Lanford Wilson (1937 – 2011) authored BALM IN GILEAD, THE RIMERS OF ELDRITCH, THE GINGHAM DOG, LEMON SKY, SERENADING LOUIE, THE HOT L BALTIMORE, THE MOUND BUILDERS, ANGELS FALL, BURN THIS, REDWOOD CURTAIN, TRINITY, 5TH OF JULY, TALLEY & SON, TALLEY'S FOLLY, BOOK OF DAYS, RAIN DANCE, SYMPATHETIC MAGIC, and some twenty one act plays including BRONTOSAURUS, THE GREAT NEBULA IN ORION and the paired A POSTER OF THE COSMOS and THE MOONSHOT TAPE. For television he wrote for TAXI! (no relation to the series) and THE MIGRANTS, from a story by Tennessee Williams. He also wrote the libretto for Lee Hoiby's opera of Williams' SUMMER AND SMOKE and a new translation of Chekov's THREE SISTERS. Wilson co-founded (with Tanya Berezin, Rob Thirkield and Marshall W. Mason) the Circle Repertory Company in New York City and was a resident playwright there from 1969-1995. Awards include the Brandeis University Creative Arts Award in Theatre Arts, The Institute of Arts and Letters Award, The Edward Albee Last Frontier Award, The John Steinbeck Award, The Drama-Logue Award (Los Angeles) for TALLEY'S FOLLY and 5TH OF JULY, two New York Drama Critic's Circle Awards for Best Play (TALLEY'S FOLLY and HOT L), two Obie Awards for Best Play (HOT L and THE MOUND BUILDERS), an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (TALLEY'S FOLLY). He was a member of the Dramatists Guild Council. The theatre community as a whole deeply felt his loss in March 2011 when he passed away at the age of 73.
2012-13 Signature Production:
The Mound Builders
past signature productions:
Burn This
Book of Days
Fifth of July
Rain Dance
IMAGE: Lanford Wilson. ©2003 Susan Johann.