Norman René

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Norman René (born 1951 in Bristol , Rhode Island , † May 24, 1996 in New York City , New York ) was an award-winning American director in theater and film. In addition, he was also active as a film producer .

life and career

Born in Bristol, Rhode Island, Norman René first studied psychology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and later earned a degree in directing from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania in 1974 . After a brief but unsuccessful attempt to gain a foothold as an actor in New York, he began working as a theater director off-Broadway in 1977 and co-founded the Production Company and served as its artistic director until 1985.

In 1979 he met the playwright Craig Lucas and worked with him for the first time in 1980 on a Stephen Sondheim revue Marry Me a Little . In the following 16 years he was to adapt his work several times as theater and film work. He made his Broadway debut in 1986 with George Furth's autobiographical work Precious Sons . He has also directed Timothy Mason's play Fiery Furnace at the Lucille Lortel Theater and Karen Trott's one-woman show, Springhill Singing Disaster for Playwrights Horizons .

In 1989, Norman René filmed the love drama Friendship for Life based on a play by Craig Lucas about two homosexuals in the age of the immunodeficiency disease AIDS in American society. The film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival . In 1992 he directed the romantic drama Magical Times with Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan in the leading roles . In 1995 he directed the fantasy drama Who is Afraid of Santa Claus? in the cast Mia Farrow and Tony Goldwyn . It was his last work for the canvas.

Norman René worked with many different theater groups throughout the United States during his career. He has frequently directed commercially successful productions on both Broadway and other New York theaters. In addition to the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award , René also won two Dramalogue Awards and two Obie Awards .

Norman René died on May 24, 1996 in New York City at the age of 45 of complications from an AIDS- related illness.

Awards

Filmography (selection)

Director

  • 1987: American Playhouse (TV series, 1 episode)
  • 1989: Friendship for life (Longtime Companion)
  • 1992: Magical Times (Prelude to a Kiss)
  • 1995: Who's Afraid of Santa Claus? (Reckless)

production

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary for Norman René in: The New York Times
personal data
SURNAME René, Norman
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American film and theater director and film producer
DATE OF BIRTH 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH Bristol , Rhode Island , USA
DATE OF DEATH May 24, 1996
Place of death New York City , New York , USA