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Herbert Blau

Herbert Blau (May 3, 1926 – May 3, 2013) was an American director and theoretician of performance. He was named the Byron W. and Alice L. Lockwood Professor in the Humanities at the University of Washington.

Herbert Blau
Herbert Blau, 2002
Born(1926-05-03)3 May 1926
Brooklyn, New York
Died3 May 2013(2013-05-03) (aged 87)
Seattle, Washington
EducationB.Ch.E., New York University (Chemical Engineering), 1947
M.A., Stanford University (Drama), 1949
Ph.D., Stanford University (English & American Literature), 1954
Notable worksThe Impossible Theater, a Manifesto (1964) / Take Up the Bodies: Theater at the Vanishing Point (1982) / Blooded Thought: Occasions of Theatre (1982) / The Eye of Prey: Subversions of the Postmodern (1987) / The Audience (1990) / To All Appearances: Ideology and Performance (1992) / Nothing in Itself: Complexions of Fashion (1999) / Sails of the Herring Fleet: Essays on Beckett (2000) / The Dubious Spectacle: Extremities of Theater, 1976-2000 (2002)

Early life and career

Blau earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from New York University (1947). Later, he earned his master of arts in drama (1949) and doctorate in English and American literature (1954), both from Stanford University.

As co-founder (with Jules Irving)[1] of The Actor's Workshop[2] in San Francisco (1952–1965) and co-director of the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center in New York City (1965–67), Blau introduced American audiences to avant garde drama in some of the country's first productions of Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, and Harold Pinter including the 1957 performance of Beckett's Waiting for Godot at California's San Quentin State Prison.[3] This was the Godot that during the second red scare, after extralegal State Department maneuvers denied travel permission for unstated political reasons to a member of the company, represented American theater at the 1958 Brussels World's Fair.[4]

In 1968, Blau signed the "Writers and Editors War Tax Protest" pledge, vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War.[5]

In 1968, Blau was named founding provost and dean of the School of Theatre and Dance of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where he led the way in designing its educational model. With president Robert W. Corrigan, Blau recruited faculty including artists Allan Kaprow, John Baldessari, and Nam June Paik, composers Mel Powell and Morton Subotnick, musician Ravi Shankar, ethnomusicologist Nicholas England, designers Peter de Bretteville and Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, choreographer Bella Lewitzky, director Alexander Mackendrick, film scholar Gene Youngblood, filmmaker Pat O'Neill, and animation artist Jules Engel.[6]

In 1971, after three years at CalArts, Blau moved to Oberlin College, where he formed the experimental theater group KRAKEN, with which he continued presenting challenging productions for another decade. The two books that emerged from that work—Take Up the Bodies: Theater at the Vanishing Point (University of Illinois Press, 1982) and Blooded Thought: Occasions of Theater (Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1982)—received the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism.[7] In 1974, Blau became the Dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), bringing KRAKEN with him. While there, he saw a young Kathleen Turner perform and persuaded her to transfer to UMBC. After a contentious tenure, Blau resigned in 1976.[8]

In addition to the theater, Blau has taken up the subjects of literature, visual arts, fashion, postmodern culture, and politics.[citation needed]

CalArts conferred an honorary doctor of arts degree to Blau in May 2008.[9]

Personal life

Blau was born in Brooklyn. He married actress Beatrice Manley in 1949[10] and they divorced in 1980.[11] They had three children: film professor Dick Blau, Tara Gwyneth Blau, and Dr. Jonathan Blau. Blau married a second time to Kathleen Woodward and they had one daughter, Jessamyn Blau.[12]

Death

Blau died on his 87th birthday, May 3, 2013, in Seattle, Washington from cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Woodward, three children from his first marriage, a daughter from his second marriage, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.[13]

