Richard Greenberg

For other people named Richard Greenberg, see Richard Greenberg (disambiguation).
Richard Greenberg
Born(1958-02-22)February 22, 1958
East Meadow, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 4, 2025(2025-07-04) (aged 67)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation
  • Playwright
  • television writer
EducationEast Meadow High School
Alma materPrinceton University (BA)
Harvard University
Yale University (MFA)
Period1984–2022
Notable worksEastern Standard (1988)
Three Days of Rain (1998)
Take Me Out (2003)
Notable awardsTony Award for Best Play
New York Drama Critics Circle Award
Drama Desk Award
Finalist, Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Oppenheimer Award

Richard Greenberg (February 22, 1958 – July 4, 2025) was an American playwright and television writer known for his subversively humorous depictions of middle-class American life. He had more than 25 plays premiere on Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway in New York City and eight at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California, including The Violet Hour, Everett Beekin, and Hurrah at Last.[1][2] Greenberg is perhaps best known for his 2002 play Take Me Out.

Early life and education

Greenberg was born on February 22, 1958, in East Meadow, New York, on Long Island.[3] The younger of two children, his father, Leon Greenberg, was an executive for New York's Century Theaters movie chain, and his mother Shirley was a homemaker.[4][5] Greenberg graduated from East Meadow High School in 1976 and went on to attend Princeton University, where he graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. in English.[6] As part of his degree, Greenberg completed a 438-page senior thesis titled "A Romantic Career – A Novel".[7] At Princeton, Greenberg studied creative writing under Joyce Carol Oates and roomed with future Harvard economics professor Greg Mankiw. Later, he attended Harvard for graduate work in English and American literature, but dropped out of the program when he was accepted to the Yale School of Drama's playwriting program in 1985.[6]

Career

Greenberg received the George Oppenheimer Award presented by Newsday in 1985 for The Bloodletters, produced off-off-Broadway while he was at Yale.[8][9][10] In 1998, he was the first winner of the PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award for a playwright in mid-career.[11][12]

Greenberg's play Take Me Out, about the conflicts that arise after a Major League Baseball player nonchalantly announces to the media that he is gay, premiered in 2002. The play premiered in London and ran in New York as the first collaboration between England's Donmar Warehouse and New York's Public Theater.[13] After it transferred to Broadway in early 2003, Take Me Out won widespread critical acclaim for Greenberg and many prestigious awards including the Tony Award for Best Play.

Along with Take Me Out, Greenberg's plays include The Dazzle, The American Plan, Life Under Water, and The Author's Voice. His adaptation of August Strindberg's Dance of Death ran on Broadway in 2002, starring Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, and David Strathairn.

In 2013, Greenberg worked on three shows: on Broadway, The Assembled Parties and an adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany's,[14] and the book for the musical Far From Heaven, which opened in June 2013 at Playwrights Horizons.[15]

His play Our Mother's Brief Affair premiered at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa in April 2009. Directed by Pam MacKinnon, the cast featured Jenny O'Hara, Matthew Arkin, Arye Gross and Marin Hinkle. This was a commission from the SCRT.[16][17] The play opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, on December 28, 2015 (previews), and officially on January 20, 2016, starring Linda Lavin.[18][19]

His play The Babylon Line premiered off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater on November 10, 2016, in previews, and officially on December 5.[20] Directed by Terry Kinney, the cast features Josh Radnor as a writing teacher and Elizabeth Reaser as his student.[21] The play was first performed at New York Stage and Film & Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater in June and July 2014, starring Radnor.[22]

Style

The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights describes Greenberg's "most prominent" interest as history "and (also) the past". He has a strong "tendency to draw on historical characters or events——the Lost Generation, the Collyer Brothers, the New York Yankees" as sources for his material. He is said to have a "witty use of language."[23]

Personal life and death

Greenberg lived in Chelsea, Manhattan.[4]

Greenberg died from cancer at a nursing home in Manhattan, on July 4, 2025, at the age of 67; he previously had Hodgkin lymphoma when he was in his thirties.[24][25] Actor Denis O'Hare paid tribute to him on Instagram, saying "He gave me the greatest gift ever – a beautiful character to inhabit in a beautiful play. He also gave me 2 of my best friends – Lisa Peterson and Linda Emond. We all met and worked on Rich's one act – The Author's Voice at Remains Theatre in 1987 in a festival of one acts called 'Sneaky Feelings.' I have a sneaky feeling of grief mixed with gratitude for this man."[26] Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson also paid tribute, writing "Rest in peace Richard, you gave the world so much." Theater director Robert Falls wrote "For over 30 years, it's been one of life's great pleasures to know Rich and his writing. Dazzling, humane, wildly funny. ... He was also one of the smartest people I've ever met. But he wore that brilliance lightly—often cloaked in hilarity, or tossed off in the driest, most devastating line at dinner. His kindness was real. His loss is enormous."[27][24]

Works

Television

  • 1989: "Ask Me Again" (based on "An Old-Fashioned Story" by Laurie Colwin), American Playhouse, PBS.
  • 1989: "Life Under Water" (based on his one-act play), American Playhouse, PBS.
  • 1989: "The Sad Professor," Trying Times, PBS.
  • 1991: "Georgie Through the Looking Glass," Sisters, NBC.
  • 1993: "Mirror, Mirror," Sisters, NBC.
  • 1999: "The Time the Millennium Approached," Time of Your Life, Fox.

