Gerald Freedman
GERALD FREEDMAN An Obie Award-winner and the first American invited to direct at the Globe Theatre in London, Gerald is regarded internationally for his direction of productions of classic drama, musicals, operas, new plays, and television. He served as leading director of Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival from 1960 to 1971, the last four years as Artistic Director. He was Co-Artistic Director of John Houseman's The Acting Company from 1974 to 1977, Artistic Director of the American Shakespeare Theatre, 1978 to 1979, and Artistic Director of the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1985 to 1997. Gerald has staged 26 of Shakespeare's plays, along with dozens of other world classics, and directed celebrated actors such as Olympia Dukakis, James Earl Jones, Stacy Keach, Julie Harris, Charles Durning, Sam Waterston, Patti Lupone, Mandy Patinkin, Jean Stapleton, William Hurt, Carroll O'Connor, and Kevin Kline. Gerald made theatre history with his off-Broadway premiere of the landmark rock musical Hair, which opened the Public Theatre in 1967. Broadway direction includes The Robber Bridegroom, The Grand Tour with Joel Grey, the revival of West Side Story, co-directed with Jerome Robbins, the premiere of Arthur Miller's The Creation of the World and Other Business, and Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession with Lynn Redgrave and Edward Herrmann. Productions for the Great Lakes Theater Festival include King Lear, with Hal Holbrook, which moved to the Roundabout Theatre. Gerald also directed opera productions for the Opera Society of Washington (Kennedy Center), the San Francisco Opera Company, and the New York City Opera. For New York City Opera, he directed revivals of Brigadoon and South Pacific. Prior to assuming the role of Dean of the School of Drama at the North Carolina School of the Arts, he taught at Yale and The Juilliard School. A native of Lorain, Ohio, he received both his BS and his MA (summa cum laude) from Northwestern University, and trained with Alvina Krause, Emmy Joseph, and at The Actors Studio. Gerald serves on the Kennedy Center New Play Committee and is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre. Additionally, he is a participant in the Oomoto Institute, Kameoka, Japan. Bio as of December, 2009. American Theatre Wing programs, interviews and/or credits include: SDCF Masters of the Stage (audio) Directing Shakespeare - May, 1988 - Listen Now. Internet Broadway Database Listing (IBDB.com)