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Marsha Norman

March 03, 2023

Marsha Norman (born September 21, 1947) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play 'night, Mother. She wrote the book and lyrics for such Broadway musicals as The Secret Garden, for which she won a Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, and The Red Shoes, as well as the libretto for the musical The Color Purple[1] and the book for the musical The Bridges of Madison County. She is co-chair of the playwriting department at The Juilliard School.

Marsha Norman
Marsha Norman at the 2011 Inge Festival
Born (1947-09-21) September 21, 1947 (age 75)
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
OccupationPlaywright, screenwriter, novelist
Alma materAgnes Scott College
University of Louisville
Period1977–present
Notable awardsPulitzer Prize for Drama (1983)
SpouseTim Dykman (1987–1996)
Dann C. Byck Jr. (1978–1986)
Michael Norman (1969–1974)

Biography

Early years

Norman was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the oldest of four children of Billie and Bertha Williams. As a child, she read and played the piano. She later began attending productions by the newly founded Actors Theatre of Louisville. She received a bachelor's degree from Agnes Scott College and a master's degree from the University of Louisville.[2] She worked as a journalist for The Louisville Times newspaper, and also wrote for Kentucky Educational Television. She taught young children and adolescents in mental institutions and hospitals. These were perhaps her biggest influence on her writing, especially a 13-year-old girl who influenced her play Getting Out.[3] She also taught English at the J. Graham Brown School and Prestonia Elementary School in Louisville.

Career

Norman's first play Getting Out was produced at the Actors Theatre of Louisville and then Off-Broadway in 1979.[4] The play concerns a young woman just paroled after an eight-year prison sentence for robbery, kidnapping and manslaughter.[5] It reflects Norman's experience working with disturbed adolescents at Kentucky's Central State Hospital.

Norman's success with Getting Out led her to move to New York City where she continued to write for the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Her full-length play, Circus Valentine was produced at the Humana Festival in 1978. The play concerns a travelling circus and its star attraction, Siamese twins.[6] Her next play, 'night, Mother, became her best-known work, given its Broadway success and its star-powered film version. The play brought Norman a great deal of recognition, dealing frankly with the subject of suicide, and won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama,[7] the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize,[8] the Hull-Warriner, the Drama Desk Award, and the 1986 Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.[9] However, her follow-up play, Traveller in the Dark received scathing reviews from the New York critics, some of whom were as blunt to say she could not have written it. According to an interview in The New York Times, "Ms. Norman stayed away from the theater and turned to screenplays, including a 1986 movie adaptation of 'night, Mother that starred Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft and failed to impress critics. She was in high demand in Hollywood, though not always for films that she liked, or that studios would approve."[10]

Norman wrote the book and lyrics for the musical The Secret Garden, an adaptation of the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel The Secret Garden, and won the Tony Award for Best Book in 1991. Her work in musical theatre continued with the book and lyrics for the musical The Red Shoes, which failed on Broadway in 1993. Her one-act play, Trudy Blue, was produced off-Broadway in 1999. That play revolved around a woman who is mistakenly told that she has two months to live.[11] She also wrote the libretto for the musical version of The Color Purple which opened on Broadway in 2005, receiving a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical.[12]

Norman and composer Jason Robert Brown made a symphonic adaptation of the children's novel The Trumpet of the Swan, which premiered at the Kennedy Center in 2008.[13] Norman has since written the libretto for the musical adaptation of the film The Bridges of Madison County, with a score by Brown. The musical premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival on August 1, 2013 and ran briefly on Broadway from February 20, 2014.[14]

Television and film

Norman's scripts for television and film include the film version of 'night, Mother. She has written the television films Face of a Stranger (1991),[15] A Cooler Climate (1999),[16] Custody of the Heart (2000),[17] and The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000).[18] She has written screenplays for episodes of the HBO series In Treatment.[19]

Other

Norman has served on the faculty of the Juilliard School in New York City as Co-Director of Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program, and is Vice-President of the Dramatists Guild of America. She was honored at the 2011 William Inge Festival for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre.[20] She will leave Juilliard at the end of the 2019–2020 academic year.[needs update][21]

