Knud Adams

Knud Adams
Born
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.
EducationKenyon College (BA)
Occupation
  • Director

Knud Adams is an American theatre director, known for his work directing Sanaz Toossi's play English both Off-Broadway and on Broadway,[1] as well as Off-Broadway productions of Eboni Booth's Primary Trust in 2023[2] and Ro Reddick's Cold War Choir Practice in 2026.[3] For his work, he has been nominated for a Tony Award,[4] a Drama Desk Award[5] and won an Obie Award.[6]

Early life

Adams and his family, including five siblings, moved frequently during his youth, including to France, England and Scotland, before settling in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was during this time that he became interested in art, museums and music.[7] Adamds described this time as "I wasn’t drinking. I wasn’t doing drugs. I was bicycling around the streets, no cellphone, bored out of my mind, looking for trouble. I found some trouble, but also this imagination."[8]

Adams then attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, graduating in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in drama.[9][10]

Career

Adams' career began with both writing and directing, serving in both roles for a staged reading of The Highwayman at Bleecker Street Theatre in 2012, and a lab production of Children Of The Future Age at Calliope Theatre Company the same year. His first directing credit beyond his own work was Off-Off-Broadway with LovePlay/PlayMoney in 2015 at La MaMa Off-Broadway, followed by Tom & Eliza at JACK and Every Angel Is Brutal at Clubbed Thumb, the latter two both in 2016.[7][11]

Adams' first Off-Broadway credits were in 2020, directing both Eboni Booth's Paris at the Atlantic Theatre Company[12] and Christopher Chen's The Headlands at Lincoln Center Theatre.[13] Following the COVID-19 pandemic closing theatres, he returned to the stage as director of 2022's I'm Revolting Off-Broadway at Atlantic Theatre Company.[14] He is an alumnus of the Drama League Next Stage Residency and Directing Fellowship, a member of the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab and a Playwrights Horizons Directing Resident.[7]

He is set to direct a stage adaptation of Nick Payne's The Unbelievers Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club in fall of 2026, beginning performances on October 13, 2026, with a cast to be announced.[15][16]

English

In 2022, he directed Sanaz Toossi's play, English, which followed English students in Karaj, Iran in its Off-Broadway premiere at Atlantic Theatre Company.[17] The production received critical acclaim, with The New York Times praising Adams' direction for "gently underlining the calm, almost classical rhythms of Toossi’s writing."[18] The play won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama,[19] with Adams receiving nominations for a Drama Desk Award,[20][21] Drama League Award[22] and winning an Obie Award.[23]

In 2025, English transferred to Broadway at the Todd Haimes Theatre, opening on January 23, 2025, with Adams returning as director. The production starred Tala Ashe and Marjan Neshat and ran through March 2, 2025.[24] The production was a critical success,[25][26] receiving five 2025 Tony Award nominations, including Best Direction of a Play for Adams,[27] and four 2025 Drama League Awards, including Outstanding Direction of a Play for Adams.[28][29]

Primary Trust

He received recognition for his work as director of the 2023 Off-Broadway premiere of Eboni Booth's play, Primary Trust at Roundabout Theatre Company, starring William Jackson Harper and reuniting with Booth following 2020's Paris. The play followed a middle-aged bookstore owner confronting a world he's worked to avoid.[2] The play was positively received, and won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.[30] The Daily Beast named it "one of NYC's best new plays" and Knud's direction was praised as " engagingly and imaginatively rendered,"[31] and nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award.[32]

Cold War Choir Practice

Adams directed the 2026 Off-Broadway world premiere of Ro Reddick's comedic play Cold War Choir Practice at MCC Theatre. The play followed a young girl in 1986 practicing for a holiday choir concert when her strange uncle arrives, piquing her interest amid the Cold War.[3] The production was acclaimed by critics, with TheaterMania praising Adams' direction for "marvelously balancing comedy with seriousness."[33] In 2026, it was nominated for three Drama Desk Awards,[34] two Outer Critics Circle Awards,[35] four Lucille Lortel Awards[36][37] and three Drama League Awards,[38][39] with Adams receiving nominations at the latter two ceremonies.

Notable stage credits

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
2020 Paris Director Off-Broadway, Atlantic Theatre Company [12]
The Headlands Off-Broadway, Lincoln Center Theatre [13]
2022 I'm Revolting Off-Broadway, Atlantic Theatre Company [14]
English [17]
Private Regional, Mosaic Theater Company of DC [40]
2023 Primary Trust Off-Broadway, Roundabout Theatre Company [2]
2024 Los Angeles, La Jolla Playhouse [41]
2025 English Broadway, Todd Haimes Theatre [42]
The Aves Regional, Berkeley Repertory Theatre [43]
Cold War Choir Practice Off-Off-Broadway, Clubbed Thumb [44]
2026 Off-Broadway, MCC Theatre [3]
Primary Trust Los Angeles, Mark Taper Forum [45]
The Unbelievers Off-Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club [15][46]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2022 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Direction of a Play English Nominated [47]
Drama League Award Outstanding Direction of a Play Nominated [48]
Obie Award Distinguished Direction Won [6]
2024 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Director of a Play Primary Trust Nominated [49]
2025 Tony Award Best Direction of a Play English Nominated [50]
Drama League Award Outstanding Direction of a Play Nominated [51]
2026 Cold War Choir Practice Nominated [52][39]
Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Director Nominated [53][37]

