Jerry Zaks

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Jerry Zaks
Born (1946-09-07) September 7, 1946 (age 78)
Stuttgart, Germany
Occupation(s)Theatre, film director
SpouseJill Rose (2 children)

Jerry Zaks (born September 7, 1946) is an American stage and television director, and actor. He won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Drama Desk Award for directing The House of Blue Leaves (1986), Lend Me a Tenor (1989), and Six Degrees of Separation (1991) and the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical and Drama Desk Award for Guys and Dolls (1992).

Early life

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Zaks was born in Stuttgart, Germany, the son of Holocaust survivors Lily (Gliksman) and Sy Zaks, a butcher.[1] His family immigrated to the United States in 1948, finally settling in Paterson, New Jersey, where he graduated from Eastside High School in 1963.[2][3] He graduated from Dartmouth College and received a Master of Fine Arts from Smith College.[4]

Career

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Stage

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He made his Broadway acting debut in the original production of Grease as "Kenickie" and appeared in Tintypes in 1980. He made his directing debut in 1981 with the off-Broadway production of Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy, which co-starred Sigourney Weaver.[5] He has directed many Broadway productions, both musicals and dramas.

He has also directed many Off-Broadway productions, several at Playwrights Horizons and the Public Theater. He directed the City Center Encores! productions of Girl Crazy (November 2009),[6] Stairway to Paradise (May 2007),[7] and Bye Bye Birdie (May 2004).[8]

He was the director of the new musical The 101 Dalmatians Musical, which toured the United States from October 2009 through April 2010.[9] Zaks was named "creative consultant" for the new musical The Addams Family, which opened on Broadway in April 2010.[10]

He directed the Broadway production of Sister Act, which opened in Spring 2011.[11]

Lincoln Center

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Zaks served as Resident Director at Lincoln Center from 1986 to 1990 and is a founding member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre.[12]

Television and film

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As an actor, Zaks' screen credits include Outrageous Fortune, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Husbands and Wives. On television he has appeared in M*A*S*H and The Edge of Night and directed episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Hope and Faith, and Two and a Half Men, among others. He also directed the feature films Marvin's Room and Who Do You Love?[13] Marvin's Room won the Golden St. George at the 20th Moscow International Film Festival.[14]

Honors

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Zaks received the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater in 1994 and an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Dartmouth College in 1999. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2013.[15]

Personal life

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Zaks married Jill Rose, an actress, on January 14, 1979; they have two children, Emma and Hannah Zaks.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Director

Actor

Year Title Role Ref.
1987 Outrageous Fortune Tobacco Clerk [17]
1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors Man on Campus
1992 Husbands and Wives Dinner Party Guest [18]

Television

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Director[17]

Year Title Notes
1996 O'Henry's Christmas Segment "The Last Leaf"
2000 The Man Who Came to Dinner TV movie
2001 Kristin 2 episodes
2001–2004 Everybody Loves Raymond 21 episodes
2002 Bram and Alice 7 episodes
2002–2003 Frasier 4 episodes
2004 All About the Andersons 2 episodes
Married to the Kellys Episode "Double Dating"
Hope and Faith 2 episodes
2006–2007 Two and a Half Men 3 episodes

Actor

Year Title Role Notes
1973 The New Temperatures Rising Show Episode "The Misguided Appendectomy"
M*A*S*H Cpl. Phil Walker Episode "L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel)"
1980 Attica Lenny Becker TV movie
1981 The Gentleman Bandit Carl Schnee
1983–1984 The Edge of Night Louis Van Dine 24 episodes
2000 The Beat Episode "Can I Get a Witness?"

Theatre

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Director

Year Title Venue Ref.
1986 The House of Blue Leaves Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway [19]
The Front Page [20]
1987 Anything Goes [21]
1989 Lend Me a Tenor Royale Theatre, Broadway [22]
1990 Six Degrees of Separation Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway [23]
1992 Guys and Dolls Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway [24]
1993 Face Value Cort Theatre, Broadway [25]
Laughter on the 23rd Floor Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway [26]
1995 Smokey Joe's Cafe Virginia Theatre, Broadway [27]
1996 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum St. James Theatre, Broadway [28]
1999 The Civil War [29]
Epic Proportions Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway [30]
2000 The Man Who Came to Dinner American Airlines Theatre, Broadway [31]
2001 45 Seconds from Broadway Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway [32]
2003 Little Shop of Horrors Virginia Theatre, Broadway [33]
2004 La Cage aux Folles Marquis Theatre, Broadway [34]
2006 The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway [35]
Losing Louie Biltmore Theatre, Broadway [36]
2007 A Bronx Tale Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway [37]
2011 Sister Act Broadway Theatre, Broadway [38]
2016 A Bronx Tale Longacre Theatre, Broadway [39]
2017 Hello, Dolly! Sam S. Shubert Theatre, Broadway [40]
Meteor Shower Booth Theatre, Broadway [41]
2020 Mrs. Doubtfire Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway [42]
2021 The Music Man Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway [43]

Actor

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
1972 Grease Kenickie (Replacement) Eden Theatre, Broadway [44]
1978 Once in a Lifetime Weisskopf Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway [45]
1980 Tintypes Performer John Golden Theatre, Broadway [46]

Production Supervisor

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
1999 Swing! Production Supervisor St. James Theatre, Broadway [47]

