American theatre director (1939–2023)
Michael Rudman
Born (1939-02-14 ) 14 February 1939Died 30 March 2023(2023-03-30) (aged 84) Nationality American Spouse(s) Veronica Bennett (divorced)
(
m. 1983;
div. 1990)
Partner Felicity Kendal (1998–2023) Children 3
Michael Rudman (February 14, 1939 – March 30, 2023) was an American theatre director.
Early life and education
Rudman was born in
Tyler, Texas , on February 14, 1939.
[1]
[2] He graduated from
St. Mark's School of Texas in 1956, and four years later, graduated cum laude from
Oberlin College with a degree in Government. In 1964, he received an MA in English Language and Literature at
St Edmund Hall, Oxford ; while a student there, he was President of the
Oxford University Dramatic Society .
Career
Rudman's career began at the
Nottingham Playhouse in 1964, where he was an assistant director and, later, associate producer. He went on to become director of the
Traverse Theatre in
Edinburgh from 1970 to 1973, after which he took up the post of artistic director at
Hampstead Theatre until 1978. While he was at Hampstead, the theatre won the
Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Achievement.
In 1978, he was invited to join the
National Theatre by Sir
Peter Hall and was director of the
Lyttelton Theatre from 1979 to 1982. He continued there as an associate director until 1988, after which he went to the
Chichester Festival Theatre as the director for the 1990 season. From 1992 to 1994, he was artistic director of the
Crucible Theatre in
Sheffield .
In America, he has directed three plays on
Broadway . His production of
Death of a Salesman at the
Broadhurst Theatre in New York, won the
Tony Award for best revival. He won the
Drama Desk Award for
The Changing Room at the
Morosco Theatre and directed
Hamlet in
Central Park and at the
Vivian Beaumont Theater in
Lincoln Center , New York.
Personal life and death
With his first wife Veronica Bennett he had two daughters, Amanda and Katherine Rudman. He was later married to
Felicity Kendal from 1983 to 1994. They had one son together, Jacob Rudman. They parted in 1991, divorced in 1994, but from 1998 the partnership between them resumed.
[3]
[4]
Rudman died on March 30, 2023, at the age of 84.
[2]
Notable productions
Director
2017: All My Sons by
Arthur Miller for the Hong Kong Arts Festival.
2016: All My Sons by Arthur Miller at The Rose Theatre in Kingston with
Penny Downie , David Horovitch & Alexander Waldmann.
2013: Chin Chin , for
Bill Kenwright Productions. Writer
François Billetdoux , from a version by
Willis Hall . With
Simon Callow &
Felicity Kendal .
2011: The Old Masters ,
Long Wharf Theatre ,
New Haven, Connecticut . Writer
Simon Gray . With
Shirley Knight , Brian Murray &
Sam Waterston .
2010:
Mrs. Warren's Profession , Comedy Theatre, London. Writer
George Bernard Shaw . With Max Bennett, Lucy Briggs-Owen,
Felicity Kendal &
David Yelland .
2009: Berlin Hanover Express , Hampstead Theatre, London. Writer
Ian Kennedy Martin . With Sean Campion, Isla Carter,
Owen McDonnell &
Peter Moreton .
2006:
A Man for All Seasons ,
Theatre Royal Haymarket , London. Writer
Robert Bolt . With
Clive Carter ,
Alison Fiske &
Martin Shaw .
2006:
Present Laughter ,
Theatre Royal, Bath . Writer
Noël Coward . With
Simon Callow , Tilly Tremayne & Jessica Turner.
2000: Fallen Angels ,
Globe Theatre , London. Writer
Noël Coward . With
Frances de la Tour & Felicity Kendal.
1997: Our Betters ,
Chichester Festival Theatre . Writer
W. Somerset Maugham . With Charles Edwards &
Kathleen Turner .
1997:
The Admirable Crichton , Chichester Festival Theatre. Writer
J. M. Barrie . With
Michael Denison ,
Barbara Jefford &
Ian McShane .
1997:
The Heiress ,
Gate Theatre ,
Dublin . Writer
Ruth and Augustus Goetz. With
Donna Dent .
1996: Mansfield Park , Chichester Festival Theatre. Writer
Willis Hall (an adaptation of
Jane Austen ʼs novel). With
Tony Britton ,
Liza Goddard &
Lucy Scott .
1993:
Measure for Measure , New York Shakespeare Festival. Writer
William Shakespeare . With
Andre Braugher &
Kevin Kline .
1992:
A Midsummer Night's Dream , Sheffield Crucible Theatre. Writer
William Shakespeare . With
Alex Kingston and Anthony Brown.
1992: Making It Better , Criterion Theatre, London. Writer
James Saunders . With
Jane Asher ,
David de Keyser ,
Larry Lamb &
Rufus Sewell .
1990:
Eurydice , Chichester Festival Theatre. Writer
Jean Anouilh .
1990:
Merry Wives of Windsor , Chichester Festival Theatre. Writer
William Shakespeare . With
Barbara Ferris ,
Penelope Keith ,
Phyllida Law &
Bill Maynard .
1990: Rumours , Chichester Festival Theatre. Writer
Neil Simon . With
Polly Adams , John Quayle,
Alison Fiske ,
Una Stubbs &
Simon Ward .
1990:
The Wizard of Oz , Chichester Festival Theatre. Writer
L. Frank Baum . With Joanna Riding.
1987: Father and Sons , National Theatre, London. Writer
Brian Friel . With
Alec McCowen ,
Richard Pasco , Barbara Jefford &
Robin Bailey .