Awards and nominations

See also

References

  1. ^ "Richard Greenberg (1958–)". Doollee's Complete Guide to the Playwright, Plays, Theatres, and Agents. 2003. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Hernandez, Ernio (December 5, 2007). "South Coast Rep Nabs Another Greenberg World-Premiere Comedy, 'The Injured Party'". Playbill. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ^ Richard Greenberg at the Internet Broadway Database
  4. ^ a b Soller, Kurt (March 8, 2020). "The Bard of Privilege". T: The New York Times Style Magazine. p. 50. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  5. ^ "Richard Greenberg". Contemporary Authors Online. Gale Biography In Context. Detroit: Gale. 2006. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Witchel, Alex (March 26, 2006). "A Dramatic Shut-In". The New York Times Magazine. p. 47. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  7. ^ Greenberg, Richard. A Romantic Career – A Novel (Thesis). Princeton University. Department of English.
  8. ^ Bryer, Jackson R. and Hartig, Mary C. "Richard Greenberg" The Facts on File Companion to American Drama, Infobase Publishing, 2010, ISBN 1438129661, p.207
  9. ^ Rich, Frank. "Stage: 'The Bloodletters,' a Comedy" The New York Times, December 7, 1984
  10. ^ Guernsey, Otis L. and Sweet, Jeffrey. "Eastern Standard" The Best Plays of 1988–1989: The Complete Broadway and Off-Broadway Sourcebook Hal Leonard Corporation, 1989, ISBN 1557830568, p. 172
  11. ^ "Richard Greenberg". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  12. ^ Lawrence Van Gelder (May 9, 1998). "Arthur Miller Gets Award From PEN". The New York Times. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  13. ^ Brantley, Ben (February 28, 2003). "Theatre Review: Love Affair With Baseball And a Lot of Big Ideas". The New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  14. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Broadway's Breakfast at Tiffany's Sets Closing Date" Archived November 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, April 15, 2013
  15. ^ McNulty, Charles. "A rich season for playwright Richard Greenberg", Los Angeles Times, April 27, 2013
  16. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Richard Greenberg's Our Mother's Brief Affair Opens April 10 at South Coast Rep" Playbill.com, April 10, 2009
  17. ^ McNulty, Charles. "Review. 'Our Mother's Brief Affair'" Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2009
  18. ^ Clement, Olivia. "'Our Mother's Brief Affair', with Linda Lavin, Begins Previews on Broadway Tonight" Playbill.com, December 28, 2015
  19. ^ Viagas, Robert. "Verdict: How Were the Reviews for 'Our Mother's Brief Affair'? Playbill.com, January 20, 2016
  20. ^ The Babylon Line lct.org, accessed November 21, 2016
  21. ^ Gordon, David. "Josh Radnor and Elizabeth Reaser to Lead Richard Greenberg's 'The Babylon Line'" TheaterMania, July 21, 2016.
  22. ^ "Powerhouse Season attracts theater, TV stars". Poughkeepsie Journal. May 22, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  23. ^ Innes, Christopher (and others) editor, "Richard Greenberg" The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights (no page number), A&C Black, 2013, ISBN 1408134810
  24. ^ a b Smith, Harrison (July 7, 2025). "Richard Greenberg, whose plays probed love and baseball, dies at 67". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  25. ^ Franklin, McKinley (July 5, 2025). "Richard Greenberg, Tony-Winning Playwright of 'Take Me Out,' Dies at 67". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 5, 2025. Greenberg's death was announced Friday
  26. ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe (July 5, 2025). "TAKE ME OUT Playwright Richard Greenberg Has Passed Away". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  27. ^ Garner, Glenn (July 5, 2025). "Richard Greenberg Dies: Tony-Winning 'Take Me Out' Playwright Was 67". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  28. ^ Rich, Frank. "Theater Review. 'Hunger Artist, Kafka in Life and Work" The New York Times, February 27, 1987
  29. ^ Rich, Frank. "Theater review. 'The maderati' by Richard Greenberg" The New York Times, February 20, 1987
  30. ^ Goodman, Walter. "Theater Review. Of Baseball, the Infinite and Various Kinds of Curves" The New York Times, June 16, 1988
  31. ^ Rich, Frank. "Review/Theater; Stylish and Affluent Extra Man With Dark Views and Dark Plot" The New York Times, May 20, 1992
  32. ^ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. 'Night and Her Stars', A Different Take On Quiz Scandals" The New York Times, April 27, 1995
  33. ^ Richards, David. "Review/Theater; White Knights and Villains In the Quiz-Show Scandals" The New York Times, March 16, 1994
  34. ^ Oxman, Steve. "Review. Everett Beekin Variety, September 20, 2000
  35. ^ Everett Beekin lct.org, accessed December 28, 2015
  36. ^ The Dance of Death ibdb.com, accessed January 21, 2016
  37. ^ Simonson, Robert. Death, Where Is Thy Closing? Jan. 13, McKellen and Mirren Dance Away" playbill.com, January 13, 2002
  38. ^ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. At Home With the Collyer Brothers" The New York Times, March 6, 2002
  39. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Richard Greenberg Crashes Capote's Ball in World Premiere, 'Bal Masque', in Busy Season for D.C.'s Theater J" playbill.com, July 13, 2005
  40. ^ Abarbanel, Jonathan. "Review: 'The Well-Appointed Room' backstage.com, February 8, 2006
  41. ^ Columbus, Curt; Murray, Thomas; Nedved, William. "Richard Greenberg: The Mind Lighting 'The Well-Appointed Room'" steppenwolf.org, 2005–2006, Vol. 2
  42. ^ The House in Town lct.org, accessed December 30, 2015
  43. ^ Breakfast at Tiffany's ibdb.com, accessed December 15, 2016
  44. ^ "Holiday". Goodman Theatre. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  45. ^ Portantiere, Michael. "The 2001–2002 Outer Critics Circle Award Winners" theatermania.com, April 29, 2002
  46. ^ "1998 Literary Award Winners" pen.org, accessed March 6, 2016
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