Michael Murray (born March 31, 1932) is an American stage director,
producer and educator. He is one of the early leaders of the Regional
Theatre Movement. Murray was co-founder of the Charles Playhouse in
Boston, MA. and served as its Artistic Director for eleven years
(1957â€"1968). Murray was the Artistic Director of the Cincinnati
Playhouse in the Park (1975â€"1985). In addition, he directed
productions Off-Broadway in New York and at many regional theaters,
including the Hartford Stage Company, Center Stage Baltimore, the
Philadelphia Drama Guild, and the Huntington Theatre Company. He held
the position of Chair of the Theatre Arts Department of Brandeis
University (1986â€"2003).In 1955 Murray was a directing student in the
MFA program at Boston University. That year José Quintero, stage
director and a founder of the Circle in the Square Theatre in New
York, directed a play at the University. Murray was assigned to be his
stage manager. Quintero then hired him to be stage manager of his
Circle in the Square production of Eugene O'Neil's The Iceman Cometh,
which opened on May 8, 1956. That production has been acclaimed as a
landmark event in theatre history and made a star of Jason Robards.In
late 1957 Murray returned to Boston and became involved in the Actors
Company, started by fellow students from Boston University including
Olympia Dukakis and John Cazale. This evolved into the Charles
Playhouse, which Murray co-founded the same year with producing
partner Frank Sugrue. Murray was Artistic Director, co-producer and
directed most of the productions until he left the company in 1968.
During that time, members of the company and other actors who appeared
at the Charles include Al Pacino, Jill Clayburgh, Jane Alexander, Ned
Beatty, Christina Pickles, Swoosie Kurtz, and Mitch Ryan.In his book,
Regional Theatre: the Revolutionary Stage, Joseph Wesley Zeigler
distinguishes the Regional Theatre Movement from the "little theatres"
of the 1920s, community theatre organizations, and professional
theatres that were established in towns and cities across America
during the last half of the twentieth century. The Regional Theatre
Movement, in the late 1940s and 1950s, was the work of a small number
of directors, actors and producers to develop a new expression of
professional theatre as an alternative to Broadway. "The early
regional theatres ... started as reactions to the theatrical
Establishment of their time â€" Broadway ... They were the new,
anti-Establishment revolution."
producer and educator. He is one of the early leaders of the Regional
Theatre Movement. Murray was co-founder of the Charles Playhouse in
Boston, MA. and served as its Artistic Director for eleven years
(1957â€"1968). Murray was the Artistic Director of the Cincinnati
Playhouse in the Park (1975â€"1985). In addition, he directed
productions Off-Broadway in New York and at many regional theaters,
including the Hartford Stage Company, Center Stage Baltimore, the
Philadelphia Drama Guild, and the Huntington Theatre Company. He held
the position of Chair of the Theatre Arts Department of Brandeis
University (1986â€"2003).In 1955 Murray was a directing student in the
MFA program at Boston University. That year José Quintero, stage
director and a founder of the Circle in the Square Theatre in New
York, directed a play at the University. Murray was assigned to be his
stage manager. Quintero then hired him to be stage manager of his
Circle in the Square production of Eugene O'Neil's The Iceman Cometh,
which opened on May 8, 1956. That production has been acclaimed as a
landmark event in theatre history and made a star of Jason Robards.In
late 1957 Murray returned to Boston and became involved in the Actors
Company, started by fellow students from Boston University including
Olympia Dukakis and John Cazale. This evolved into the Charles
Playhouse, which Murray co-founded the same year with producing
partner Frank Sugrue. Murray was Artistic Director, co-producer and
directed most of the productions until he left the company in 1968.
During that time, members of the company and other actors who appeared
at the Charles include Al Pacino, Jill Clayburgh, Jane Alexander, Ned
Beatty, Christina Pickles, Swoosie Kurtz, and Mitch Ryan.In his book,
Regional Theatre: the Revolutionary Stage, Joseph Wesley Zeigler
distinguishes the Regional Theatre Movement from the "little theatres"
of the 1920s, community theatre organizations, and professional
theatres that were established in towns and cities across America
during the last half of the twentieth century. The Regional Theatre
Movement, in the late 1940s and 1950s, was the work of a small number
of directors, actors and producers to develop a new expression of
professional theatre as an alternative to Broadway. "The early
regional theatres ... started as reactions to the theatrical
Establishment of their time â€" Broadway ... They were the new,
anti-Establishment revolution."
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