Cheryl Crawford

b. 24 Sept 1902, Akron, Ohio, USA, d. 7 Oct 1986, NEW YORK, NY, USA. Crawford researched crisis at Smith University before shifting to NY where she was using the Theatre Guild’s share business from 1925. In 1931, with Harold Clurman and Lee Strasberg, she shaped The Group Theater. Crawford was chiefly in charge of raising money as the Group battled for reputation and commercial achievement. In 1936 she remaining to become an unbiased producer, creating her Maplewood Theater. She staged Johnny Johnson (1936), a musical by Paul Green and Kurt Weill, and a 1942 revival of Porgy And Bess, which got failed when 1st staged in 1935. This is taken to Broadway where it had been a crucial and commercial achievement. Crawford’s production of 1 Contact Of Venus (1943) was also effective. Directed by Elia Kazan with choreography by Agnes De Mille, the display starred Mary Martin who got over after Marlene Dietrich, who was simply authorized by Crawford, objected to the ultimate script to be ‘as well sexy and profane’. In 1946, Crawford, with Eva LeGalliene and Margaret Webster, setup a new business, American Repertory. Among stars with the corporation had been Julie Harris, Eli Wallach, William Windom and Efrem Zimbalist Jnr. Crawford quit the business in 1947 and with Kazan and Robert Lewis shaped the Actors Studio room. Concurrently, she got a Broadway successes with Brigadoon (1947) and Color Your Wagon (1951). In the meantime, the Actors Studio room obtained in stature (Strasberg became involved with 1951), gaining renown for the afterwards success of stars such as for example Anne Bancroft, Marlon Brando, Adam Dean, Robert DeNiro, Paul Newman, Al Pacino, Geraldine Paige, Fishing rod Steiger, Shelley Winters and Joanne Woodward. In the mid-50s onwards, Crawford had a string of box-office failures, included in this Marc Blitzstein’s musical Reuben Reuben (1955), although average success was appreciated by some productions. These included Brecht On Brecht (1961, starring Anne Jackson), Mom Courage (1963), and four has by Tennessee Williams, like the Rose Tattoo (1951), which gained Tony Honours as Greatest Play, Greatest Featured Professional and Celebrity (Wallach and Maureen Stapleton), and Greatest Scenic Style (Boris Aronson). Crawford’s economic problems had been exacerbated by personal complications, not least which had been early 50s confrontations with the home Un-American Actions Committee. In 2002 the centenary of her delivery was celebrated by some events in NY.