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34-572: Lyle Kessler is an American playwright, screenwriter and actor, best known internationally for his 1983 play Orphans . Born in Philadelphia , Kessler began his career as an actor. His first professional appearance was in the Philadelphia premiere of the play Waiting for Godot , appearing opposite Bruce Dern . He has subsequently appeared in several films, including James Dean (portraying Lee Strasberg , under whom he had studied at

68-460: A Deaf West Theatre Company production in 1996, "Whatever the medium, the viewer finds it hard not to be drawn into the emotional journey..." This production of Orphans , by the first sign language theater in the western United States, went on to be a Critic's Choice from the Drama-Logue newspaper and Joseph Dean Anderson's performance as Phillip won him a 6th Annual Ticket Holder's Award under

102-657: A Play and Best Leading Actor in a Play (Sturridge). The production was originally slated to star Shia LaBeouf as Treat, but he departed the production during rehearsals after coming into conflict with Baldwin. Orphans has reached many fans beyond the typical theater crowd, counting Lou Reed and Tom Waits among its most ardent admirers. The play was adapted into a film of the same name . The film stars Matthew Modine , Albert Finney and Kevin Anderson . According to Kessler, "The play has been done everywhere, from Japan to Iceland to Mexico to South America.... It just boggles

136-544: A ceremony held on June 7; the awards are traditionally presented by former award winners. The awards for the 2011–11 season were announced on May 8, 2012, and presented at a ceremony held on June 5, 2012, at the Belasco Theatre . The awards for the 2012–13 season were announced on May 7, 2013, and the 69th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony was held on June 3 at the Music Box Theater . The awards for

170-500: A committee of New York-based critics. That committee includes (as of May 2015) Roma Torre (NY1), David Cote ( Time Out7 New York , NY1), Joe Dziemianowicz ( New York Daily News ), Peter Filichia ( The Newark Star-Ledger , Eme 6ritus), Harry Haun ( Playbill ), Matthew Murray (TalkinBroadway.com), and Frank Scheck ( New York Post ). . The Dorothy Loudon Starbaby Award was instituted in 2009, named in honor of actress and singer Dorothy Loudon (1925–2003) and since 2010 has been awarded by

204-429: A fine example of its kind and gorgeously performed by a cast of three under the direction of Gary Sinise... Sinise has staged the piece in a realistic idiom with highly theatrical accents lifelike scenes that begin and end in tableaux, actors throwing themselves around like rag dolls, extravagantly long pauses..." The play was described by The New York Times as "theater for the senses and emotions." T.H. McCulloh of

238-660: A more prevalent genre in Latin American countries than in the North American theatre . The way Orphans can move from a hyper realistic state into a parable while still maintaining its emotional pull and deeply felt sense of reality goes well with what magical realism is understood to be—magical elements blended into a realistic atmosphere in order to access a deeper understanding of reality. The American theatrical tradition tends not to embrace these perceived contradictions as readily. An expressionistic play

272-435: A near deadly allergic reaction he had as a child. Haunted by the death of their mother, he spends his time lying in her closet filled with unworn clothes. Curious about the world, he secretly attempts to understand things by watching reruns of The Price Is Right and underlining words in newspapers and old books he finds lying around. Treat kidnaps and ties up a Chicago gangster named Harold. Harold, an orphan himself, with

306-491: A play that burst into New York from Chicago in 1985 on the strength of the testosterone-fueled acting of the Steppenwolf Theater Company" that it can be directed "with as much attention to the play's heart as to its fist." In Japan, Orphans premiered in 1991 by a " Tokyo style " theater group, going on to have a nationwide tour and performing continually in theaters around Japan ever since, including

340-635: A workshop of the play at the Greenway Court Theatre, Los Angeles; Jesse Eisenberg and Southland's Shawn Hatosy co-starred. Orphans made its Broadway debut at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on April 7, 2013. The production, directed by Daniel Sullivan , starred Ben Foster as Treat, Tom Sturridge as Phillip and Alec Baldwin as Harold. The production closed on May 19, 2013 after 37 performances. The play received two Tony Award nominations, for Best Revival of

374-465: Is expected to be cerebral and conceptual, not visceral. A realistic play is expected to maintain the same logic that one sees in the outside world. But, like Franz Kafka , Kessler grasps for a reality that is felt within us but doesn't always obey the logic outside of its own prescribed universe. Orphans has been applauded for its lack of dependence on one particular theatrical approach. As said by Los Angeles Times critic Scott Collins when reviewing