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Project Result Ref.
1986 Tony Awards Best Direction of a Play The House of Blue Leaves Won [48]
1988 Best Direction of a Musical Anything Goes Nominated [49]
1989 Best Direction of a Play Lend Me a Tenor Won [50]
1991 Six Degrees of Separation Won [51]
1992 Best Direction of a Musical Guys and Dolls Won [52]
1995 Smokey Joe's Cafe Nominated [53]
1996 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Nominated [54]
2017 Hello, Dolly! Nominated [55]
1980 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Tintypes Nominated
1986 Outstanding Director of a Play The Marriage of Bette & Boo / The House of Blue Leaves Won
1988 Outstanding Director of a Musical Anything Goes Nominated
1989 Outstanding Director of a Play Lend Me a Tenor Won
1991 Six Degrees of Separation Won
1991 Outstanding Director of a Musical Assassins Nominated
1992 Guys and Dolls Won
2006 Outstanding Director of a Play The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Nominated
2022 Drama League Award Best Direction of a Musical The Music Man Nominated
1985 Obie Award The Marriage of Bette and Boo / The Foreigner Won
1988 Outer Critics Circle Awards Best Direction Wenceslas Square Won
2022 Best Direction of a Musical Mrs. Doubtfire Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b Filmreference.com
  2. ^ Beckerman, Jim. "Tony-award winning director Jerry Zaks goes home to Paterson", The Record, March 27, 2016. Accessed October 18, 2021. "As if he was – at heart — just another student at Paterson's Eastside High School, which he graduated from 53 years ago.... Though Zaks, a New York resident since the late 1960s, hadn't been back to Eastside since 1963, when he graduated, Eastside came back to him – through his work."
  3. ^ Shapiro, Danielle. "Celebrating 80 years of Eastside High", The Record, December 1, 2006. Accessed October 18, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Jerry Joseph Zaks Class of 1963, Broadway theater director, who directed more than 30 productions on the Great White Way including, The Front Page, Anything Goes and Smokey Joe's Cafe."
  4. ^ Rothstein, Mervyn. "Stage Struck" Archived 2007-02-03 at the Wayback Machine Cigaraficionado.com, March/April 1998
  5. ^ Gussow, Mel (January 6, 1981). "Stage:'Beyond Therapy by Durang at Phoenix". The New York Times. p. C11. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  6. ^ Hernandez, Ernio and Hetrick, Adam."They've Got Rhythm: Gasteyer, Knight, Kudisch Lead Gershwin's Girl Crazy for Encores! Nov. 19-22" Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, Nov 19, 2009
  7. ^ Gans, Andrew."Casting Complete for Encores! Stairway to Paradise" Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, April 19, 2007
  8. ^ Brantley, Ben."Review The New York Times, May 8, 2004
  9. ^ Hetrick, Adam and Jones, Kenneth. "101 Dalmatians: The Musical Tour to Launch in Minneapolis; Will Play NYC" Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, July 9, 2009
  10. ^ Jones, Kenneth."Zaks Is New Patriarch of Addams Family; Previews Will Now Begin March 8" Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, December 29, 2009
  11. ^ SISTER ACT Confirms Broadway for Spring 2011; Zaks to Direct. Broadwayworld.com
  12. ^ Biography Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, accessed January 30, 2010
  13. ^ Holden, Stephen (April 8, 2010). "Fictional History: What It Was Like to Start Rock 'n' Roll, Sort Of". The New York Times.
  14. ^ "20th Moscow International Film Festival (1997)". MIFF. Archived from the original on 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  15. ^ "Cherry Jones, Ellen Burstyn, Cameron Mackintosh and More Inducted Into Broadway's Theater Hall of Fame". Theatermania.com. 27 January 2014. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  16. ^ "Marvin's Room". Variety. 15 December 1996. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Jerry Zaks - IMDB". IMDB. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  18. ^ "STAGE : The Laugh Doctor Is In : A sensitivity to the mechanics of comedy has earned director Jerry Zaks four Tonys and cheers from his peers". Los Angeles Times. 11 October 1992. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  19. ^ "The House of Blue Leaves (Broadway, 1986)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  20. ^ "The Front Page (Broadway, 1986)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  21. ^ "Anything Goes (Broadway, 1987)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  22. ^ "Lend Me a Tenor (Broadway, 1989)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  23. ^ "Six Degrees of Separation (Broadway, 1990)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  24. ^ "Guys and Dolls (Broadway, 1992)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  25. ^ "Hwang play falls on 'Face'". Variety. 16 March 1993. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  26. ^ "Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Broadway, 1993)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  27. ^ "Smokey Joe's Cafe (Broadway, 1995)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  28. ^ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Broadway, 1996)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  29. ^ "Civil War (Broadway, 1999)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  30. ^ "Epic Proportions (Broadway, 1999)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  31. ^ "The Man Who Came to Dinner (Broadway, 2000)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  32. ^ "45 Seconds from Broadway (Broadway, 2001)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  33. ^ "Little Shop of Horrors (Broadway, 2003)". April 25, 2024.
  34. ^ "La Cage aux Folles (Broadway, 2004)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  35. ^ "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (Broadway, 2006)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  36. ^ "Losing Louie (Broadway, 2006)". April 25, 2024.
  37. ^ "A Bronx Tale (Broadway, 2007)". April 25, 2024.
  38. ^ "Sister Act (Broadway, 2011)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  39. ^ "A Bronx Tale (Broadway, 2016)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  40. ^ "Hello, Dolly! (Broadway, 2017)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  41. ^ "Meteor Shower (Broadway, 2017)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  42. ^ "Mrs. Doubtfire (Broadway, 2020)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  43. ^ "The Music Man (Broadway, 2021)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  44. ^ "Grease (Broadway, 1972)". April 25, 2024.
  45. ^ "Once in a Lifetime (Broadway, 1978)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  46. ^ "Tintypes (Broadway, 1980)". April 25, 2024.
  47. ^ "Swing! (Broadway, 1999)". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  48. ^ "1986 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  49. ^ "1988 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  50. ^ "1989 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  51. ^ "1991 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  52. ^ "1992 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  53. ^ "1995 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  54. ^ "1996 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  55. ^ "2017 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
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