1987:
Six Characters in Search of an Author , National Theatre, London. Writer
Luigi Pirandello . With Robin Bailey,
Ralph Fiennes , Robert Glennister,
Barbara Jefford & Richard Pasco.
1987:
Waiting for Godot , National Theatre, London. Writer
Samuel Beckett . With Alec McCowen.
1986:
Brighton Beach Memoirs , National Theatre,
Lyttelton , London. Writer
Neil Simon . With
Frances de la Tour , Stephen MacIntosh &
Harry Towb .
1986:
The Magistrate , National Theatre, London. Writer
Arthur Wing Pinero . With
Nigel Hawthorne &
Ken Stott .
1984:
Death of a Salesman , Broadhurst Theatre, New York. Writer
Arthur Miller . With
Dustin Hoffman &
John Malkovich .
1981:
Measure for Measure , National Theatre, London. Writer
William Shakespeare . With
Norman Beaton &
Peter Straker .
1981:
The Second Mrs Tanqueray , National Theatre, London. Writer
Arthur Wing Pinero . With
Harold Innocent & Felicity Kendal.
1980:
Harlequinade , National Theatre, Lyttelton, London. Writer
Terence Rattigan . With
Nicky Henson ,
Geraldine McEwan & Alec McCowen.
1980: The Browning Version , National Theatre, Lyttelton, London. Writer
Terence Rattigan . With Geraldine McEwan & Alec McCowen.
1980: Thee and Me , National Theatre, Lyttelton, London. Writer
Philip Martin . With
Gillian Barge ,
Leonard Maguire &
Ian Hogg .
1979:
Death of a Salesman , National Theatre, Lyttelton, London. Writer
Arthur Miller . With
Stephen Greif ,
Doreen Mantle &
Warren Mitchell .
1979: Gloo Joo , Criterion Theatre, London. Writer Michael Hastings. With Anthony Brown, Dave Hill &
Oscar James .
1979:
For Services Rendered , National Theatre, London. Writer
W. Somerset Maugham . With
Robin Bailey ,
Alison Fiske ,
Ian Hogg &
Peter Jeffrey .
1979:
Taking Steps ,
Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith , London. Writer
Alan Ayckbourn . With
Dinsdale Landen ,
Michael Maloney &
Nicola Pagett .
1979: Clouds , The Duke of York Theatre, London. Writer
Michael Frayn . With
Paul Chapman ,
Tom Courtenay &
Felicity Kendal .
1978: Gloo Joo , The Hampstead Theatre, London. Writer
Michael Hastings . With
Antony Brown , Dave Hill &
Oscar James .
1977: Clouds , The Hampstead Theatre, London. Writer
Michael Frayn . With
Nigel Hawthorne &
Barbara Ferris .
1976:
Donkey's Years , Globe Theatre, London. Writer
Michael Frayn . With
Peter Barkworth ,
Peter Jeffrey &
Penelope Keith .
1975: Alphabetical Order , The Hampstead Theatre, London. Writer Michael Frayn. With Dinsdale Landen &
Billie Whitelaw .
1975:
Hamlet , The Vivian Beaumont Theater, The Lincoln Centre, Broadway. Writer William Shakespeare. With
Sam Waterston &
Maureen Anderman .
1973:
The Changing Room , Morosco Theatre, New York. Writer
David Storey . With
Tom Atkins ,
George Hearn ,
John Lithgow ,
Richard D. Masur &
John Tillinger .
1973: The Ride Across Lake Constance , Hampstead Theatre, London. Writer
Peter Handke . With
Nigel Hawthorne , Nicky Henson & Alan Howard.
1972: Black and White Minstrels , Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Writer
Cecil P. Taylor . With
Tom Conti &
Alan Howard .
1972: Carravagio Buddy, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Writer
Stanley Eveling . With
Ian Holm .
1970: Curtains , Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Writer
Tom Mallin . With
Nigel Hawthorne .
1969: A Who's Who of Flapland , Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Writer David Halliwell. With
James Garbutt and
Russell Hunter .
1969: A Delicate Balance, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. Writer
Edward Albee .
1968:
Henry IV, Part I , Sheffield Playhouse. Writer
William Shakespeare . With
David Bradley &
Nigel Hawthorne .
1966:
Long Day's Journey into Night , Nottingham Playhouse. Writer
Eugene O'Neill . With Gillian Martell and Robert Ryan.
1966:
Schweik in the Second World War , Nottingham Playhouse. Writer
Bertolt Brecht . With Chris Hancock, Harold Innocent and John Neville.
Playwright
1983: Short List , Hampstead Theatre, London. Directed by Mike Ockrent. With
Bernard Hill & Ian McKellen.
1966: Moll Flanders , Nottingham Playhouse.
Autobiography
2014: I Joke Too Much, A Director's Tale , published by Capercaillie Books
See also
References
^ "Birthdays",
The Guardian , p. 41, 14 February 2014
^
a
b
"Michael Rudman obituary" . The Guardian . 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023 .
^
"Rudman, Michael Edward, (born 14 Feb. 1939), theatre director and producer; Artistic Director, Sheffield Theatres (Crucible and Lyceum), 1992–94" . Who's Who and Who Was Who .
OUP . 2007.
doi :
10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U33398 .
ISBN
978-0-19-954088-4 . Retrieved 17 April 2020 .
^ Rhiannon Harries,
"Felicity Kendal: 'Barbara follows me around like a good fairy' - Profiles The Independent , 7 March 2010.
External links
International National Other