58-589: Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky ; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director . He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan . There Papp created a year-round producing home to focus on new plays and musicals. Among numerous examples of these were the works of David Rabe , Ntozake Shange 's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When
116-447: A managing director , and creative decisions fall to the artistic director . In theatres with no managing director , artistic directors often use the title producing artistic director or managing artistic director, to indicate a higher level of responsibility. In the commercial world of Broadway , New York City and West End , London and touring, both nationally and internationally, producers are expected to be active members of
174-698: A gay son, Tony, Papp aligned himself with gay and lesbian concerns in at least two specific instances. He fought anti-obscenity provisions that Congress briefly imposed on the National Endowment for the Arts during the Reagan Presidency , and he chose to produce The Normal Heart , which decried institutionalized " homophobia " as well as Mayor Koch 's response to the AIDS crisis . Papp fostered other theatre throughout New York City, in particular
232-575: A hit that would have a positive effect on my career, as well as Joe's, but I missed the shouting. I missed the feeling of not knowing what might happen next or how that play would that night move an audience unafraid of talking back. By age 41, after Papp had established a permanent base for his free summer Shakespeare performances in Central Park's Delacorte Theater , an open-air amphitheatre, Papp looked for an all-year theater he could make his own. After looking at other locations, he fell in love with
290-592: A landmarked Romanesque revival structure at 425 Lafayette Street since 1967, built between 1853 and 1881 as the Astor Library, which later merged with the Tilden and Lenox collections to become the New York Public Library . The library was built by William B. Astor , son of the library's founder, John Jacob Astor . A German-born architect, Alexander Saeltzer , who had been the architect of
348-621: A musical adaptation of Two Gentlemen of Verona which transferred to a Broadway run). Julia also played Othello with Frances Conroy as his Desdemona and Richard Dreyfuss as Iago . And, in 1968, one year before his breakthrough in The Subject was Roses , Martin Sheen played Romeo . A complete list of the productions through 1995 is available in Joe Papp: An American Life by Helen Epstein . Shakespeare in
406-601: A new staging of the opera at the Delacorte. The show was a sensation, and Papp transferred it to Broadway, where it ran for over 800 performances. It won Tony Awards for Best Revival, Best Director ( Wilford Leach ), and Best Actor ( Kevin Kline ). Linda Ronstadt was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical. Papp was a pioneer in a commitment to non-traditional casting , using a variety of ethnicities and colors of actors in his new plays and Shakespeare productions. The father of
464-468: A summer intensive exploring the rigors, challenges, and joys of performing Shakespeare. The Public Theater hosts educational programs for teenagers such as Shakespeare Spring Break, Summer ShakeUP, and A Midsummer Day's Camp programs, all for teenagers interested in learning about and performing Shakespeare. Suzan-Lori Parks , Pulitzer Prize -winning playwright and Master Writer Chair of The Public, debuted her performance piece Watch Me Work as part of
522-484: A three-month hiatus during the summer of 2011 to allow for construction. The building re-opened on October 4, 2012 after a renovation designed by Ennead Architects costing $ 40 million. In 2013, The Public launched Public Works, which brings together diverse groups of people throughout the five boroughs of New York City to watch theater, participate in theatrical workshops, and perform in one full-scale Public Works production alongside professional actors at Shakespeare in
580-503: A workshop and a full production in front of an audience, as an opportunity to gage audience reaction and further develop their work. The Public Theater invests in theater education, training classical actors through the annual summer acting intensive known as the Shakespeare Lab. The Shakespeare Lab is The Public Theater's professional actor development program that immerses a selected company of professional, mid-career actors in
638-719: Is a new platform for The Public's exploration of the Shakespeare canon. This expansion marks the growth of The Public's Shakespeare Initiative and provides more ways for The Public to produce American interpretations of Shakespeare's works. The first production of Public LAB SHAKESPEARE was Timon of Athens in March 2011, with Richard Thomas playing the title role. Since 2013, The Public's Mobile Unit has been bringing free Shakespeare performances to various locations throughout New York City's five boroughs, including prisons, homeless shelters, and community centers. The tour concludes at
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#1732794397689696-405: Is a person who oversees all aspects of mounting a theatre production . The producer is responsible for the overall financial and managerial functions of a production or venue, raises or provides financial backing, and hires personnel for creative positions (writer, director, designers, composer, choreographer—and in some cases, performers). The term "producer" is American in origin, referring to
