Kahn, Michael

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KAHN, Michael

PERSONAL

Born September 9, in New York, NY; son of Frederick Joseph and Adele (maiden name, Gaberman) Kahn. Education: Attended High School of the Performing Arts and Columbia College; Columbia University, B.A.; professional training with Michael Howard and at Actors' Studio.

Addresses: Office —The Shakespeare Theatre, 450 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20004–2207 and 516 8th St. SE, Washington, DC 2003–2834.

Career: Stage director. American Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, CT, artistic director, 1969–77; McCarter Theater, Princeton, NJ, producing director, beginning in 1974; The Acting Company, artistic director, 1978–88; Chautauqua Conservatory Theatre Co., artistic director, 1985–88; Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC, artistic director, 1986—. Chautauqua Institute Theatre School, director, 1983–88; Juilliard School, New York City, teacher, 1968—, head of interpretation department, became director of drama division, 1992—; British American Drama Academy, Oxford, England, 1992–96. Instructor, c. 1965, at Circle in the Square Theatre School, New York University Tisch School of Arts, and Princeton University; Panel member of League of Professional Theatre Training Programs and District of Columbia Commission on Humanities and the Arts; theater panel member of the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council of Arts; member of board of directors of Theatre Communications Group.

Member: Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

Awards, Honors: Award for best director of a revival, Saturday Review, and Vernon Rice Award nomination, Drama Desk, both 1966, for Measure for Measure; Vernon Rice Award nomination, 1966, for The Long Christmas Dinner, Queens of France, and The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden (triple–bill); Vernon Rice Award nomination, 1967, for The Rimers of Eldritch; Charles MacArthur Award, best director, 1973, for Old Times; Joseph Jefferson Award nomination, best direction, 1974, for The Tooth of Crime; Kean College, honorary degree, 1974; named best director by New Jersey Drama Critics, 1974 and 1976; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best director, 1983, for Showboat; Antoinette Perry Regional Theatre Award, 1986, for American Shakespeare Festival; Washington Post Award, 1989; Washingtonian of the Year award, Washingtonian magazine, 1989; Helen Hayes Award, 1989, for Twelfth Night; Helen Hayes Award, 1993, for Hamlet; Helen Hayes Award, outstanding director of a resident production, 1994, for Mother Courage and Her Children; Honorary degree, University of Southern California, 1994; Helen Hayes Award, 1995, for Henry IV, Parts I and II; Helen Hayes Award, outstanding director—resident play, 1997, for Henry VI; Bravo Award, Opera Music Theatre International, 1997; D.C. Mayor's Art Award, 1997; Will Award, 2002; SETC Distinguished Career Award, Southeastern Theatre Conference, 2003; Helen Hayes Award nominations, for Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and All's Well That Ends Well; John Houseman Award, for commitment to and development of young American actors.

CREDITS

Stage Director:

The Love Nest, Writers' Stage, New York City, 1963.

Funnyhouse of a Negro, East End Theatre, New York City, 1964.

The New Tenant and Victims of Duty (double–bill), Writers' Stage, 1964.

That 5 A.M. Jazz, Astor Place Playhouse, New York City, 1964.

Helen, Bouwerie Lane Theatre, 1964.

America Hurrah, Cafe La Mama, New York City, 1964.

The Owl Answers, Theater de Lys, New York City, 1964.

Measure for Measure, New York Shakespeare Festival, Delacorte Theatre, 1966.

The Long Christmas Dinner, Queens of France, and The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden (triple– bill), Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City, 1966.

The Rimers of Eldritch, Cherry Lane Theatre, 1967.

The Cavern, Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1967.

The Merchant of Venice, American Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, CT, 1967.

The Freaking Out of Stephanie Blake, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1967.

Here's Where I Belong, Billy Rose Theatre, 1968.

Richard II, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1968.

Love's Labour's Lost, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1968.

The Death of Bessie Smith, Billy Rose Theatre, 1968.

Camino Real, Playhouse in the Park, 1968.

Crimes of Passion, Astor Place Theatre, 1969.

Henry V, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1969.

The Three Sisters, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1969.

Othello, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1970.

All's Well That Ends Well, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1970.

The Merry Wives of Windsor, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1971.

Mourning Becomes Electra, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1971.

Hough in Blazes, Harold Prince Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1971.

Julius Caesar, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1972.

Women Beware Women, City Center Acting Company, Good Shepherd–Faith Church, New York City, 1972.

Tartuffe, Philadelphia Drama Guild, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, 1972.

Antony and Cleopatra, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1972.

Old Times, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1972.

Macbeth, American Shakespeare Theatre, then Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, both 1973.

