Paul Shyre (8 March 1926–19 November 1989) was an American director and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

who received a

Special Tony Award The Special Tony Award category includes the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award and the Special Tony Award. These are non-competitive honorary awards, and the titles have changed over the years. The Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre ...

and won a

Regional 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 ...

.Haymer, Johnny (21 November 1989) ''The Washington Post'' page B-7 He is noted for the plays ''Hizzoner'', ''

Will Rogers' USA ''Will Rogers' USA'' is a one-man play about humorist Will Rogers that James Whitmore appeared in for more than 30 years. It was first staged by Frankie Hewitt at the Loretto-Hilton Theater in Webster Groves, Missouri in January 1970Dennis McClell ...

'' and ''The President Is Dead''. Shyre graduated from the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

and the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...

. He was a professor of theater arts at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

. Shyre adapted to the stage, directed and co-produced the Sean O'Casey novels, ''Pictures in the Hallway'', ''I Knock at the Door'' and ''Drums Under the Windows''. He also wrote and directed ''A Whitman Portrait'' and ''An Unpleasant Evening With H.L. Mencken''.

Awards

*1957 Drama Desk Award for ''Pictures in the Hallway'' *1957

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the A ...

, special citation for bringing O'Casey to Off-Broadway; for his adaptations of ''I Knock at the Door'', ''Pictures in the Hallway'', and ''USA''"New York Obies Theater Awards - 1957"
/ref> *1957

*1987 New York Emmy Award shared with Robert H. Rines for the television and later Broadway play ''Hizzoner!'' about Mayor

Fiorello La Guardia Fiorello Henry LaGuardia (; born Fiorello Enrico LaGuardia, ; December 11, 1882September 20, 1947) was an American attorney and politician who represented New York in the House of Representatives and served as the 99th Mayor of New York City fro ...

References

1926 births 1989 deaths 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights American theatre directors University of Florida alumni Cornell University faculty Regional Emmy Award winners Obie Award recipients Special Tony Award recipients {{US-playwright-stub