Books

  • Blau, Herbert. Programming Theater History: The Actor's Workshop of San Francisco. New York: Routledge, 2013. ISBN 9780415516709 (paperback) ISBN 9780415516693 (hardcover)
  • Blau, Herbert. As If: An Autobiography, Volume 1. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2011. ISBN 9780472117789 (hardcover) ISBN 9780472035144 (paperback) ISBN 9780472027552 (ebook)
  • Blau, Herbert. Reality Principles: From the Absurd to the Virtual. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2011. ISBN 9780472051519 (paperback) ISBN 9780472071517 (hardcover) ISBN 9780472027903 (ebook)
  • Blau, Herbert. The Dubious Spectacle: Extremities of Theater, 1976-2000. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2002. ISBN 9780816638130 (paperback) ISBN 9780816638123 (hardcover)
  • Blau, Herbert. Sails of the Herring Fleet: Essays on Beckett. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2000. ISBN 9780472030019 (paperback) ISBN 9780472111497 (hardcover) ISBN 9780472024407 (ebook)
  • Blau, Herbert. Nothing in Itself: Complexions of Fashion. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999. ISBN 9780253213334 (paperback) ISBN 9780253335876 (hardcover)
  • Blau, Herbert. To All Appearances: Ideology and Performance. London/New York: Routledge,1992. ISBN 9780415013659 (paperback) ISBN 9780415013642 (hardcover)
  • Blau, Herbert. The Audience. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990. ISBN 9780801838453 (paperback) ISBN 9780801838446 (hardcover)
  • Blau, Herbert. The Eye of Prey: Subversions of the Postmodern. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987. ISBN 9780253204394
  • Blau, Herbert. Take Up the Bodies: Theater at the Vanishing Point. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1982. ISBN 9780252009457 (paperback) ISBN 9780252009457 (hardcover)
  • Blau, Herbert. Blooded Thought: Occasions of Theater. New York: Performing Arts Journal Publications, 1982. ISBN 9780933826397
  • Blau, Herbert. The Impossible Theater: A Manifesto. New York: Macmillan, 1964; rpt. Collier, 1965. ISBN 9789990906080

References

  1. ^ Jules Irving profile, ibdb.com; accessed January 19, 2010.
  2. ^ The Actor's Workshop, The Oxford Companion to American Theatre; accessed December 27, 2008.
  3. ^ Berton, Justin. "When 'Waiting for Godot' played San Quentin", San Francisco Chronicle, December 23, 2008; accessed January 19, 2010.
  4. ^ Atkinson, Brooks, "Theatre: 'Godot' for Fair; Coast Troupe Here on Way to Brussels", New York Times, August 6, 1958.
  5. ^ "Writers and Editors War Tax Protest", New York Post, January 30, 1968.
  6. ^ California Institute of the Arts: History; accessed April 4, 2016.
  7. ^ George Jean Nathan Award Committee's Citation, cornell.edu; accessed December 27, 2008.
  8. ^ Areta Kupchyk, "Humanities Dean Blau Announces Resignation", Retriever, March 29, 1976; accessed March 15, 2022.
  9. ^ Nelson, Denise. Harry Belafonte, Herbert Blau and Terry Riley Receive Honorary Doctor of Arts Degrees 2008-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, calarts.edu; accessed December 27, 2008.
  10. ^ Herbert Blau, As If: An Autobiography, Volume 1 (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2011), 108.
  11. ^ Beatrice Manley biography, beatricemanley.com; accessed October 23, 2012.
  12. ^ "Herbert Blau, Iconoclastic Theater Director, Dies at 87". Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  13. ^ "Herbert Blau, Iconoclastic Theater Director, Dies at 87". NY Times. Retrieved May 8, 2013.

