying Up Here'', ''The Sopranos'' and ''Fringe'', in stage productions such as '' Brooklyn Boy'' and ''The Little Dog Laughed'', an ...
, Mimi Lieber, Kevin Isola and Dana Reeve (whose role was played on Broadway by Polly Draper
Polly Carey Draper (born June 15, 1955) is an American actress, writer, producer, and director. Draper has received several awards, including a Writers Guild of America Award (WGA), and is noted for speaking in a "trademark throaty voice." She g ...
).[
]
''Dinner with Friends''
''Dinner with Friends'', which received the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...
, was commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville (Kentucky), where it had its world premiere at the 1998 Humana Festival of New American Plays
Humana Festival of New American Plays is an internationally renowned festival that celebrates the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, this festival showcases new theatrica ...
. A revised version was produced in October 1998 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California
Costa Mesa (; Spanish for "Table Coast") is a city in Orange County, California. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to an urban area including part of the South Coast Plaza–John Wa ...
.
The play opened Off-Broadway at the Variety Arts Theatre in November 1999, where it played 654 performances. In addition to the Pulitzer, ''Dinner with Friends'' received an American Theatre Critics Association The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) is the only nationwide professional association of theatre critics in the United States. The ATCA membership consists of theatre critics who write reviews and critiques of live theatre for print, broad ...
New Play Citation, The Dramatists' Guild/Hull-Warriner Award The Hull-Warriner Award is an award bestowed by the Dramatists Guild of America. The award is unique in that it is given by dramatists to dramatists. It is presented annually by the Dramatists Guild Council to an author, or team of authors, in reco ...
, the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play,[ the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play a ]Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
nomination for Best Play and was selected a Burns Mantle
Robert Burns Mantle (December 23, 1873February 9, 1948) was an American theater critic. He founded the ''Best Plays'' annual publication in 1920.Chansky, Dorothy (2011)"Burns Mantle and the American Theatregoing Public" in ''Theatre History Stu ...
Best Play of 1999–2000.
It went on to have a long run in Paris at the Comedie des Champs-Élysées, and productions in London, Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, Tokyo, Mumbai, Seoul, Tel Aviv and Istanbul.
In 2002 it was an Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
-nominated film for HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
.
''Collected Stories''
''Collected Stories'' was commissioned by South Coast Repertory, where it had its world premiere in 1996. It went on to have three New York productions: its premiere Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club's City Center Stage I, in 1997, with Maria Tucci and Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing received short-lived roles on television series such as '' Ned and Stacey'' on Fox (1995–1997) and ...
, directed by Lisa Peterson; in 1998–99 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre with Uta Hagen
Uta Thyra Hagen (12 June 1919 – 14 January 2004) was a German-American actress and theatre practitioner. She originated the role of Martha in the 1962 Broadway premiere of ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' by Edward Albee, who called her "a ...
and Lorca Simons, directed by William Carden; and on Broadway in 2010 at Manhattan Theatre Club's Friedman (formerly Biltmore) Theatre, starring Linda Lavin
Linda Lavin (born October 15, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing the title character in the sitcom ''Alice'' and for her stage performances, both on and off-Broadway.
After acting as a child, Lavin joined the C ...
and Sarah Paulson
Sarah Catharine Paulson (born December 17, 1974) is an American actress. She began her acting career in New York City stage productions before starring in the short-lived television series ''American Gothic (1995 TV series), American Gothic'' ...
, directed by Lynne Meadow
Lynne Meadow is an American theatre producer, director and a teacher. She has been the artistic director of the Manhattan Theatre Club since 1972.
Career
A cum laude graduate of Bryn Mawr, Meadow attended the Yale School of Drama. . Lavin received a 2010 Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play for her performance.
Lavin had previously played the role of Ruth Steiner in May - June 1999 at the Geffen Playhouse in a production co-starring Samantha Mathis
Samantha Mathis (born May 12, 1970) is an American actress and trade union leader who served as the Vice President, Actors/Performers of SAG-AFTRA from 2015 to 2019. The daughter of actress Bibi Besch, Mathis made her film debut in '' Pump Up t ...
, directed by Gilbert Cates
Gilbert Cates (né Katz; June 6, 1934 – October 31, 2011) was an American film director and television producer, director of the Geffen Playhouse, a member of Cates/Doty Productions, and founding dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Te ...
