Birth Place: New York, NY, USA
Arthur Laurents was a renowned American playwright, screenwriter, and director who was born on July 14, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. He was a prominent figure in the entertainment industry for over six decades and was widely regarded as one of the most influential playwrights of his generation.
Laurents began his career in the theater as an assistant to playwrights such as Robert E. Sherwood and Moss Hart. He made his Broadway debut as a playwright in 1945 with the play "Home of the Brave," which dealt with anti-Semitism in the military. The play was a critical and commercial success and established Laurents as a major talent in the theater world.
In 1957, Laurents wrote the book for the musical "West Side Story," which was a collaboration with composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The show was a modern retelling of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" set in the streets of New York City. It was a groundbreaking work that tackled issues of race, immigration, and gang violence. The show was a critical and commercial success and won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Laurents continued to work in the theater throughout the 1960s and 1970s, writing and directing several successful plays and musicals. In 1968, he wrote the book for the musical "Hallelujah, Baby!," which was a collaboration with composer Jule Styne and lyricist Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The show was a satirical look at the civil rights movement and won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Laurents continued to work in the theater as a director, directing several successful revivals of classic musicals. In 1983, he directed a revival of "La Cage aux Folles," which was a collaboration with composer Jerry Herman and lyricist Harvey Fierstein. The show was a critical and commercial success and won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival.
Laurents also worked extensively in film and television throughout his career. He wrote the screenplays for several successful films, including "The Way We Were" (1973), which starred Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, and "The Turning Point" (1977), which starred Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft. He also directed several films, including "The Way We Were" and "The Turning Point."
In addition to his work in the entertainment industry, Laurents was also a political activist who was involved in several social and political causes. He was a vocal supporter of gay rights and was an active member of the Democratic Party.
Laurents continued to work in the theater until his death on May 5, 2011, at the age of 93. His most recent work was a revival of his play "West Side Story," which opened on Broadway in 2009. The production was directed by Laurents himself and was a critical and commercial success.
Arthur Laurents
Arthur Laurents, West Side Story
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Arthur LaurentsGypsy
Arthur Laurents, La Cage aux Folles
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Arthur Laurents, Gypsy
Arthur Laurents has written 18 shows including Home of the Brave (Playwright), The Bird Cage (Playwright), The Time of the Cuckoo (Playwright), A Clearing in the Woods (Playwright), West Side Story (Bookwriter), Gypsy (Bookwriter), Invitation to a March (Playwright), Anyone Can Whistle (Bookwriter), Do I Hear a Waltz? (Source Material), Hallelujah, Baby! (Bookwriter), The Enclave (Playwright), The Madwoman of Central Park West (Bookwriter), Jerome Robbins' Broadway (Bookwriter), Nick & Nora (Bookwriter), The Radical Mystique (Playwright), Angela Lansbury - A Celebration (Playwright), The Time of the Cuckoo (Playwright), The Light in the Piazza (Bookwriter).
Arthur Laurents has been nominated for several awards throughout his career, including the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing at the Drama League Awards, Outstanding Director of a Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards for "West Side Story" and "Gypsy," Best Direction of a Musical at the Tony Awards for "Gypsy" and "La Cage aux Folles," Outstanding Director, Non-Resident Production at the Helen Hayes Awards for "Gypsy," and Outstanding Director - Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for "Gypsy." Additionally, "Gypsy" was nominated for Best Musical at the Tony Awards.
Arthur Laurents has won the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing at the Drama League Awards, the Best Direction of a Musical at the Tony Awards for La Cage aux Folles, and the Outstanding Director - Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for Gypsy.
Videos