754-400: Is currently under Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham . The Public's headquarters is located at 425 Lafayette Street in the former Astor Library in Lower Manhattan . The building contains five theater spaces, and Joe's Pub , a cabaret-style venue for new work, musical performances, spoken-word artists, and soloists. Additionally, The Public operates
812-420: Is important, because of the liability issues mentioned above. All bills, including payroll, must be paid on time, and taxes must be paid. The producer oversees the budget. The theatre owner provides box office services and turns over net ticket sales revenue. If sales fall under a set minimum level, the unprofitable show may close. If ticket sales are good and the show makes a profit, the producer may get 50% of
870-617: Is one of the most important roles in a theatrical production. The Public Theatre The Public Theater is an arts organization in New York City . Founded by Joseph Papp , The Public Theater was originally the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954; its mission was to support emerging playwrights and performers. Its first production was the musical Hair in 1967. Since Papp, the theatre has been led by JoAnne Akalaitis (1991–1993), and George C. Wolfe (1993–2004), and
928-624: The Anshe Chesed Synagogue , designed the building in Rundbogenstil style, then the prevailing style for public building in Germany. Astor funded two expansions of the building toward Astor Place, designed by Griffith Thomas (1856–1869) and Thomas Stent (1879–1881). Both large expansions followed Saeltzer's original design so seamlessly that an observer cannot detect that the edifice was built in three stages. In 1920,
986-803: The Delacorte Theater in Central Park , where it has staged " Shakespeare in the Park " performances free of charge since 1954. Recent productions include: The Merchant of Venice (2010); Here Lies Love (2013); Fun Home (2013); Eclipsed (2015); and Hamilton (2015). In addition to each season of full-scale theatrical productions, The Public produces several different series, festivals, and programs each year. The Public presented its inaugural Public LAB series in 2008 with an annual series of new plays presented in collaboration with LAByrinth Theater Company . With each Public LAB show,
1044-600: The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society purchased the building. By 1965, it was in disuse and faced demolition. The Public Theater, then the New York Shakespeare Festival , persuaded the city to purchase it for use as a theater. It was converted for theater use by Giorgio Cavaglieri between 1967 and 1976. The building is a New York City Landmark , designated in 1965. It was one of the first buildings to be recognized as such by
1102-711: The 2011 Under The Radar Festival. In the performance, Parks worked on her newest writing project in the main lobby of The Public Theater. A number of The Public's productions have moved to larger Broadway theaters upon the conclusion of their run at Astor Place. The three most commercially successful of these works have been Hair (1967), A Chorus Line (1975), and Hamilton (2015). The Public Theater has won 54 Tony Awards , 152 Obie Awards , 42 Drama Desk Awards and five Pulitzer Prizes . Fifty-five Public Theater productions have moved to Broadway, including Sticks and Bones , That Championship Season , A Chorus Line , For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When
1160-488: The Delacorte for his Shakespeare) were George C. Scott 's Obie -award-winning Richard III in 1958; Colleen Dewhurst 's Kate , Lady Macbeth , Cleopatra (opposite George C. Scott's Mark Antony ), and Gertrude ; the Prince Hamlet of Stacy Keach opposite Dewhurst's Gertrude with James Earl Jones ' King Claudius , Barnard Hughes 's Polonius and Sam Waterston 's Laertes ; Sam Waterston's Hamlet (opposite
1218-483: The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding to strengthen ties between Blacks and Jews. Papp's biography Joe Papp: An American Life was written by journalist Helen Epstein and published in 1996. William Finn 's 2003 album Elegies: A Song Cycle includes the song "Joe Papp," dedicated to Papp's contributions to New York theatre and personal friendship with Finn. Theatrical producer A theatrical producer
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#17327943976891276-1009: The Gertrude of Ruby Dee ) with the Laertes of John Lithgow and Andrea Marcovicci 's Ophelia ; the Benedick and Beatrice of Sam Waterston and Kathleen Widdoes in Much Ado About Nothing with Barnard Hughes's Keystone Cops version of Dogberry ; the early work of Meryl Streep as Isabella in Measure for Measure ; Mary Beth Hurt as Randall Duk Kim 's daughter in Pericles ; James Earl Jones as King Lear (1973) with Rosalind Cash and Ellen Holly as his wicked daughters; Raul Julia as Edmund in Jones' 1973 King Lear , as Osric to Keach's Hamlet , and as Proteus (in
1334-563: The Park was not exclusively for Shakespeare. In the summer of 1977 Gloria Foster was Clytemnestra in the Greek tragedy Agamemnon followed by Raul Julia as Macheath in Richard Foreman 's production of Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill 's The Threepenny Opera , which later transferred to Lincoln Center . Papp was also a Gilbert and Sullivan lover, and in 1980, to commemorate the centenary of The Pirates of Penzance , he mounted
