Alan Stanford facts for kids

Alan Stanford (born in 1949) is a talented English-Irish actor, director, and writer. He has worked in theatre for many years. He is especially known for his 30-year connection with the Gate Theatre in Dublin. There, he worked as both an actor and a director. Many people also remember him for playing George Manning in the popular Irish TV show Glenroe.

About Alan Stanford's Life

Alan Stanford was born in Liverpool, England. He spent most of his childhood on the Isle of Wight. He trained to be an actor in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 1969, Stanford moved to Ireland after touring there. He later became an Irish citizen. Since 2011, he has lived in the USA. He is based in Pittsburgh. Alan Stanford has been married twice. He has two sons from his second marriage.

Starting His Career in Theatre

Alan Stanford began his directing career in Ireland. He worked at the Project Arts Centre. There, he directed plays by famous writers. These included Shaw, Graham Greene, and Shakespeare.

He used to be the Artistic Director of Second Age Theatre Company. For this company, he directed many well-known plays. Some of these were King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth.

Stanford also directed for the Irish Theatre Company. He worked with many other independent theatre groups. For a company called Storytellers, he directed The Mayor of Casterbridge and Oedipus.

For over thirty years, Stanford worked closely with the Gate Theatre in Dublin. He was both an actor and a director there. At the Gate, he directed many classic plays. These included Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, and A Christmas Carol. He also directed The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest.

Acting Roles on Stage

Alan Stanford has acted in many plays. His roles ranged from plays by Shaw to those by Wilde. He won an award for Best Actor. This was for his role as Salieri in Amadeus. He was also nominated for awards for other roles. These included Astrov in Uncle Vanya and Higgins in Pygmalion.

During the Gate Theatre's Beckett Festival, he performed in two famous plays. He played Pozzo in Waiting for Godot. He also played Hamm in Endgame. He performed these roles in New York, London, and Beijing. Later, he appeared at the Abbey Theatre. He played Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. At the Gate Theatre, he was Herod in Oscar Wilde's Salome. In the USA, he played King Henry in The Lion in Winter.

Other Theatre Work and Adaptations

Alan Stanford has also adapted plays for the stage. He adapted Pride and Prejudice, A Christmas Carol, and Romeo and Juliet. All of these were shown at the Gate Theatre.

He also created a new version of A Doll's House. He made a stage version of the book How Many Miles to Babylon?. These were for Second Age Theatre Company. He also wrote a screenplay for The Picture of Dorian Gray. He had previously adapted this for the stage with writer Gavin Kostick. He also helped write and direct two pantomimes. These were Snow White and Sleeping Beauty at the Gaiety Theatre.

His adaptations of Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre have been performed in many theatres. These include theatres in the USA and Canada.

From 2006 to 2011, Stanford was a member of the Arts Council of Ireland. This council helps support arts and culture.

Stanford started working with PICT Classic Theatre in 2008. He directed Salome for them. Later, he moved to Pittsburgh. In 2013, he became the executive director and artistic director of PICT.

Television and Film Roles

Alan Stanford has appeared in many films and TV shows. His film work includes Educating Rita and Michael Collins. He was also in Animal Farm. For many years, he played George Manning in RTÉ's popular TV show Glenroe.