Bertolt Brecht was a German playwright, director, and poet who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century theatre. Born on February 10, 1898, in Augsburg, Germany, Brecht was the son of a Catholic father and a Protestant mother. He studied medicine at the University of Munich but soon turned his attention to writing and theatre.
Brecht's first major success as a playwright came with his play "Drums in the Night," which premiered in 1922. The play was a critical and commercial success and established Brecht as a major figure in German theatre. He went on to ... read more
Michael E. Feingold was an American critic, translator, lyricist, playwright and dramaturg. He was the lead theater critic of The Village Voice from 1982 to 2013, for which he was twice named a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism finalist. He was a judge for the Obie Awards for 31 years, and the chairman for nine years. ... read more
Ira Gershwin, the first songwriter to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, was born in New York City on December 6, 1896. In 1917 The Evening Sun published his first song ("You May Throw All The Rice You Desire But Please Friends, Throw No Shoes"). Four years later Ira enjoyed his first major stage success, Two Little Girls in Blue, written with another Broadway newcomer, Vincent Youmans. In 1924 Ira and his brother, George, created the smash hit Lady Be Good and went on to continue their remarkable collaboration through a dozen major stage scores, producing such standards as "Fascinating Rhythm," ... read more
Alan Jay Lerner wrote some of America's best loved and enduring stage and movie musicals with Frederick Loewe over a period of more than 25 years: Life of the Party, What's Up, The Day Before Spring, Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, Camelot and Gigi. He also wrote Love Life with Kurt Weill, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and Carmelina with Burton Lane, Coco with Andre Previn, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with Leonard Bernstein and Dance a Little Closer with Charles Strouse. He wrote the libretto and/or lyrics for the following films: An American in Paris, Gigi, ... read more
Some of her Laura Heller's shows include Sammy and Me; Xanadu; Legends!; Enchanted April; The Great American Trailer Park Musical; A Jew Grows in Brooklyn; The Joys of Sex; Beau Jest; A Room of One's Own; Sly Fox; Forever Tango; Modern Orthodox; Mr. Goldwyn; Stomp; the L. A. company of Love Letters; Birds of Paradise;The Common Pursuit. Ms. Heller managed the Provincetown Playhouse in Manhattan for three years. Her daughter is the singer Madeline Stern. ... read more
Carol Ostrow is an accomplished theatrical producer. She is currently producing the 100th Anniversary Gala for the Actors' Temple at the Friars Club. In addition, she produced the Anti-Defamation League and Broadway-Hand In Hand Against Hate For 100 Years with 15 stars of Broadway fame in 2013. Carol also produced Jewish-American Princesses of Comedy at the Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Other production credits include: I Am Anne Frank starring Andrea Marcovicci at Town Hall, Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill at the Triad Theatre, Scent of the Roses starring Julie Harris at the Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center. ... read more