1392-533: The Park. Past Public Works productions include The Tempest, The Winter's Tale, and The Odyssey. The Public Forum, begun in 2010, is a series of lectures, debates, and conversations that showcase leading voices in the arts, politics and the media. Curated by Jeremy McCarter, a senior writer at Newsweek , Public Forum events explore issues raised by plays in The Public's season, as well as the political and cultural headlines of today's world. Notable participants in
1450-558: The Public Theater, Papp's focus moved away from the Shakespeare classics and toward new work. Notable Public Theater productions included Charles Gordone 's No Place to Be Somebody (the first off-Broadway show, and the first play by an African American , to win the Pulitzer Prize ) and the plays of David Rabe , Tom Babe and Jason Miller . Papp called his productions of Rabe's plays "the most important thing I did at
1508-473: The Public Theater, having previously performed at notable venues such as Rikers Island , Borden Avenue's Veteran's Shelter, and The Fortune Society. The Public also launched its inaugural Public Works production in 2013. Public Works combines diverse groups of people throughout the five boroughs of New York City to watch theater, participate in theatrical workshops, and perform in one full-scale Public Works production alongside professional actors at Shakespeare in
1566-599: The Public. Papp's 1985 production of Larry Kramer 's play The Normal Heart addressed, in its time, the prejudicial political system which was turning its back on the AIDS crisis and the gay community. Designer Ming Cho Lee commented: "With the new playwrights, the whole direction of the theater changed [but] none of us realized for a while. ... The Public Theater became more important than the Delacorte. The new playwrights became more interesting to Joe than Shakespeare." Among all
1624-535: The Rainbow Is Enuf , The Pirates of Penzance , The Tempest , Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk , Michael John LaChiusa 's The Wild Party , The Ride Down Mt. Morgan , Topdog/Underdog , Take Me Out , Caroline, or Change , Passing Strange , the revival of HAIR , Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson , The Merchant of Venice , The Normal Heart , Well , Fun Home , Hamilton , and Eclipsed . The Public has been housed in
1682-504: The Rainbow Is Enuf , Charles Gordone 's No Place to Be Somebody (the first off-Broadway play to win the Pulitzer Prize ), and Papp's production of Michael Bennett 's Pulitzer Prize–winning musical A Chorus Line . Papp also founded Shakespeare in the Park , helped to develop other off-Broadway theatres and worked to preserve the historic Broadway Theatre District . Papp was born as Joseph Papirofsky in Brooklyn , New York City,
1740-534: The United States to provide assistance in the preservation of the historical, cultural, and architectural character of the site and in its restoration. It directed the National Park Service to designate theatre preservation sites and other appropriate real property within the site as national historic landmarks if they met the criteria for national historic landmarks, and would have prohibited
1798-712: The bill was not enacted into law, but the ultimate effect of the "Save the Theatres" effort was to slow destruction of the old Theater District enough to eventually ensure preservation of a number of other historic playhouses and a measure of the District's original atmosphere and historic character. Joseph Papp died of prostate cancer at age 70, on October 31, 1991. He is buried in the Baron Hirsch Cemetery on Staten Island . His son, Tony, died of complications of AIDS only months before Joseph Papp's death. Papp
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1856-404: The business and legal end of employing staff, as in any business entity. Hiring creative staff and teams generally involves the director and playwright's approval. The producer hires the production team, including the general manager, production manager , house manager, stage manager , etc., at their discretion. In many cases, contracts require that the producer use front of house staff (such as
1914-609: The corresponding speaker series is presented as after-show talkbacks to discuss prominent themes, ideas, and topics in the plays. Several plays that have appeared in the Public LAB series have gone onto full-scale productions, including Tracey Scott Wilson 's The Good Negro , which ran at The Public in 2009, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson , which had a sold-out, thrice-extended off-Broadway run at The Public in spring 2010 and transferred to Broadway that fall. In 2011, Public LAB expanded to include Public LAB SHAKESPEARE, which
1972-559: The demolition or alteration of real property located within the site unless such demolition or alteration would contribute to the preservation, restoration, or enhancement of the site for traditional legitimate theatre purposes. Among other things, it would have established a Federally chartered citizens advisory group to be chaired by Papp, known as the "Broadway/Times Square Theatre District Preservation Commission". Faced with fierce opposition and extensive lobbying against its passage by Mayor Ed Koch's administration and Manhattan developers,