Bibliography

Note: plays or musicals unless otherwise indicated

References

  1. ^ . American Repertory Theatre. November 4, 1998. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2008.
  2. ^ Thompson, David S. "Marsha Norman"[permanent dead link] agnesscott.edu, accessed August 2, 2013
  3. ^ "Marsha Norman" louisville.edu, accessed August 2, 2013
  4. ^ 'Getting Out', 1979 September 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine lortel.org, accessed August 2, 2013
  5. ^ 'Getting Out' samuelfrench.com, accessed August 2, 2013
  6. ^ Ullom, Jefrey. The Humana Festival, The History of New Plays At Actors Theatre of Louisville books.google.com, SIU Press, June 19, 2008, ISBN 0809328496, , p.60 and Appendix
  7. ^ Drama, see 1983 pulitzer.org, accessed August 1, 2013
  8. ^ Plays June 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine blackburnprize.org, accessed August 1, 2013
  9. ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  10. ^ Stanley, Alessandra. "Theater:Marsha Norman Finds Her Lost Key to Broadway" The New York Times (webcache.googleusercontent.com), April 21, 1991
  11. ^ Gutman, Les. "Review: 'Trudy Blue' " curtainup.com, December 3, 1999
  12. ^ Gans, Andrew. 2005-2006 "Tony Nominations Announced; 'Drowsy' Leads Pack With 13 Noms" May 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 16, 2006
  13. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Norman and Brown's Trumpet of the Swan Begins Kennedy Center Run Dec. 4" playbill.com, December 4, 2008
  14. ^ Staff."The Verdict: Critics Review 'The Bridges of Madison County'" March 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, February 21, 2014
  15. ^ Face of a Stranger tcm.com, accessed August 2, 2013
  16. ^ A Cooler Climate tcm.com, accessed August 2, 2013
  17. ^ Custody of the Heart tcm.com, accessed August 2, 2013
  18. ^ The Audrey Hepburn Story tcm.com, accessed August 2, 2013
  19. ^ Works marshanorman.com, accessed August 2, 2013
  20. ^ William Inge Theatre Fest theatermania.com
  21. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan. "Tanya Barfield Named New Co-Director of Juilliard's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program" Playbill, October 17, 2019
  22. ^ Blades, John. Playwright Marsha Norman Refreshed By A Novel Break" Chicago Tribune, May 17, 1987
  23. ^ Kerr, Euan."Guthrie will premier Erdrich's "Master Butcher's Singing Club" mpr.org, April 7, 2010

External links

 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Marsha Norman.