External links

  • Herbert Blau at the Internet Broadway Database
  • The documentary film, The Impossible Itself, covers Herbert Blau's 1957 production of Waiting for Godot and San Quentin State Prison.
  • Audio of Herbert Blau's lecture "The Right Side of the Tracks, from As If: An Autobiography" at the Walter Chapin Simpson Center for the Humanities on October 28, 2004.
  • The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts houses the program notes Herbert Blau wrote for productions of The Actor's Workshop of San Francisco and for the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center, 1952-67. Correspondence and other documentary materials are also included in the archives.

herbert, blau, 1926, 2013, american, director, theoretician, performance, named, byron, alice, lockwood, professor, humanities, university, washington, 2002born, 1926, 1926brooklyn, yorkdied3, 2013, 2013, aged, seattle, washingtoneducationb, york, university, . Herbert Blau May 3 1926 May 3 2013 was an American director and theoretician of performance He was named the Byron W and Alice L Lockwood Professor in the Humanities at the University of Washington Herbert BlauHerbert Blau 2002Born 1926 05 03 3 May 1926Brooklyn New YorkDied3 May 2013 2013 05 03 aged 87 Seattle WashingtonEducationB Ch E New York University Chemical Engineering 1947M A Stanford University Drama 1949Ph D Stanford University English amp American Literature 1954Notable worksThe Impossible Theater a Manifesto 1964 Take Up the Bodies Theater at the Vanishing Point 1982 Blooded Thought Occasions of Theatre 1982 The Eye of Prey Subversions of the Postmodern 1987 The Audience 1990 To All Appearances Ideology and Performance 1992 Nothing in Itself Complexions of Fashion 1999 Sails of the Herring Fleet Essays on Beckett 2000 The Dubious Spectacle Extremities of Theater 1976 2000 2002 Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Personal life 2 1 Death 3 Books 4 References 5 External linksEarly life and career EditBlau earned his bachelor s degree in chemical engineering from New York University 1947 Later he earned his master of arts in drama 1949 and doctorate in English and American literature 1954 both from Stanford University As co founder with Jules Irving 1 of The Actor s Workshop 2 in San Francisco 1952 1965 and co director of the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center in New York City 1965 67 Blau introduced American audiences to avant garde drama in some of the country s first productions of Samuel Beckett Jean Genet and Harold Pinter including the 1957 performance of Beckett s Waiting for Godot at California s San Quentin State Prison 3 This was the Godot that during the second red scare after extralegal State Department maneuvers denied travel permission for unstated political reasons to a member of the company represented American theater at the 1958 Brussels World s Fair 4 In 1968 Blau signed the Writers and Editors War Tax Protest pledge vowing to refuse tax payments in protest against the Vietnam War 5 In 1968 Blau was named founding provost and dean of the School of Theatre and Dance of the California Institute of the Arts CalArts where he led the way in designing its educational model With president Robert W Corrigan Blau recruited faculty including artists Allan Kaprow John Baldessari and Nam June Paik composers Mel Powell and Morton Subotnick musician Ravi Shankar ethnomusicologist Nicholas England designers Peter de Bretteville and Sheila Levrant de Bretteville choreographer Bella Lewitzky director Alexander Mackendrick film scholar Gene Youngblood filmmaker Pat O Neill and animation artist Jules Engel 6 In 1971 after three years at CalArts Blau moved to Oberlin College where he formed the experimental theater group KRAKEN with which he continued presenting challenging productions for another decade The two books that emerged from that work Take Up the Bodies Theater at the Vanishing Point University of Illinois Press 1982 and Blooded Thought Occasions of Theater Performing Arts Journal Publications 1982 received the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism 7 In 1974 Blau became the Dean of the Division of Arts and Humanities at the University of Maryland Baltimore County UMBC bringing KRAKEN with him While there he saw a young Kathleen Turner perform and persuaded her to transfer to UMBC After a contentious tenure Blau resigned in 1976 8 In addition to the theater Blau has taken up the subjects of literature visual arts fashion postmodern culture and politics citation needed CalArts conferred an honorary doctor