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Top Five Directors of the Stage? — Page 2

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#26

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/9/06 at 9:22pm

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Barlett Sher.

Yes, he IS early in his career. But look at the amazing theater he's directed of late. Two Broadway shows (Awake and Sing, Light in the Piazza) that both earned him Tony Nominations, not to mention a slough of incredible regional productions. He will be ridiculously famous (at least in the theater world) someday.
#27

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/9/06 at 9:26pm

I FORGOT TOMMY TUNE TO!!!!!!!!!!! Argh!

"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
#29

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/9/06 at 9:34pm

I believe Tommy Tune is one of the best stage directors and especially a brilliant "show doctor."
#31

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

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

Michael Grandage. I'm astounded he didn't make a single list. In addition to "Don Carlos" and Mary Staurt" the past two years, both of which received unaminous critical raves on The West End, he currently has two raves going simulataneously on the West End, "Guys and Dolls" and "Evita".

He's flown under the radar in the U.S. but the first time he can fit a transfer into his schedule, there's going to be a new Sheriff on Broadway
#32

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/9/06 at 9:40pm

Lonny Price....what does everyone think of him? I hear he can be an a$$hole.

"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
#33

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/9/06 at 9:43pm

Someone earlier mentioned Robert Jess Roth. He's done two shows. One of them bombed and the other ran because it was based on a hit film. His work on both shows were far from good in my opinion and on one project, a show doctor was called in. Whoever mentioned him...why?
#34

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/9/06 at 10:18pm

Of the ones who are still alive, still active (mostly) and whose work I've seen enough (at least three times) the be able to evaluate fairly:

Hal Prince (mostly active)
Elizabeth LeCompte (Wooster Group -- Genius)
Daniel Sullivan
Jack O'Brien
George C. Wolfe
Michael Blakemore
Nicholas Hytner
Doug Hughes (perhaps the most promising younger director)
Edward Hall (his Shakespeare work has been absolutely sublime)
Mark Brokaw (despite a couple of slight misfires, one of the best around when it comes to new plays)

Honorable mentions:

Darko Tresnjack (very young, but very much one to watch)
Bartlett Sher (I need to see more, but am impressed so far)
Sir Peter Hall (his last few productions to show up at BAM were less than thrilling, but he's deservedly an icon)
Tommy Tune (has been away WAY too long for me to include him, but did some wonderful work in the past)

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

Updated On: 7/9/06 at 10:18 PM

#35

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 12:40am

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

Jack O'Brien worked as artistic director of the Old Globe theater and George C. Wolfe ran the Public Theater for years and both have had great success on Broadway.
#36

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 2:43am

John Doyle
Michael Grandage
Sam Mendes
Hal Prince
Trevor Nunn

are my favourites!
All That Jazz Check out & support my drawings @ www.facebook.com/felixdrawings
#38

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 9:45am

Hal Prince
Joshua Logan
Rouben Mamoulian
Elia Kazan
George Abbott
Michael Bennett
George S. Kaufman
Tommy Tune
Bob Fosse
Lloyd Richards
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#39

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 1:58pm

Des McAnuff
John Doyle
Susan Stroman
Jack O'Brien
Mike Nichols
________________________________________________________________
"It doesn't matter if you win the award or not, you're still the same schmuk you were on monday."
-Des McAnuff
#40

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 2:49pm

the kathleen marshall was about about the spelling of her name...it was about the lack of vision in her work.
#41

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 5:22pm

I'd have to say Mike Nichols is the tops for me, the man has directed every medium and has never failed to impress me. His comedy albums with May are top flight as well.

Tommy Tune is a great talent; it was his shows in the late eighties and early nineties that turned me on to Broadway muscials.

For the artistic directorship post someone mentioned earlier, I'd vote for Walter Bobbie for his fantastic work with the Encores series in the mid nineties.
"My dreams, watching me said, one to the other...this life has let us down."
#42

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 6:02pm

IBDB George Abbott. Then stop all this ridiculous jibber-jabber.105 shows directed. Some of the greatest classics of the genre. Hell, he practically invented the genre and lived to direct at 103.

Resistence is futile.
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#43

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 6:09pm

LOL! You bring up a great point though...he directed over 100 shows and lived to be 103...old enough for people to step back and analyze his full career and contributions to the threater.

Many directors today are still in their directing infancy (despite the fact they are already in middle age) and people tend to grade them only on their latest effort.

It doesn't seem right to disregard a director's contributions based on this...we almost should be waiting until these names listed on this thread are dead...then rating them!
"My dreams, watching me said, one to the other...this life has let us down."
#44

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 6:11pm

Abbot was on my list!

*smirks*

*wipes it off*
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#45

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 6:15pm

love Mike Nichols, Bartlett Sher, John Crowley, Daniel Sullivan, George C. Wolfe, Hal Prince. All people an actor dreams of working with. But at the moment my personal favorite director would be Sam Mendes. A lot for his films which I have been big fans of but also his brilliant direction of Cabaret and can't wait for the Violet Hour this fall. He does great work
RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~
#46

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 6:21pm

1. Bob Fosse
2. Hal Prince
3. Michael Benett
4. George Abbott
5. Julie Taymor

and so on . . .
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
#47

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/10/06 at 7:09pm

Trevor Nunn
Nicholas Hytner
Wilson Milam
Julie Taymor
Hal Prince

Updated On: 7/10/06 at 07:09 PM

#48

re: Top Ten Directors of the Stage?

Posted: 7/11/06 at 1:32am

Best12bars, of course George Abbott was on your list (and many others). I just posit he pretty well IS the list. Others may have created good shows, memorable shows. Mr. Abbott pretty well created the genre.
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