George C. Wolfe Biography (1954-)

Full name, George Costello Wolfe; born September 23, 1954, in Frankfurt, KY;son of Costello (a government clerk) and Anna (an educator; maiden name, Lindsey) Wolfe. Addresses: Office: New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10003-7087.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Writer, director, producer
Birth Details: September 23, 1954; Frankfurt, Kentucky, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Director
Summer Suns/Tales of Night, Inner City Cultural Center, Los Angeles, 1978-1979
Spunk (includes "Story in Harlem Slang," "Sweat," and "The GildedSix Bits"), New York Shakespeare Festival, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1989 then Public/Martinsen Hall, New York City, 1990 later produced in repertory, 1990
The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Public Theatre, New York City, 1990-1991
Minimum Wage, 1991
Jelly's Last Jam, Mark Taper Forum, 1991 then Virginia Theatre, New York City, 1992-1993
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1994
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Walter Kerr Theater, NewYork City, 1993
Angels in America: Perestroika, Walter Kerr Theatre, 1993-1994
Blade to the Heat, New York Shakespeare Festival, 1994
(And cocreator with Savion Glover) Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1996-1999
The Tempest, New York Shakespeare Festival, Central Park, 1995 then Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1995
On the Town, Joseph Papp Public Theatre, Central Park, New York City, 1997-1998 then Gershwin Theatre, New York City, 1998
Amistad, Civic Opera House, Chicago, 1998
Macbeth, Joseph Papp Public Theatre, 1998
Buzz Cuts, 1998
The Wild Party, Virginia Theatre, 2000
Stage Producer
Blade to the Heat, New York Shakespeare Festival, 1994
The Petrified Prince, 1995
The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, Public Theatre, New York City, 1998 thenBroadway production, 2000
The Taming of the Shrew, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1999
The Wild Party, Virginia Theatre, New York City, 2000
Julius Caesar, Delacorte Theatre, 2000
Stage Appearances
A Delicate Balance, 1996

Television Work
Specials
Coproducer, The Supreme Court's Holy Battles, PBS, 1989
(As George Wolfe) Creator and producer, Marcel Proust: A Writer's Life, PBS, 1993
Television Director
Episodic
"The Colored Museum" (musical), Great Performances, PBS, 1991
"Jammin': Jelly Roll Morton on Broadway," Great Performances, PBS,1992
"In the Wings: Angels in America on Broadway," Great Performances,PBS, 1993
"Fires in the Mirror," American Playhouse, PBS, 1993
Television Appearances
Specials
Story of a People: Expressions in Black, syndicated, 1991
The 47th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1993
Signature: George C. Wolfe, PBS, 1997
Episodic
"Jammin': Jelly Roll Morton on Broadway," Great Performances, PBS,1992
"In the Wings: Angels in America on Broadway," Great Performances,PBS, 1993
Film Appearances
Himself, Finding Christa, 1991
Cat lover, Fresh Kill, Strand Releasing, 1993
Himself, The Papp Project, 2001
WRITINGS
Stage Plays
Up for Grabs, 1975
Block Party, 1976
Back Alley Tales, Inner City Cultural Center, Los Angeles, 1978
Book and lyrics, Paradise! (musical), Cincinnati Playhouse in thePark, Cincinnati, OH, then Playwrights Horizons Theatre, New York City, both1985-1986
Book and lyrics, The Colored Museum (musical), Crossroads TheatreCompany, New Brunswick, NJ, 1985-1986 then Public/Susan Stein Shiva Theatre,New York City, 1986-1987 later Public/Newman Theatre, New York City, 1987 produced in repertory, 1987-1989
Libretto, Queenie Pie (musical), Eisenhower Theatre, New York City, 1986-1987
Contributor, Urban Blight, City Center Theatre/Stage One, New YorkCity, 1988
Spunk (adaptation of stories by Zora Neale Hurston; includes "Story in Harlem Slang," "Sweat," and "The Gilded Six Bits"), New York ShakespeareFestival, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1989 Public/Martinsen Hall, 1990 produced in repertory, 1990
Book, Jelly's Last Jam, Mark Taper Forum, 1991 then Broadway production, 1992
Blackout, Public Theatre, New York City, 1991
(With Michael John LaChiusa) Book, The Wild Party (musical), Virginia Theatre, New York City, 2000
Television Specials
"Hunger Chic," Trying Times, PBS, 1989
Television Episodes
"The Colored Museum," Great Performances, PBS, 1991
"Jammin': Jelly Roll Morton on Broadway," Great Performances, PBS,1992

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Dramatists, 6th ed.

Periodicals

American Theatre, December, 1994, p. 14
Essence, December, 1997, p. 68
New Criterion, January, 1999, p. 43
New York Times, April 15, 1990 April 19, 1992, p. H6
Variety, November 20, 2000, p. 35

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