References

  1. ^ "English (Broadway, Todd Haimes Theatre, 2025)". Playbill. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c "Primary Trust". Roundabout Theatre Company. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "Cold War Choir Practice". MCC Theater. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
  4. ^ "Tony Awards 2025 Live Updating". Playbill. June 8, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  5. ^ Gillian Russo (June 8, 2022). "2022 Drama Desk Award winners announced". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "66th Annual Obie Awards: Year 22". Obie Awards. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  7. ^ a b c "About". Knud Adams. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  8. ^ McNulty, Charles (April 8, 2026). "Is Knud Adams the Pulitzer whisperer? The director brings two acclaimed plays to L.A." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  9. ^ Calhoon, Zack (March 8, 2016). "People You Should Know . . . Knud Adams". Visible Soul. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  10. ^ Smith, Ryan E. (March 13, 2024). "From Bolton to Broadway". Kenyon College. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  11. ^ "Knud Adams". AboutTheArtists. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Paris". Atlantic Theater Company. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  13. ^ a b "The Headlands". Lincoln Center Theater. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  14. ^ a b "I'm Revolting". Atlantic Theater Company. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  15. ^ a b "The Unbelievers". Manhattan Theatre Club. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  16. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 12, 2026). "Manhattan Theatre Club Announces 'School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play' and 'The Unbelievers' for 2026-2027 Season". Broadway.com. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  17. ^ a b "English". Atlantic Theater Company. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  18. ^ Green, Jesse (February 22, 2022). "Review: In 'English,' a Classroom Is a Battlefield of Accent and Identity". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  19. ^ "2023 Pulitzer Prizes". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  20. ^ "2023 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  21. ^ Logan Culwell-Block (May 31, 2023). "Some Like It Hot Dominates 2023 Drama Desk Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  22. ^ "2023 Drama League Award Winners Announced". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  23. ^ "66th Obies Winners Announced". Obie Awards. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  24. ^ "English (Broadway, Todd Haimes Theatre, 2025)". Playbill. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  25. ^ Mandell, Jonathan (January 23, 2025). "'English' Broadway Review". New York Theater. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  26. ^ Collins-Hughes, Laura (January 23, 2025). "Review: In 'English' on Broadway, the Loss and Longing Are Larger". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  27. ^ "Tony Awards 2025 Live Updating". Playbill. June 8, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  28. ^ "2025 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  29. ^ "Photos: 2025 Drama League Awards (Winners, Nicole Scherzinger, Sam Pinkleton & More)". Playbill. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  30. ^ "2024 Pulitzer Prizes". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  31. ^ Teeman, Tim (May 25, 2023). "'Primary Trust': One of NYC's Best Plays, Mai Tais Included". The Daily Beast. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  32. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 13, 2024). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Wins Best Play; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  33. ^ Stewart, Zachary (March 10, 2026). "Review: 'Cold War Choir Practice' Wants Us to Remember the '80s". TheaterMania. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  34. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2026). "Ragtime Leads 2026 Drama Desk Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  35. ^ "Schmigadoon!, Ragtime Win Big at 2026 Outer Critics Circle Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  36. ^ "MEXODUS and PRINCE F*GGOT Lead 2026 Lucille Lortel Nominations". BroadwayWorld. April 1, 2026. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  37. ^ a b Culwell-Block, Logan (3 May 2026). "Mexodus Wins 4 Lucille Lortel Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  38. ^ Gans, Andrew (April 20, 2026). "2026 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  39. ^ a b Hipes, Patrick (April 20, 2026). "Daniel Radcliffe, Luke Evans Among Drama League Award Nominees". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  40. ^ "Private". Mosaic Theater Company. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  41. ^ "Primary Trust". La Jolla Playhouse. Retrieved June 7, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  42. ^ "English (Broadway, Todd Haimes Theatre, 2025)". Playbill. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  43. ^ "Berkeley Repertory Theatre Announces Full Cast and Creative Team for the World Premiere of Jiehae Park's the aves" (PDF). Berkeley Repertory Theatre. March 20, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  44. ^ "Cold War Choir Practice". Clubbed Thumb. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  45. ^ "Primary Trust". Center Theatre Group. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  46. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 12, 2026). "Manhattan Theatre Club Announces 'School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play' and 'The Unbelievers' for 2026-2027 Season". Broadway.com. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  47. ^ Gillian Russo (June 8, 2022). "2022 Drama Desk Award winners announced". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  48. ^ "2022 Drama League Award Winners Announced". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  49. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 13, 2024). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Wins Best Play; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  50. ^ "Tony Awards 2025 Live Updating". Playbill. June 8, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
  51. ^ "Photos: 2025 Drama League Awards (Winners, Nicole Scherzinger, Sam Pinkleton & More)". Playbill. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
  52. ^ Gans, Andrew (April 20, 2026). "2026 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
  53. ^ "MEXODUS and PRINCE F*GGOT Lead 2026 Lucille Lortel Nominations". BroadwayWorld. April 1, 2026. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
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