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408-693: Is one of the reasons for its continued success. Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway . It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre season. In 1944, the Theatre World Awards were founded by Daniel Blum, Norman McDonald, and John Willis, recognizing "Promising Personalities", actors and actresses, in debut performances, in Broadway or Off-Broadway productions. In

442-426: Is woven from mysteries, contradictions and unanswered questions," and concluded, " Orphans is violent, shocking and profane. And it's wonderful." Lyle Kessler 's Orphans , among many of his other pieces of literature, has been praised as a hybrid of 20th century realism , Pinter-esque absurdism , and Shakespearean tragedy , but in many ways it aligns itself better with the literary tradition of Magical Realism ,

476-588: The Los Angeles Times wrote it is "just as wise and knowledgeable about the human condition " as Tennessee Williams and "also as theatrical as Williams. Kessler has something very important to say, and he says it in terms we can't ignore. The biggest message is that we need each other, and that's something the viewer can't ignore...." Tony Adler of the Chicago Reader declared, "Lyle Kessler's unassuming tale of two nearly feral brothers and

510-768: The Actors Studio ). Kessler studied acting with Lee Strasberg and was accepted into the Director's Unit of the Actors Studio , where he wrote and directed his first one act play, The Viewing , which he subsequently directed at the Lucille Lortel Theater in New York. Kessler's most well known plays include his first full-length work, The Watering Place , and Orphans . The Watering Place (written in 1969) premiered on Broadway and starred Shirley Knight and William Devane . Orphans (1983)

544-629: The Dorothy Loudon Foundation in connection with these awards. The first Starbaby Award was presented to Susan Louise O'Connor ( Blithe Spirit ). Other recipients are Bobby Steggert ( Ragtime and Yank! ) (2009–10), Seth Numrich ( War Horse ) (2010–11), and Susan Pourfar ( Tribes ). In 2013, it was renamed Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater . The first annual Lunt–Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence

578-490: The Arts Playwriting Award for his play Burning Bright . His plays have been published by Random House , Grove Press and Samuel French Inc. Kessler's play Orphans has been made into a film of the same name . Directed by Alan J. Pakula , the film version of Orphans starred Matthew Modine and Albert Finney . He has also written: Kessler and his wife, actress Margaret Ladd , are founders of

612-528: The Awards. In 1969, the award was renamed the Theatre World Award . The early awards were a framed certificate, then a plaque, later in 1973, the bronze Janus Award, sculpted by Harry Marinsky. In 1998, the Theatre World Awards were incorporated as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization and are currently overseen by a board of directors independent of Theatre World . Winners are selected by

646-643: The Imagination Workshop located at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute . This workshop brings together actors, writers and directors who create scenes and original plays to be performed by psychiatric patients, veterans and "at risk" students in the L.A Public Schools. In 1998 they won the Ovation Award "for their excellence in using theatre to impact and involve a community." Kessler and Mark Rydell co-moderate

680-617: The New Discoveries category. Further praise for Kessler's ability to create something with such flexibility, while still taking people on its "emotional journey," came from a 2007 production of Orphans at the Penguin Repertory Company in Stony Point, Rockland County, New York. The New York Times critic Sylviane Gold called the production a "splendid revival", and wrote: "...it is strange to say about

714-739: The Total Picture Seminar, a two-day event covering the disciplines of acting, directing and writing for film. Orphans (Lyle Kessler play) Orphans premiered at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles in August 1983, and featured Joe Pantoliano , Lane Smith and Paul Lieber . In January through March 1985 the play was produced at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre , with direction by Gary Sinise and starring John Mahoney , Terry Kinney and Kevin Anderson . Sinise said

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748-710: The Westside Theatre, running from May 7, 1985 to January 6, 1986, with Mahoney, Kinney, and Anderson reprising their roles. Later, a replacement cast consisting of Steppenwolf member Gary Cole , Corey Parker and William Wise took over the lead roles. Orphans was the first Steppenwolf production to be performed internationally in London, premiering in the West End at the Apollo Theatre in 1986. Albert Finney as Harold won an Olivier Award as Actor of

