Joseph Papp

Joseph Papp
Papp in 1982
Born
Joseph Papirofsky

(1921-06-22)June 22, 1921
New York City, U.S.
DiedOctober 31, 1991(1991-10-31) (aged 70)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)Producer, director
Spouse(s)Peggy Marie Bennion[1]
Gail Bovard Merrifield[2]
Children5

Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a year-round producing home to focus on new plays and musicals. Among numerous examples of these were the works of David Rabe, Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, Charles Gordone's No Place to Be Somebody (the first off-Broadway play to win the Pulitzer Prize), and Papp's production of Michael Bennett's Pulitzer Prize–winning musical A Chorus Line.[3] Papp also founded Shakespeare in the Park, helped to develop other off-Broadway theatres and worked to preserve the historic Broadway Theatre District.

  1. ^ Turan, Kenneth; Papp, Joseph (November 2010). Free for All: Joe Papp, The Public, and the Greatest Theater Story Every Told. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7679-3169-4. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  2. ^ "Anthony Papp, Jewelry Designer, 29". The New York Times. June 4, 1991. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Turan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).