2030-648: The development of numerous Off Broadway theatres, often contributing funds from successful Broadway transfers, such as A Chorus Line . These included Theatre for a New Audience , which presented several productions at the Delacourte, and the Riverside Shakespeare Company , in which Papp took a special interest, beginning with the sponsorship of the New York premiere of Brecht's The Life of Edward II of England in 1982, continuing with
2088-425: The early 1980s, he helped lead the "Save the Theatres" movement, and to found "Save the Theatres, Inc.", along with a number of actors, directors, producers and other theatre, film and television personalities. The movement's aim was to preserve vintage playhouses that were then being threatened with demolition by monied Manhattan development interests. Papp's initiative was sparked by the impending demolition in 1982 of
2146-434: The financial underwriting of Riverside's New York Parks Tours of Free Shakespeare, including The Comedy of Errors in (1982), Merry Wives of Windsor in 1983, Romeo and Juliet in 1984, and Romeo and Juliet in 1985. In 1983, Papp dedicated the newly renovated theatre of The Shakespeare Center with Helen Hayes . Papp took a keen interest in preservation of the historic Broadway/Times Square Theater District . In
2204-732: The historic Morosco and Helen Hayes theatres, as well as the old Piccadilly Hotel, on West 45th Street. Although Papp was unsuccessful in saving the Morosco or the Helen Hayes , at his encouragement Congressman Donald J. Mitchell of New York introduced legislation in the United States Congress (97th Congress – H.R.6885 ) with 13 co-sponsors, to designate a "Broadway/Times Square Theatre District National Historic Site" in Manhattan. The Mitchell bill would have required
2262-475: The home of the Emerging Writers Group, which seeks to target playwrights at the earliest stages in their careers. The Emerging Writers Group is a component of The Public Writers Initiative. The Public also fosters Public Studio, a performance series dedicated to developing the works of new and emerging theater artists. Emerging playwrights get the opportunity to stage a piece somewhere between
2320-414: The house manager, box office , ushers, etc.) and backstage personnel ( stage hands , electrician, carpenter, etc.) supplied by the theatre. The producer creates, builds on and oversees the budget, sets ticket prices, chooses performance dates and times, and develops a marketing and advertising strategy for the production. Hiring a publicist and marketing team is one of the most important responsibilities of
2378-477: The leading character, Kate , recalled the effect of this publicity (in an autobiography published posthumously as a collaboration with Tom Viola): With Brooks Atkinson's blessing, our world changed overnight. Suddenly in our audience of neighbors in T-shirts and jeans appeared men in white shirts, jackets and ties, and ladies in summer dresses. Suddenly we were "the play to see", and everything changed. We were in
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2436-488: The location and the character of Lafayette Street's Astor Library . Papp rented it, in 1967, reportedly for one dollar per year, from the city. It was the first building saved from demolition under the New York City landmarks preservation law. After massive renovations, Papp moved his staff to the newly named Public Theater , hoping to attract a newer, less conventional audience for new and innovative playwrights. At
2494-411: The net profit, the other 50% going to the investors. Statistically, highly successful shows with big profits are the exception. Independent commercial production is a high risk business. Another kind of producer is the non-independent, or line producer , who facilitates other people's projects. A repertory or repertoire or festival or non-profit or amateur organization, in most cases, uses
2552-455: The newly formed Landmarks Preservation Commission of New York City. In 2009, The Public began its "Going Public" campaign to raise funds for a major renovation of the historic building. Groundbreaking for the $ 35 million renovation occurred on March 9, 2010, with notables such as Liev Schreiber and Philip Seymour Hoffman in attendance. Plans included a renovation of Joe's Pub; the Pub went on
2610-623: The open-air Delacorte Theatre every summer in Central Park. Papp spent much of his career promoting his idea of free Shakespeare in New York City. His 1956 production of Taming of the Shrew , outdoors in the East River Amphitheatre on New York's Lower East Side , was pivotal for Papp, primarily because critic Brooks Atkinson endorsed Papp's vision in The New York Times . Actress Colleen Dewhurst , who played
2668-399: The original theatrical production enhances the value of an artistic property. This right to further options may be included in the royalty agreement. In other duties, the producer may work with theatrical agents, negotiate with unions, find other staff, secure the theatre and rehearsal hall, obtain liability and workers' compensation insurance, and post bonds with unions. The producer handles