, which was later re-produced for television broadcast by PBS Hollywood Presents in 2002.
The play has had many productions all over the country and around the world, including one in London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1999, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foot ...
, with Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...
and Anne-Marie Duff, directed by Howard Davies.
''Collected Stories'' was a finalist for the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...
.
''Sight Unseen''
''Sight Unseen'' was commissioned by South Coast Repertory, where it had its premiere in September 1991. The play premiered Off-Broadway in a Manhattan Theatre Club production, at City Center II on January 7, 1992 and transferred to the Orpheum Theatre on March 26, 1992 where it ran for a combined total of 293 performances. It was directed by Michael Bloom and starred Dennis Boutsikaris
Dennis Boutsikaris (; born December 21, 1952) is an American character actor who has won the Obie Award twice. He is also a narrator of audiobooks, for which he has won 13 Golden Earphone Awards and 8 Audie Awards. He won Best Audiobook of the Y ...
, Deborah Hedwall, Jon DeVries and, in the supporting role of a German art critic, Laura Linney.
Linney played "Patricia" in the play's Broadway premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club's Biltmore Theatre, running from May 6, 2004 (previews) to July 25, 2004. The cast featured Ben Shenkman
Benjamin Shenkman (born September 26, 1968) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the comedy-drama series '' Royal Pains'' and the acclaimed HBO miniseries ''Angels in America'', which earned him both Primetime Emmy Award and Golden ...
, Byron Jennings and Ana Reeder, directed by Daniel Sullivan. Linney received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play.
The play was a finalist for the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
''The Loman Family Picnic''
''The Loman Family Picnic'' was first produced by Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) at City Center Stage II, from June 6, 1989 to July 2, 1989, with Marcia Jean Kurtz
Marcia Jean Kurtz is an American film, stage, and television actress and director. She has appeared in such films as ''The Panic in Needle Park'', '' In Her Shoes'', and '' Big Fan'', appearing as Miriam Douglas in ''Dog Day Afternoon'' and ''In ...
and Larry Block
Lawrence Joel "Larry" Block (October 30, 1942 – October 7, 2012) was an American stage, film, television, and radio actor.
Early life and education
Lawrence Joel Block was born in New York City, New York, the son of Sonia (née Kutcher), a tr ...
, directed by Barnet Kellman
Barnet Kellman (born November 9, 1947) is an American television and film director, television producer and film actor.
Biography
Barnet Kellman (born November 9, 1947) is an American theatre, television and film director, television producer a ...
. The MTC revival ran from October 28, 1993 to January 9, 1994 at New York City Center Stage I. Directed by Lynne Meadow, the cast featured Christine Baranski
Christine Jane Baranski (born May 2, 1952) is an American actress. She is a 15-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Maryann Thorpe in the sitcom ''Cybill'' ...
and Peter Friedman
Peter Friedman (born April 24, 1949) is an American stage, film, and television actor.
Life and career
Born in New York City, Friedman graduated from Hofstra University[Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...]
survivors. They have moved from Brooklyn to a condominium in Florida. Debby is their overweight and messy daughter, late 30s. Neil is 15, a black young man who is Debby's boyfriend.
''The Model Apartment'' premiered at Los Angeles Theatre Center in November 1988, directed by Roberta Levitow featuring Chloe Webb as "Debby", Milton Selzer and Erica Yohn as her parents and Zero Hubbard.
The play opened Off-Broadway at Primary Stages
Primary Stages was founded in 1984 by Casey Childs as an Off-Broadway not-for-profit theater company. In 2004, Primary Stages moved from its 99-seat home of 17 years at 354 West 45th Street to the 199-seat theater at 59E59 Theaters. In 2014, the ...
, running from October 11, 1995 to November 12, 1995. Directed by Lisa Peterson, the cast featured Lynn Cohen
Lynn Harriette Cohen (née Kay; August 10, 1933 – February 14, 2020) was an American actress known for her roles in film, television and theater. She was especially known for her role as Magda in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'', which she ...
(Lola), Akili Prince, Paul Stolarsky and Roberta Wallach. Margulies won the 1995-96 OBIE Award for Playwriting, and the play was a 1995-96 Drama Desk nominee for Best Play and a Dramatists' Guild/Hull-Warriner Award finalist.
