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JoAnne Akalaitis Biography (1937-)

Born June 29, 1937, in Chicago (some sources say Cicero), IL; daughter of Clement (a supervisor) and Estelle (Mattis) Akalaitis; married Philip Glass (a composer), July 15, 1965 (divorced, 1974); children: Juliet, Zachary. Addresses: Office--Mabou Mines, 150 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009-5704.

Akalaitis's favorite roles include The Woman in Come and Go.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Birth Details

June 29, 1937

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; Stage Work; Director, Unless Otherwise Noted
• Play, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Paris, France production, 1965.
• Cascando, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre, New York City, 1975, then Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, New York City, 1976; and set designer, Dressed Like an Egg, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1977; and set designer, Southern Exposure, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1979;and set designer, Dead End Kids: A History of Nuclear Power, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1980.
• Franz Xavier Kroetz's Request Concert (also known as Request Concert), Interart Theatre, New York City, 1981, later produced in New York City, 1986.
• Red and Blue, Public Theatre, 1982.
• The Photographer/Far from the Truth, Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn Academyof Music, New York City, 1983.
• Through the Leaves, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Interart Theatre, then Estelle R. Newman Theatre, Public Theatre, 1984.
• Endgame, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 1984.
• The Balcony, American Repertory Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 1985-86.
• Green Card, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, CA, 1986.
• Help Wanted, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Theatre for the New City, New York City, 1986.
• Leon and Lena, Tyrone Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, 1987.
• 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, American Repertory Theatre, 1988, and Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1990.
• Cymbeline, New York Shakespeare Festival, Park Public Theatre, New York City, 1989.
• The Screens, Tyrone Guthrie Theatre, 1990.
• Henry IV, Part I, New York Shakespeare Festival, Estelle R. Newman Theatre, Public Theatre, 1991.
• Henry IV, Part II, New York Shakespeare Festival, Estelle R. Newman Theatre, Public Theatre, 1991.
• 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1992.
• Woyzeck, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, 1993.
• In the Summer House, Lincoln Center, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1993.
• The Rover, Tyrone Guthrie Theatre, 1994.
• Suddenly Last Summer [and] The Poet (double bill), Hartford Stage, Hartford, CT, 1994-95.
• Prisoner of Love, New York Theatre Workshop, New York City, 1995.
• Dance of Death, Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1996.
• Arts and Leisure, Playwrights' Horizons, New York City, 1996.
• The Iphigenia Cycle, Court Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1997-98.
• Other stage work includes participation in Come and Go, The Lost Ones, The B-Beaver Animation, and The Shaggy Dog Animation, all with the Mabou MinesTheatre Group, 1970 to 1979; also staged other productions with the Mabou Mines Theatre Group.
• Credits; Stage Appearances
• Cascando, Ontological-Hysteric Theatre, New York City, 1975, then Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1976.
• The Red Horse Animation, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1976.
• Colette, Dressed Like an Egg, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre,1977.
• Southern Exposure, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1979.
• Mrs. Lammle, Dark Ride, Soho Repertory Theatre, Public Theatre, 1981.
• Help Wanted, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Theatre for the New City, 1986.
• Appeared as The Woman in Come and Go, Mabou Mines Theatre Group; also appeared in other productions.
• Credits; Film Work; Director
• Dead End Kids: A History of Nuclear Power (also known as Dead End Kids),Cinema Guild, 1986.
• Also directed Other Children.
• Credits; Film Appearances
• Provided voice characterizations for films.
• Writings;Stage Plays; Unless Otherwise Noted
• Dressed Like an Egg (adapted from Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette's various writings), Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1977.
• Southern Exposure (adapted from material by Ernest Shackleton and RobertScott), Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1979.
• Dead End Kids: A History of Nuclear Power, Mabou Mines Theatre Group, Public Theatre, 1980.
• Green Card, Mark Taper Forum, 1986.
• Adaptor, Prisoner of Love, New York Theatre Workshop, 1995.
• Writings;Screenplays
• Dead End Kids: A History of Nuclear Power (adapted from Akalaitis's stageproduction; also known as Dead End Kids), Cinema Guild, 1986.
• Writings;Other Writings
• Contributor to periodicals, including Theater.

Further Reference

Books:

• Contemporary Authors, Volume 138, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1993.

Periodicals:

• American Theatre, September, 1994, pp. 10-11; December, 1997, pp. 32-34.
• Back Stage, March 4, 1994, pp. 1-7; June 16, 1995, p. 29; May 24, 1996,p. 44.
• Maclean's, August 14, 1995, pp. 50-51.
• New Republic, May 20, 1996, pp. 29-30.
• New York, October 28, 1991, pp. 43-47.
• New York Times, March 13, 1993.