2726-413: The person responsible for the financial aspects of producing a play, including acquiring the rights to produce it; renting a theatre; hiring actors and staff; and selling tickets. In Britain, these functions were carried out by the manager, while the person responsible for staging the play (now called the "director") was traditionally referred to as the producer. The independent producer usually initiates
2784-448: The plays and musicals that Papp produced, he is perhaps best known for four productions that later transferred to Broadway runs: Hair , The Pirates of Penzance , For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf and A Chorus Line . The last of these originated with a series of taped interviews, at the Public, of dancers' reminiscences, overseen by director/choreographer Michael Bennett . Papp had not kept
2842-451: The producer. These teams are generally in place before the show is cast. The producer collaborates with the director and all staff to plan a production timeline and deadlines for various aspects of the production to ensure a successful show opening and run. The producer and director oversee this timeline, with periodic re-assessment and modifications as needed. The producer hires accountants, and perhaps already has legal representation. This
2900-401: The production in a limited partnership agreement. In this business structure, the producer becomes the general partner with unlimited liability, and because of this, often brings in other general partners. The producer probably has optioned the play from the playwright , which includes rights to future production for film and television. The producer earns the right to future ventures because
2958-433: The production—finding the script and starting the process. The producer finds the director and pursues the primary goals, to balance and coordinate business and financial aspects in the service of the creative realization of the playwright's vision. This may include casting, but often only includes casting approval. The producer may secure funds for the production, either through their own company or by bringing investors into
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#17327943976893016-518: The rights to produce Hair , and he did not gain from its Broadway transfer. But he kept the rights to A Chorus Line , and the show's earnings became a continuous financial support for Papp's work. It received 12 Tony Award nominations and won nine of them, including Best Musical, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It ran for 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history up to that time. The show pioneered
3074-566: The series include Stephen Sondheim , Tony Kushner , Arianna Huffington , Alec Baldwin and Anne Hathaway . The Public hosts the annual Under the Radar Festival , a festival tracking new theater from around the world. Over the last 12 years, The Public's Under the Radar Festival (UTR) has presented over 194 companies from 40 countries. UTR has presented works by such artists as Elevator Repair Service , Gob Squad , Belarus Free Theatre , and Young Jean Lee . The Public serves as
3132-501: The son of Yetta (née Miritch), a seamstress, and Samuel Papirofsky, a trunkmaker. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Russia. (The 2010 documentary film Joe Papp in Five Acts says his mother was a Lithuanian Jew, and his father a Polish Jew, as they immigrated from parts of former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth conquered by Russian Empire .) He was a high school student of Harlem Renaissance playwright Eulalie Spence . Papp
3190-475: The team, and their names appear above the show title. However, many "producers" are really investors or the theatre owner, and claim no say in running the production. A producer credit occasionally applies to people who perform special important services, such as finding a theatre or a star—but normally, the credit for such roles is associate producer . The producer works closely with the production team and cast to make all final decisions. The producer, ultimately,
3248-439: The workshop system for developing musicals, revolutionizing the way Broadway musicals were created thereafter, and many of the precedents for workshops' aesthetics and contract agreements were set by Papp, Bennett and A Chorus Line . Delacorte Theatre productions introduced many new actors and actresses to outdoor Shakespeare and to New York audiences for free. Among the memorable performances (including some from before Papp had
3306-496: Was also the uncle of choreographer turned music video director Diane Martel . Papp founded the New York Shakespeare Festival (now called Shakespeare in the Park ) in 1954 with the aim of making Shakespeare 's works accessible to the public. In 1957 he was granted the use of Central Park for free productions of Shakespeare's plays. These Shakespeare in the Park productions continue after his death at
3364-800: Was survived by his fourth wife, Gail Merrifield Papp, a partner in the Public Theatre. In large part due to the "Save the Theatres" preservation effort led by Papp in the 1980s, the Theater District remains one of New York City's primary and most popular tourist attractions and destinations today. In 2000 the Joseph Papp Children's Humanitarian Fund was founded. The Fund serves as the humanitarian arm of international Jewish children's club Tzivos Hashem 's activities in Ukraine. Papp, along with Rabbi Marc Schneier , co-founded
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