Michael Grandage

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Grandage is a British theatre director who is currently Artistic Director at the Donmar Warehouse in London, England.

He made his directorial debut with a production of Last Yankee at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester.

From 2000 – 2005 he served as Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres where his high profile productions included Edward II with Joseph Fiennes , Richard III with Kenneth Branagh and The Tempest with Derek Jacobi.

In 2002 he was announced as the successor to Sam Mendes at the Donmar. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 for Best Director for Peter Nichol’s Passion Play at the Donmar Warehouse before winning in 2004 for Albert Camus’ Caligula, also at the Donmar. He also directed [[After Miss Julie] at the Donmar Warehouse in 2004, starring Kelly Reilly.

In August 2006, two Grandage-directed musical revivals were playing side-by-side in the West End; Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre) and Evita (Adelphi Theatre).

The Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List ranked Grandage as the 21st most powerful gay man in the country in a list that featured other British theatre directors Gregory Doran and Nicholas Hytner.

His production of Othello is currently playing at the Donmar Warehouse. In 2008/9, he will direct Derek Jacobi in Twelfth Night and Judi Dench in Madame de Sade at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End.

[edit] Background

Grandage was born in Yorkshire, but raised in Penzance. He trained as an actor at Central School of Speech and Drama from 1981 - 1984 and worked as an actor for 12 years before turning to directing full-time in 1996.

[edit] Career

Forthcoming (for Donmar in the West End)

Twelfth Night – 2008 – Wyndham’s
Madame de Sade – 2009 – Wyndham’s

For the Donmar Warehouse

Othello – 2007
John Gabriel Borkman – 2007
Don Juan in Soho - 2006
Frost/Nixon – 2006 - also Gielgud Theatre and Broadway
The Cut – 2006
The Wild Duck – 2005/6
Grand Hotel – 2004/5
Pirandello’s Henry IV – 2004 – also national tour
After Miss Julie – 2003/4
Caligula – 2003
The Vortex – 2002/3
Privates on Parade – 2001/2
Merrily We Roll Along – 2000/1
Passion Play – 2000 – also Comedy Theatre
Good – 1999

West End

Evita – 2006 – Adelphi
Guys and Dolls – 2005 – Piccadilly

For Sheffield Theatres

Don Carlos – 2004/5 – also Gielgud
Suddenly Last Summer – 2004 – also tour and Albery
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 2003
The Tempest – 2002/3 – also Old Vic
Richard III – 2002
Don Juan – 2001
Edward II – 2001
The Country Wife – 2000
As You Like It – 2000 – also Lyric Hammersmith
Twelfth Night – 1998
What the Butler Saw - 1998

Other

The Jew of Malta – 1999 – Almeida and national tour
The Doctor’s Dilemma – 1998 – Almeida and national tour
The Deep Blue Sea – 1996 – Mercury, Colchester
The Last Yankee – 1995 – Mercury, Colchester

Awards His work has won Olivier, Evening Standard, Critics Circle and South Bank Awards. He has also been awarded Honorary Doctorates by both Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield University. He was the recipient of the 2006 Award for Excellence in International Theatre.