Lloyd Richards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lloyd Richards
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| Born |
Lloyd George Richards
June 29, 1919 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Died | June 29, 2006 (aged 87) |
| Occupation | Theatre director, actor |
| Years active | 1947–1999 |
| Spouse(s) | Barbara Davenport (1958-2006) |
| Children | Scott Davenport Richards Thomas Richards |
| Awards | Tony Award Best Direction of a Play 1987 Fences Regional Theatre Tony Award 1991 Yale Repertory Theatre Drama Desk Outstanding New Play 1987 Fences 1990 The Piano Lesson National Medal of Arts 1993 Lifetime Achievement |
Lloyd George Richards (born June 29, 1919 – died June 29, 2006) was a very important theatre director and actor. He was from both Canada and America. He also served as the head of the Yale School of Drama from 1979 to 1991.
Contents
A Life in Theatre
Early Life and Education
Lloyd Richards was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. But he grew up in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. When Lloyd was nine, his father passed away. Soon after, his mother lost her eyesight. Lloyd and his brother Allan worked hard to keep their family together.
He later went to Wayne State University to study law. However, he found his true calling in theatre. This happened after he served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
Directing Famous Plays
Lloyd Richards helped bring many amazing plays to life. One of his biggest achievements was directing A Raisin in the Sun. This play, written by Lorraine Hansberry, opened on Broadway in 1959. It was a huge success and received standing ovations.
In 1984, he also introduced the famous playwright August Wilson to Broadway. This was with the play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Richards directed many of Wilson's plays, helping them become very popular.
Helping New Playwrights
Richards was also a big supporter of new writers. He led the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Here, he helped many talented writers start their careers. Some of these writers include Wendy Wasserstein, Christopher Durang, and David Henry Hwang.
Leading Yale's Drama School
From 1979 to 1991, Lloyd Richards was the Dean of the Yale School of Drama. He was also the Artistic Director of the Yale Repertory Theatre. Both of these are in New Haven, Connecticut. After he retired, he became a special professor there.
Lloyd Richards passed away in New York City on his eighty-seventh birthday. He was a truly inspiring person in the world of theatre.
Amazing Awards
Lloyd Richards won many important awards for his work.
Major Awards Won
- 1987: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play - Fences
- 1987: Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play - Fences
- 1987: Tony Award for Best Play - Fences
- 1990: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play - The Piano Lesson
- 1991: Regional Theatre Tony Award - for the Yale Repertory Theatre
- 1993: National Medal of Arts - a special award for lifetime achievement
- 2002: The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize - a very important award for arts
Notable Nominations
Lloyd Richards was also nominated for many other awards, showing how respected his work was.
- 1960: Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play - A Raisin in the Sun
- 1987: Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play - Fences
- 1990: Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play - The Piano Lesson