The play was revived Off-Broadway by Primary Stages, from September 24, 2013 (previews), officially on October 15. Directed by Evan Cabnet, the cast featured Mark Blum, Diane Davis and Kathryn Grody
Kathryn Janis Grody is an American actress and writer.
Early life and education
Grody was born in Los Angeles, California. She studied acting at HB Studio in New York City.
Career
Grody wrote, and acted in, the autobiographical play ''Mom's Lif ...
. It was nominated for two Lucille Lortel Awards (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play, Diane Davis and Outstanding Revival) and for two 2014 Drama Desk Awards (Outstanding Revival of a Play and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play, Diane Davis).
''What's Wrong with This Picture? ''
Shirley, a Jewish housewife and mother from Brooklyn, returns from the dead to reconcile with her family. Her husband Mort is grieving and teen son Artie can't forgive her for leaving him.
''What's Wrong with This Picture?'' was first produced Off-Broadway by the Manhattan Theatre Club Stage 73, from January 29, 1985
to February 23, 1985, directed by Claudia Weill and starring Madeline Kahn
Madeline Gail Kahn ('' née'' Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian and singer, known for comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including '' What's Up, Doc?'' (1972), ' ...
as Shirley. It was next produced Off-Broadway by the Jewish Repertory Theatre from June 9, 1990 to August 5, 1990, directed by Larry Arrick.
The play ran on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre
The Lena Horne Theatre (previously the Mansfield Theatre and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 256 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1926, it was designed by Herbert ...
from November 15, 1994 in previews, officially on December 8, 1994 and closed on December 18, 1994. Directed by Joe Mantello
Joseph Mantello (born December 27, 1962) is an American actor and director known for his work on Broadway productions of '' Wicked'', '' Take Me Out'', and ''Assassins'', having gained notoriety in the 1993 cast of ''Angels in America''.
Early l ...
, the cast featured Faith Prince
Faith Prince (born August 6, 1957) is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on Broadway in musical theatre. She won the Tony Award as Best Actress in ''Guys and Dolls'' in 1992, and received three other Tony nominations.
Life ...
, Alan Rosenberg, Jerry Stiller
Gerald Isaac Stiller (June 8, 1927 – May 11, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He spent many years as part of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara with his wife, Anne Meara, to whom he was married for over 60 years until her death in 2015 ...
, and David Moscow.
''Found a Peanut''
''Found a Peanut'' was first produced by Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival in June 1984, where it was directed by Claudia Weill and starred Robert Joy, Evan Handler, Peter McNicol, Greg Germann, Robin Bartlett, Nealla Spano, Kevin Geer and Jonathan Walker.
''Gifted Children''
''Gifted Children'' was produced by the Jewish Repertory Theater (New York City) in December 1983, directed by Joan Vail Thorne and starring Dinah Manoff
Dinah Beth Manoff (born January 25, 1956) is an American stage, film, and television actress and television director. She is best known for her roles as Elaine Lefkowitz on ''Soap'', Marty Maraschino in the film '' Grease'', Libby Tucker in both ...
and Zohra Lampert
Zohra Lampert is an American actress, who has had roles on stage, film and television. She performed under her then-married name of Zohra Alton early in her career.
Among her performances were as the title character in the 1971 cult horror film ...
.
Adaptations
''Luna Park'' is a one-act play inspired by the short story "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities" by Delmore Schwartz
Delmore Schwartz (December 8, 1913 – July 11, 1966) was an American poet and short story writer.
Early life
Schwartz was born in 1913 in Brooklyn, New York, where he also grew up. His parents, Harry and Rose, both Romanian Jews, separated when ...
and was his New York debut as a playwright. The play was commissioned by the Jewish Repertory Theater which produced the play in February 1982 with direction by Florence Stanley.
His play ''God of Vengeance'', based on the Yiddish classic by Sholem Asch
Sholem Asch ( yi, שלום אַש, pl, Szalom Asz; 1 November 1880 – 10 July 1957), also written Shalom Ash, was a Polish-Jewish novelist, dramatist, and essayist in the Yiddish language who settled in the United States.
Life and work
Asch ...