March 03, 2023
marsha, norman, born, september, 1947, american, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, received, 1983, pulitzer, prize, drama, play, night, mother, wrote, book, lyrics, such, broadway, musicals, secret, garden, which, tony, award, drama, desk, award, outstanding. Marsha Norman born September 21 1947 is an American playwright screenwriter and novelist She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play night Mother She wrote the book and lyrics for such Broadway musicals as The Secret Garden for which she won a Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical and The Red Shoes as well as the libretto for the musical The Color Purple 1 and the book for the musical The Bridges of Madison County She is co chair of the playwriting department at The Juilliard School Marsha NormanMarsha Norman at the 2011 Inge FestivalBorn 1947 09 21 September 21 1947 age 75 Louisville Kentucky U S OccupationPlaywright screenwriter novelistAlma materAgnes Scott College University of LouisvillePeriod1977 presentNotable awardsPulitzer Prize for Drama 1983 SpouseTim Dykman 1987 1996 Dann C Byck Jr 1978 1986 Michael Norman 1969 1974 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early years 1 2 Career 1 2 1 Television and film 1 2 2 Other 2 Bibliography 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditEarly years Edit Norman was born in Louisville Kentucky the oldest of four children of Billie and Bertha Williams As a child she read and played the piano She later began attending productions by the newly founded Actors Theatre of Louisville She received a bachelor s degree from Agnes Scott College and a master s degree from the University of Louisville 2 She worked as a journalist for The Louisville Times newspaper and also wrote for Kentucky Educational Television She taught young children and adolescents in mental institutions and hospitals These were perhaps her biggest influence on her writing especially a 13 year old girl who influenced her play Getting Out 3 She also taught English at the J Graham Brown School and Prestonia Elementary School in Louisville Career Edit Norman s first play Getting Out was produced at the Actors Theatre of Louisville and then Off Broadway in 1979 4 The play concerns a young woman just paroled after an eight year prison sentence for robbery kidnapping and manslaughter 5 It reflects Norman s experience working with disturbed adolescents at Kentucky s Central State Hospital Norman s success with Getting Out led her to move to New York City where she continued to write for the Actors Theatre of Louisville Her full length play Circus Valentine was produced at the Humana Festival in 1978 The play concerns a travelling circus and its star attraction Siamese twins 6 Her next play night Mother became her best known work given its Broadway success and its star powered film version The play brought Norman a great deal of recognition dealing frankly with the subject of suicide and won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama 7 the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize 8 the Hull Warriner the Drama Desk Award and the 1986 Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement 9 However her follow up play Traveller in the Dark received scathing reviews from the New York critics some of whom were as blunt to say she could not have written it According to an interview in The New York Times Ms Norman stayed away from the theater and turned to screenplays including a 1986 movie adaptation of night Mother that starred Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft and failed to impress critics She was in high demand in Hollywood though not always for films that she liked or that studios would approve 10 Norman wrote the book and lyrics for the musical The Secret Garden an adaptation of the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel The Secret Garden and won the Tony Award for Best Book in 1991 Her work in musical theatre continued with the book and lyrics for the musical The Red Shoes which failed on Broadway in 1993 Her one act play Trudy Blue was produced off Broadway in 1999 That play revolved around a woman who is mistakenly told that she has two months to live 11 She also wrote the libretto for the musical version of The Color Purple which opened on Broadway in 2005 receiving a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical 12 Norman and composer Jason Robert Brown made a symphonic adaptation of the children s novel The Trumpet of the Swan which premiered at the Kennedy Center in 2008 13 Norman has since written the libretto for the musical adaptation of the film The Bridges of Madison County with a score by Brown The musical premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival on August 1 2013 and ran briefly on Broadway from February 20 2014 14 Television and film Edit Norman s scripts for television and film include the film version of night Mother She has written the television films Face of a Stranger 1991 15 A Cooler Climate 1999 16 Custody of the Heart 2000 17 and The Audrey Hepburn Story 2000 18 She has written screenplays for episodes of the HBO series In Treatment 19 Other Edit Norman has served on the faculty of the Juilliard School in New York City as Co Director of Juilliard s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program and is Vice President of the Dramatists Guild of America She was honored at the 2011 William Inge Festival for Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre 20 She will leave Juilliard at the end of the 2019 2020 academic year needs update 21 Bibliography EditNote plays or musicals unless otherwise indicated Getting Out 1977 Circus Valentine 1979 night Mother 1983 Traveller in the Dark 1984 The Fortune Teller 1987 novel 22 Third and Oak The Laundromat The Poolhall The Holdup Sarah and Abraham Loving Daniel Boone Lunch With Ginger one act play The Secret Garden 1991 musical stage adaptation of the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett Collaboration with Lucy Simon The Red Shoes 1993 Trudy Blue play written around Lunch With Ginger 1999 The Color Purple 2005 musical stage adaptation of the Alice Walker novel Collaboration with Brenda Russell Allee Willis and Stephen Bray The Master Butchers Singing Club 2010 23 The Trumpet of the Swan 2011 musical stage adaptation of the book by E B White Collaboration with Jason Robert Brown The Bridges of Madison County 2014 musical stage adaptation of the novel by Robert James Waller Collaboration with Jason Robert Brown References Edit Artists Offstage Marsha Norman American Repertory Theatre November 4 1998 Archived from the original on July 20 2008 Retrieved December 21 2008 Thompson David S Marsha Norman permanent dead link agnesscott edu accessed August 2 2013 Marsha Norman louisville edu accessed August 2 2013 Getting Out 1979 Archived September 6 2014 at the Wayback Machine lortel org accessed August 2 2013 Getting Out samuelfrench com accessed August 2 2013 Ullom Jefrey The Humana Festival The History of New Plays At Actors Theatre of Louisville books google com SIU Press June 19 2008 ISBN 0809328496 p 60 and Appendix Drama see 1983 pulitzer org accessed August 1 2013 Plays Archived June 11 2013 at the Wayback Machine blackburnprize org accessed August 1 2013 Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement www achievement org American Academy of Achievement Stanley Alessandra Theater Marsha Norman Finds Her Lost Key to Broadway The New York Times webcache googleusercontent com April 21 1991 Gutman Les Review Trudy Blue curtainup com December 3 1999 Gans Andrew 2005 2006 Tony Nominations Announced Drowsy Leads Pack With 13 Noms Archived May 1 2011 at the Wayback Machine playbill com May 16 2006 Gans Andrew Norman and Brown s Trumpet of the Swan Begins Kennedy Center Run Dec 4 playbill com December 4 2008 Staff The Verdict Critics Review The Bridges of Madison County Archived March 21 2014 at the Wayback Machine playbill com February 21 2014 Face of a Stranger tcm com accessed August 2 2013 A Cooler Climate tcm com accessed August 2 2013 Custody of the Heart tcm com accessed August 2 2013 The Audrey Hepburn Story tcm com accessed August 2 2013 Works marshanorman com accessed August 2 2013 William Inge Theatre Fest theatermania com Culwell Block Logan Tanya Barfield Named New Co Director of Juilliard s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program Playbill October 17 2019 Blades John Playwright Marsha Norman Refreshed By A Novel Break Chicago Tribune May 17 1987 Kerr Euan Guthrie will premier Erdrich s Master Butcher s Singing Club mpr org April 7 2010External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Marsha Norman Marsha Norman at the Internet Broadway Database Marsha Norman at IMDb Marsha Norman papers circa 1947 2011 Houghton Library Harvard University Marsha Norman at the Internet Off Broadway Database Marsha Norman Downstage Center XM radio interview at American Theatre Wing org October 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marsha Norman amp oldid 1141010269, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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