of arts degree to Blau in May 2008 9 Personal life EditBlau was born in Brooklyn He married actress Beatrice Manley in 1949 10 and they divorced in 1980 11 They had three children film professor Dick Blau Tara Gwyneth Blau and Dr Jonathan Blau Blau married a second time to Kathleen Woodward and they had one daughter Jessamyn Blau 12 Death Edit Blau died on his 87th birthday May 3 2013 in Seattle Washington from cancer He is survived by his wife Kathleen Woodward three children from his first marriage a daughter from his second marriage seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren 13 Books EditBlau Herbert Programming Theater History The Actor s Workshop of San Francisco New York Routledge 2013 ISBN 9780415516709 paperback ISBN 9780415516693 hardcover Blau Herbert As If An Autobiography Volume 1 Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press 2011 ISBN 9780472117789 hardcover ISBN 9780472035144 paperback ISBN 9780472027552 ebook Blau Herbert Reality Principles From the Absurd to the Virtual Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press 2011 ISBN 9780472051519 paperback ISBN 9780472071517 hardcover ISBN 9780472027903 ebook Blau Herbert The Dubious Spectacle Extremities of Theater 1976 2000 Minneapolis University of Minnesota Press 2002 ISBN 9780816638130 paperback ISBN 9780816638123 hardcover Blau Herbert Sails of the Herring Fleet Essays on Beckett Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press 2000 ISBN 9780472030019 paperback ISBN 9780472111497 hardcover ISBN 9780472024407 ebook Blau Herbert Nothing in Itself Complexions of Fashion Bloomington Indiana University Press 1999 ISBN 9780253213334 paperback ISBN 9780253335876 hardcover Blau Herbert To All Appearances Ideology and Performance London New York Routledge 1992 ISBN 9780415013659 paperback ISBN 9780415013642 hardcover Blau Herbert The Audience Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press 1990 ISBN 9780801838453 paperback ISBN 9780801838446 hardcover Blau Herbert The Eye of Prey Subversions of the Postmodern Bloomington Indiana University Press 1987 ISBN 9780253204394 Blau Herbert Take Up the Bodies Theater at the Vanishing Point Urbana University of Illinois Press 1982 ISBN 9780252009457 paperback ISBN 9780252009457 hardcover Blau Herbert Blooded Thought Occasions of Theater New York Performing Arts Journal Publications 1982 ISBN 9780933826397 Blau Herbert The Impossible Theater A Manifesto New York Macmillan 1964 rpt Collier 1965 ISBN 9789990906080References Edit Jules Irving profile ibdb com accessed January 19 2010 The Actor s Workshop The Oxford Companion to American Theatre accessed December 27 2008 Berton Justin When Waiting for Godot played San Quentin San Francisco Chronicle December 23 2008 accessed January 19 2010 Atkinson Brooks Theatre Godot for Fair Coast Troupe Here on Way to Brussels New York Times August 6 1958 Writers and Editors War Tax Protest New York Post January 30 1968 California Institute of the Arts History accessed April 4 2016 George Jean Nathan Award Committee s Citation cornell edu accessed December 27 2008 Areta Kupchyk Humanities Dean Blau Announces Resignation Retriever March 29 1976 accessed March 15 2022 Nelson Denise Harry Belafonte Herbert Blau and Terry Riley Receive Honorary Doctor of Arts Degrees Archived 2008 09 27 at the Wayback Machine calarts edu accessed December 27 2008 Herbert Blau As If An Autobiography Volume 1 Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press 2011 108 Beatrice Manley biography beatricemanley com accessed October 23 2012 Herbert Blau Iconoclastic Theater Director Dies at 87 Retrieved February 5 2018 Herbert Blau Iconoclastic Theater Director Dies at 87 NY Times Retrieved May 8 2013 External links EditHerbert Blau at the Internet Broadway Database The documentary film The Impossible Itself covers Herbert Blau s 1957 production of Waiting for Godot and San Quentin State Prison Audio of Herbert Blau s lecture The Right Side of the Tracks from As If An Autobiography at the Walter Chapin Simpson Center for the Humanities on October 28 2004 The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts houses the program notes Herbert Blau wrote for productions of The Actor s Workshop of San Francisco and for the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center 1952 67 Correspondence and other documentary materials are also included in the archives Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Herbert Blau amp oldid 1088552014, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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