, was produced at ACT Theatre
ACT Theatre (originally A Contemporary Theatre) is a regional, non-profit theatre organization in Seattle, in the US state of Washington. Gregory A. Falls (1922–1997) founded ACT in 1965 and served as its first Artistic director; at the time ACT ...
(Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
) in April 2000, and in August 2002 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. I ...
, directed by Gordon Edelstein
Gordon Edelstein is an American theatre director. He was Artistic Director of the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut from 2002 until January 2018, when he was fired following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Biography
He received a Bach ...
and starring Ron Leibman.
''Coney Island Christmas'', adapted from the short story “The Loudest Voice” by Grace Paley, was commissioned and first produced by the Geffen Playhouse in November 2012.
Directed by Bart DeLorenzo the cast featured Arye Gross and Isabella Acres in this "Jewish Christmas show".
Film and television
Margulies has written pilots and episodes of several television shows. In the 1980s, he was under contract to Norman Lear's company to develop television pilots, and was a producer-writer for the television series ''Baby Boom.''[
He has adapted a wide range of material for film and television, both fiction (including '']Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
'' by Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Kent Eugenides (born March 8, 1960) is an American novelist and short story writer. He has written numerous short stories and essays, as well as three novels: ''The Virgin Suicides'' (1993), ''Middlesex'' (2002), and'' The Marriage Plot'' ...
, Tom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr. (March 2, 1930 – May 14, 2018)Some sources say 1931; ''The New York Times'' and Reuters both initially reported 1931 in their obituaries before changing to 1930. See and was an American author and journalist widely ...
’s ''A Man in Full
''A Man in Full'' is the second novel by Tom Wolfe, published on November 12, 1998, by Farrar, Straus & Giroux. It is set primarily in Atlanta, with a significant portion of the story also transpiring in the East Bay region of the San Francisco B ...
'', ''The Touchstone
The Touchstone is a novella by American writer Edith Wharton. Written in 1900, it was the first of her many stories describing life in old New York.
Stephen Glennard, the novella's protagonist, is suddenly impoverished and unable to marry the ...
'' by Edith Wharton) and non-fiction (notably '' American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House'' by Jon Meacham
Jon Ellis Meacham (; born May 20, 1969) is an American writer, reviewer, historian and presidential biographer who is serving as the current Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral since November 7, 2021. A former executive editor ...
, ''The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce’s “Ulysses"'' by Kevin Birmingham, and biographies of David O. Selznick, Robert Capa
Robert Capa (born Endre Ernő Friedmann; October 22, 1913 – May 25, 1954) was a Hungarian-American war photographer and photojournalist as well as the companion and professional partner of photographer Gerda Taro. He is considered by some t ...
and Keith Moon
Keith John Moon (23 August 19467 September 1978) was an English drummer for the rock band the Who. He was noted for his unique style of playing and his eccentric, often self-destructive behaviour and addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Moon grew ...
), all of which are unproduced.
''The End of the Tour''
Margulies adapted the memoir ''Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
''Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace'' is a 2010 memoir by David Lipsky, about a five-day road trip with the author David Foster Wallace. It is based upon a ''Rolling Stone'' magazine story that ...
: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace'', by David Lipsky
David Lipsky (born July 20, 1965) is an American author. His works have been ''New York Times'' bestsellers, ''New York Times'' Notable Books, ''Time'', Amazon, and NPR Best Books of the Year, and have been included in ''The Best American Mag ...
, as a feature film screenplay, ''The End of the Tour
''The End of the Tour'' is a 2015 American drama film about writer David Foster Wallace. The film stars Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg, was written by Donald Margulies, and was directed by James Ponsoldt. Based on David Lipsky's best-selling ...
''.[Phillips, Tony.]
"David Foster Wallace for the Masses: A Q&A with Donald Margulies"
wordandfilm.com, July 29, 2015 The film, released in 2015, was directed by James Ponsoldt
James Adam Ponsoldt (born 1978) is an American film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed the drama films ''Off the Black'' (2006) and '' Smashed'' (2012), the romantic comedy-drama '' The Spectacular Now'' (2013), and the dramas '' The En ...
and stars Jason Segel
Jason Jordan Segel ( ; born January 18, 1980) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Marshall Eriksen in the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'', as well as for his work with director and ...
as Wallace and Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Adam Eisenberg (; born October 5, 1983) is an American actor, writer, and director. He has received various accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. ...
as Lipsky. The film received widespread positive reviews from critics, with a 93% "Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
,
Grants and Fellowships
Margulies has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
, the New York Foundation for the Arts
The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is an independent 501(c)(3) charity, funded through government, foundation, corporate, and individual support, established in 1971. It is part of a network of national not-for-profit arts organizations ...
, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Olga and Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died on April 26, 1922. The organization awards Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been ...
["Margulies Biography, 2000"]
pulitzer.org, accessed November 4, 2015 and a MacDowell Colony Fellowship.
He was playwright-in-residence at the Sundance Playwrights Conference for three summers; ''Collected Stories'' was developed there,[Mitchell, Sea]
"Opportunity Knocks"
''Los Angeles Times'', October 27, 1999 as was an early version of ''Sight Unseen''.
Margulies is an alumnus of New Dramatists and serves on the council of the Dramatists Guild of America
The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market.
Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active M ...
.
Selected Honors
* 2019 American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...
inductee
* 2018 Thornton Wilder Prize
* 2015 William Inge Theatre Festival Distinguished Achievement in American Theater Award
*2014 PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award The PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award, commonly referred to as the PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award, is awarded by the PEN America (formerly PEN American Center). It annually recognizes two American playwrights. A medal is given ...
American Playwright in Mid-Career
* 2005 American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headqu ...
Award in Literature
* 2005 National Foundation for Jewish Culture
The Foundation for Jewish Culture (formerly the National Foundation for Jewish Culture) was an advocacy group for Jewish cultural life and creativity in the United States.
Founded in 1960, it supported writers, filmmakers, artists, composers, ch ...
Award in Literary Arts
* 2000 Madge Evans-Sidney Kingsley Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theatre by a Playwright[Simonson, Robert]
"Margulies and Seldes Receive DG's Evans-Kingsley Award, June 27"
Playbill, June 21, 2000
* 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...
Notable works
* ''Luna Park, ''1982
* ''Resting Place, ''1982
* ''Gifted Children, ''1983
* ''Found a Peanut, ''1984
* ''What's Wrong with This Picture?, ''1985
* ''The Model Apartment, ''1988
* ''The Loman Family Picnic, ''1989
* ''Pitching to the Star, ''1990
* '' Sight Unseen'', 1991
* ''July 7, 1994, ''1995
* '' Collected Stories'', 1996
* ''Dinner with Friends
''Dinner with Friends'' is a play written by Donald Margulies. It premiered at the 1998 Humana Festival of New American Plays and opened Off-Broadway in 1999. The play received the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Plot
Gabe and Karen, a happily m ...
'', 1998
* ''God of Vengeance'', 2000
* ''Brooklyn Boy
''Brooklyn Boy'' is a play by American playwright Donald Margulies. The play premiered in 2004 at South Coast Repertory and then on Broadway in 2005.
Plot
Novelist Eric Weiss, critically celebrated but unsuccessful, "arrives" when his new, autobi ...
, ''2003
* ''Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, ''2007
* '' Time Stands Still'', 2009
* ''Coney Island Christmas'', 2012
* ''The Country House'', 2014
*''Long Lost'', 2019
References
External links
*
*
*
Program from the world premiere of ''Shipwrecked!''
at South Coast Repertory
South Coast Repertory (SCR) is a professional theatre company located in Costa Mesa, California.
Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, is led by Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Direc ...
Program from the world premiere of ''Brooklyn Boy''
at South Coast Repertory
South Coast Repertory (SCR) is a professional theatre company located in Costa Mesa, California.
Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964 by David Emmes and Martin Benson, is led by Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Direc ...
Donald Margulies
- ''Downstage Center'' interview at American Theatre Wing.org
Donald Margulies interview on ''Collected Stories'' - “Mentors and protégés exist everywhere”
a
phindie.com
* Donald Margulies Papers. Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Margulies, Donald
1954 births
Living people
20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
Drama Desk Award winners
Pulitzer Prize for Drama winners
John Dewey High School alumni
State University of New York at Purchase alumni
Jewish dramatists and playwrights
American academics of English literature
Jewish American dramatists and playwrights
Yale University faculty
20th-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century American Jews