Top Five Directors of the Stage?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 3:38pm

And I'm talkin' directors. Not individuals who mainly did music director or choreography but also directed. I'm referring to full-fledged directors.

GO!

Updated On: 7/9/06 at 03:38 PM

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 3:57pm

There's only one. The great Robert Jess Roth.

[achancetofly]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 3:59pm

Hal Prince, duh!

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 4:02pm

Now I'm not trying to be lamely funny, but Joe Mantello perhaps?

[musicman89]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 4:06pm

Gower Champion, Elia Kazan, Mike Nichols

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 4:17pm

George Abbott, Elia Kazan, Joe Mantello

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 4:58pm

Hal Prince, Tommy Tune (a personal favorite), Michael Bennett, George Abbott, Moss Hart, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Jerome Robbins, George C. Wolfe, William Shakespeare...
Updated On: 7/9/06 at 04:58 PM

[Yero]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 5:11pm

Sam Mendes

[30/90 Playout]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 5:12pm

JOHN DOYLE

[pab]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:32pm

There are so many but I'll just list a few who are still alive:

Jack O'Brien
Mike Nichols
Michael Blakemore
George C. Wolfe
Harold Prince

[Zachary Goldfarb]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:36pm

If you think Joe Mantello is one of the "top" directors right now, you're a fool. He got lucky with WICKED (which was more Stephen Schwartz, David Stone, and Marc Platt) and has been riding soley on that.

Jeff Calhoun and Graciele Daniele are pretty good right now also.
Updated On: 7/9/06 at 06:36 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:39pm

Joe Mantello? HHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!

Everyone I thought of has already been said. My favorites are:

Gower Champion
Hal Prince
Michael Bennett
George C. Wolfe
Mike Nichols


More current directors that I think are wonderful:

David Leveaux
Sam Mendes
Kathleen Marshall
Susan Stroman

[TomMonster]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:39pm

Mike Nichols, Mike Nichols, Mike Nichols, Mike Nichols, Mike Nichols...

Sorry...I've worked with him and he's stunningly fun and brilliant. His films ain't too shabby either!

And he's married to Diane Sawyer!

Every listen to his comedy albums with Elaine May?

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:41pm

Gower Champion
George Abbott
Susan Stroman

[jam_man]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:45pm

Hal Prince
Gower Champion
Jerrome Robbins
Michael Bennent
Bob Fosse
Sam Mendes
George Abbott
Mike Nichols
Moss Hart
Trevor Nunn

Updated On: 7/9/06 at 06:45 PM

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:46pm

OMG! There are ssooo many!....I'll narow my list down to 6


Lonny Price
Kathleen Marshal
Walter Bobbie
Jack O'Brien
Joe Mantello
Jamrs Lapine

[Zachary Goldfarb]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:46pm

Kathleen Marshall???
Oy.

[kombatkoala]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 6:48pm

Julie Taymor
Jack O'Brian
Des McAnuff

[jo]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 7:01pm

I also admire directors who not only direct shows but also function as Artistic Directors or Managing Directors for major theatre companies - the likes of :

*Sam Mendes - plays, the Donmar Warehouse Theatre, and even movies

*Trevor Nunn - the megamusicals and revivals like OKLAHOMA!, director for RSC and RNT

*Nicholas Hytner - Miss Saigon and History Boys, RNT

Which ones are the American counterparts? Maybe more of those who are successful both on stage and in movies - the likes of

*Mike Nichols

[AlmostFamous]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 7:09pm

Hal Prince definately
and Trevor Nunn

[professor]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 7:50pm

The best stage directors are people whose work rarely (if ever) appears on Broadway-- people like:
Elizabeth LeCompte (of The Wooster Group)
Richard Foreman (of Ontological Hysteric Theatre)
Ariane Mnouchkine (of Theatre du Soliel)
Robert Wilson (whose work often appears at BAM)
Julie Taymor (whose productions at Theatre for a New Audience (before she hit it big with the Lion King) were stunning)

of the current "Broadway" directors, I admire George C. Wolfe and Jack O'Brien for their versatility.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 7:58pm

Zachary Goldfarb - Who cares? I accidently left out an L in Marshall!

What about Lonny Price?

[James885]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 8:38pm

Hal Prince
Susan Stroman
Nicholas Hytner
Trevor Nunn

Those were the only ones I could think of off the top of my head.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 8:55pm

Susan Stroman!!!!! I cant believe I forgot her!!!

[jv92]

Posted: 7/9/06 at 9:18pm

In no particular order-

Hal Prince
So many great shows, so many reasonw why he's excellent.

Bob Fosse
My favorite choreographer and second favorite director. He, in my opinion, perfected cinematic staging the most. His shows are also damned entertaining.

John Doyle
An up and coming director with a wonderful vision.

Susan Stroman
"The Producers" is a masterpiece, but her work on other pieces are exceptional as well.

Gower Champion
A pioneer of continous action and movement.

George Abbott
A legendary musical comedy director with a gift.

Tommy Tune
"Nine" and "Grand Hotel" are two of the most brilliantly staged pieces of the last 25 years.

Michael Bennet
I think "Chicago" is a better piece than "Chorus Line" and that "Nine" is a better piece than "Dreamgirls", but still, he was a genius.

Joshua Logan
Yes, he gave us an awful film of "Camelot", but his stage direction of "South Pacific" was incredible (so I'm told. It sounds incredible too.)

Jerome Robbins
Exception choreographer, yes. However, his direction is even more interesting in my opinion.