782-815: The Writer/Directors Unit of the Actors Studio West at Greenway Court Theatre. Kessler served as the Director of the Sundance Screenwriter's Lab . He also participated in the Sundance Screenwriters Conference in Hungary, working with writers from all over Eastern Europe. In 2009, Kessler, working with actor Martin Landau and director Mark Rydell , have teamed up to produce an education seminar,

816-583: The Year. The Steppenwolf productions in London and the United States helped establish Kessler's status as a major American playwright as well as the company's signature "rock and roll" brand of theatre. To help highlight the emotional intensity of Kessler's parable, they featured an assortment of compositions by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays to be played in the background; the pieces have remained optional for every production since. In 2005, Al Pacino did

850-425: The first year Blum presented the awards in his apartment, at a cocktail party, to Betty Comden , Judy Holliday and John Raitt , and the second year to Barbara Bel Geddes , Marlon Brando , and Burt Lancaster . At Blum's 1949 party, Carol Channing won. The Theatre World editorial staff administered the Awards, under the supervision of Daniel Blum. In 1964, after Daniel Blum's death, John Willis supervised

884-447: The internationally renowned Kaze Theater Troupe. Its success illustrates the play's ability to harmonize with different theatrical variations as well as cultural traditions. In Korea, it premiered in 2017. Its revival is in 2019, with 3 female actors playing Harold, Treat, and Philip. This is to be the first gender free version of Orphans . The drama's ability to maintain its inherent emotional pull regardless of its theatrical approach

918-402: The love and protectiveness of an older brother and an orphan's fear of abandonment, Treat takes away Phillip's chances to grow up, depriving him of knowledge and forcing him to live in a world of illiteracy and innocence: relegating him to their lost childhood. As Treat is out stealing to put food on the table, Phillip never leaves the house, thinking he will die from something outside because of

952-488: The mind. It’s amazing: the evolution of the play and its reception in the world." Two grown orphan brothers live in an old dilapidated row house in North Philadelphia—;deserted in childhood by an unfaithful father and by the death of their mother. Older brother Treat, brutal and violent, provides for his younger brother Phillip by being a petty thief—interpreting the role of father. With

986-553: The mysterious businessman who befriends them was and remains among the most devastating things I've seen onstage." John Simon wrote in the National Review , "The play was a synthetic contraption out of Pinter and Sam Shepard, but it worked as a showcase for energetic actors and a clever director." The Miami Herald wrote about a 1986 production starring Judd Nelson that the play is "tense, moving and funny as anything you're likely to see." The reviewer said, " Orphans

1020-579: The play "kicked" the three actors "off into the movie business." John Mahoney, who received the Derwent Award and Theatre World Award for his performance said that " Orphans affected people more than any other play I've ever done. I still get mail from it, I still get people stopping me on the street, and it's twenty years later." After its Chicago run, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company production premiered Off-Broadway at

1054-479: The prowess of an escape artist, loosens the ties that bind him, turns the tables around, and with gun in hand, puts himself into the role of teacher, healer and surrogate parent. A 1985 review of Sinise's production, by The Record , compared the play with the 1955 black comedy film The Ladykillers and the 1958 Italian criminal-comedy film Big Deal on Madonna Street and wrote, "while one might be tempted to chuckle at Kessler's old-fashioned dramaturgy , it's

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1088-563: The revival of The Music Man . A new award, the John Willis Award , was first instituted for the 2012–13 season. It is given for "lifetime achievement in the theatre" to honor John Willis who created and maintained the Theatre World tradition for 66 years, encouraging new talent in an often challenging business." The first recipient was Alan Alda . The winners for the 2010–11 season were announced on May 10, 2011, with

1122-606: Was directed by Gary Sinise and opened at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre before starting its successful Off Broadway run. Albert Finney won the Olivier Award for his performance in the London West End production of Orphans . Kessler's other plays include: Kessler was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Playwriting Grant for his play The Watering Place and won the New York State Council on

1156-481: Was presented at the 2010–11 Awards, to the cast of The Motherf**ker with the Hat – Bobby Cannavale , Chris Rock , Annabella Sciorra , Elizabeth Rodriguez and Yul Vázquez. The award is in honor of the late Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and is presented to an outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway ensemble. In 2022 an award for "Outstanding Ensemble" was presented to the 21 cast members making their Broadway debuts in

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