Friend, American Shakespeare Theatre, then Theater de Lys, both 1973.

Measure for Measure, American Shakespeare Theatre, then Kennedy Center, both 1973.

(With Larry Carpenter) Better Dead Than Sorry, American Shakespeare Theatre, Studio Workshop, 1973.

Shakespeare and the Performing Arts, Kennedy Center, 1973.

Romeo and Juliet, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1974.

Beyond the Horizon, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, 1974.

'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Goodman Theatre, 1974.

The Tooth of Crime, Goodman Theatre, 1974.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, American Shakespeare Theatre, then ANTA Theater, New York City, both 1974–1975.

Our Town, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1975.

Mother Courage, McCarter Theatre, 1975.

A Grave Undertaking, McCarter Theatre, 1975.

Section Nine, McCarter Theatre, 1975.

The Winter's Tale, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1975 and 1976, McCarter Theatre, 1976.

The Heiress, McCarter Theatre, 1976.

The Crucible, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1976.

As You Like It, American Shakespeare Theatre, 1976.

A Streetcar Named Desire, McCarter Theatre, 1976.

Eleanor, Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC, 1976.

Angel City, McCarter Theatre, 1977.

The Night of the Tribades, McCarter Theatre, 1977.

A Wilder Triple Bill, McCarter Theatre, 1977.

The Torch–Bearers, McCarter Theatre, 1978.

Put Them All Together, McCarter Theatre, 1978.

Grand Magic, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1978.

Julio Cesare (opera), San Francisco Opera Guild, 1978.

A Month in the Country, McCarter Theatre, then Roundabout Theatre, both 1979.

The White Devil, Acting Company, 1979.

Carmen (opera), Houston Grand Opera, 1981.

Hedda Gabler, Roundabout Theatre, 1981.

Carmen (opera), Washington Opera, 1982.

Whodunnit, Biltmore Theatre, 1982–1983.

Showboat, Uris Theater, New York City, 1983.

Merry Wives of Windsor (opera), Houston Grand Opera, 1983.

A New Way to Pay Old Debts, Acting Company, 1984.

The Glass Menagerie, Acting Company, 1985.

Ten by Tennessee (short plays), Acting Company, 1986.

The Winter's Tale, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC, 1986.

Romeo and Juliet, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1986.

All's Well That Ends Well, Acting Company, 1987.

Macbeth, Acting Company, 1988.

'Tis Pity She's a Whore, American Repertory Theatre, 1988.

As You Like It, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, c. 1989.

Antony and Cleopatra, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, c. 1989.

Twelfth Night, 1989.

Richard III, Folger Shakespeare Festival, 1990.

King Lear, Folger Shakespeare Festival, 1991.

Much Ado about Nothing, 1992.

Measure for Measure, 1992.

Hamlet, 1993.

Mother Courage, 1993.

Henry IV, Parts I and II, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1994.

Richard II, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1994.

The Doctor's Dilemma, 1994.

Vanessa (opera), Eisenhower Theatre, Washington, DC, 1995.

Henry V, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1996.

Volpone, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1996.

Sleep Deprivation Chamber, Joseph Papp Public Theatre, New York City, 1996.

Mourning Becomes Electra, Lansburgh Theatre, Washington, DC, 1997.

Henry VI, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1997.

A Touch of the Poet, Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1997.

Peer Gynt, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1998.

Sweet Bird of Youth, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1998.

A Woman of No Importance, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1998.

King John, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1999.

Merchant of Venice, Folger Shakespeare Theatre, 1999.

Camino Real, Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC, 2000.

Coriolanus, Shakespeare Theatre, 2000.

Don Carlos, Shakespeare Theatre, 2001.

The Oedipus Plays, Shakespeare Theatre, 2001.

The Silent Woman, Shakespeare Theatre, 2003.

Also directed Senorita from Tacna; and Showboat, Cairo, Egypt.

Stage Executive Producer:

PS 193, Writers' Stage, New York City, 1962.

Stage Artistic Director:

Duck Variations, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1978.

Waiting for Godot, Joseph Papp Public Theater/Newman Hall, New York City, 1981.

Il Campiello, a Venetian Comedy, Joseph Papp Public Theater/Newman Theater, 1981.

Flux, McGinn–Cazale Theatre, New York City, 1982.

Pieces of Eight, Joseph Papp Public Theater/Martinson Hall, 1984.

Also worked as artistic director, The Country Wife; Twelfth Night; The White Devil; King Lear; Mother Courage and Her Children; Ten by Tennessee; and A Midsummer Night's Dream, Joseph Papp Public Theater/Newman Theater, New York City.