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Anne Kauffman

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BIO

Anne Kauffman is an American director known primarily for her work on new plays, mainly in the New York area. She is a founding member of the theater group the Civilians. She made her Broadway debut with the Scott McPherson play Marvin's Room (2017) and returned with the revival of the Lorraine Hansberry play The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (2023).



Kauffman's past regional productions include Body Awareness by Annie Baker (2012) at the Wilma Theater; and Pulitzer Prize finalist Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo (2009); The Flea and the Professor by Jordan Harrison at the Arden Theatre Company (2011); Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (2010); We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Adam Bock and Todd Almond at Yale Rep (2010); The Communist Dracula Pageant by Anne Washburn at ART (2008); Expecting Isabel by Lisa Loomer and Doubt by John Patrick Shanley at Asolo Repertory Theatre (2007); Act A Lady by Jordan Harrison at the Humana Festival of New American Plays (2006); and Typographer's Dream and Shaker Chair by Adam Bock (2005).

Kauffman directed The Thugs by Adam Bock Off-Broadway at the Soho Rep in 2006. She received the 2007 Obie Award for direction for this production.

Kauffman directed Amy Herzog's Belleville Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2013. The reviewer for Time magazine wrote: "She [Kauffman] serves the play wonderfully, with a light but firm hand, for a tense, almost breathtaking hour and a half." She also directed Belleville at the Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, in 2013. The reviewer of the Chicago production noted "Kauffmann's tense, adroit, nuanced, deftly cast production..." She directed Amy Herzog's Mary Jane Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop in Sept. 2017. Jesse Green, in his review for The New York Times, noted "Ms. Kauffman's ideally detailed direction."

Past Off-Broadway productions include Maple and Vine by Jordan Harrison (2011) and Pulitzer Prize finalist play Detroit by Lisa D'Amour (2012) at Playwrights Horizons;. Stunning by David Adjmi (2009) and Slowgirl by Greg Pierce (2012) at LCT3 ; You'd Better Sit Down: Tales From My Parents' Divorce (Written with The Civilians) at The Flea Theater (2012); This Wide Night by Chloe Moss by Naked Angels Theater Company (2010); Sixty Miles to Silver Lake by Dan Le Franc at Soho Rep (2009); Have You Seen Steve Steven by Ann Marie Healy with 13P (2007); God's Ear by Jenny Schwartz at The Vineyard and New Georges (2007); and The Ladies by Anne Washburn at the Cherry Lane Theater and Dixon Place (2004).

In 2016, she directed Smokefall by Noah Haidle with Zachary Quinto at the Off-Broadway Lucille Lortel Theatre in an MCC production; she had previously directed the play at the South Coast Repertory, and the Goodman Theatre in 2013. She directed The Nether by Jennifer Haley in 2015 for MCC. She directed Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison at Playwrights Horizons in 2015. This was the second time that Kauffman and Harrison worked together. In 2014 she directed the Off-Broadway production of You Got Older by Clare Barron at HERE. She directed Sundown, Yellow Moon by Rachel Bonds, which premiered Off-Broadway at the WP Theater in a co-production by Ars Nova and WP in 2017. Ben Brantley, in his review for The New York Times, noted the "beautifully acted production...directed with probing sensitivity by Anne Kauffman."

In 2017, she made her Broadway debut directing Marvin's Room for Roundabout Theatre Company, Assassins at Encores! Off-Center, Mary Jane at New York Theatre Workshop, and Hundred Days at the Under the Radar Festival and New York Theatre Workshop. In 2018, she directed The Lucky Ones at the Connelly Theater for Ars Nova, and Hundred Days at La Jolla Playhouse, where she is about to direct Lindsey Ferrentino's The Year to Come.

She is a Sundance program associate, a usual suspect at New York Theatre Workshop, an alumna of the Soho Rep Writers and Directors Lab, a current member of Soho Rep's Artistic Council, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, the Drama League of New York, a founding member of the Civilians, an associate artist with Clubbed Thumb and co-creator of the CT Directing Fellowship, and member of New Georges Kitchen Cabinet. From 2000 to 2006, Kauffman was on the directing faculty at NYU. Kauffman is an executive board member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Kauffman is the artistic director of New York City Center's Encores! Off-Center, and was the co-artistic director with Jeanine Tesori for the 2018 season. Encores! Off-Center has been on hiatus since 2020.

Kauffman directed the 2023 production of Lorraine Hansberry's The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window starring Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She returned to Broadway directing its transfer at the James Earl Jones Theatre. She received a Drama League Award for her direction and the production received a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play nomination.

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Productions

 
[Off-Broadway, 2024]
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[Off-Broadway, 2022]
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[Off-Broadway, 2019]
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[Off-Broadway, 2017]
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[Off-Broadway, 2017]
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[Off-Broadway, 2016]
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[Off-Broadway, 2015]
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[Off-Broadway, 2013]
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[Off-Broadway, 2012]
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[Off-Broadway, 2011]
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Awards and Nominations

Tony Awards - 2024 - Best Direction of a Play

Anne Kauffman, Mary Jane


winner
Drama League Awards - 2023 - Outstanding Direction of a Play

Anne Kauffman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window


winner
Obie Awards - 2018 - Directing Award

Anne Kauffman, Mary Jane


winner
The Lortels - 2018 - Outstanding Director

Anne Kauffman, Mary Jane

Drama Desk Awards - 2017 - Outstanding Director of a Play

Anne Kauffman, A Life

The Lortels - 2017 - Outstanding Director

Anne Kauffman, A Life

The Lortels - 2016 - Outstanding Director

Anne Kauffman, Marjorie Prime

Drama Desk Awards - 2015 - Outstanding Director of a Play

Anne Kauffman, You Got Older


winner
Obie Awards - 2015 - Sustained Excellence of Direction

Anne Kauffman

The Lortels - 2013 - Outstanding Director

Anne Kauffman, Belleville

The Lortels - 2011 - Outstanding Director

Anne Kauffman, This Wide Night


winner
Obie Awards - 2007 - Direction

Anne Kauffman

Videos

News


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What awards has Anne Kauffman been nominated for?

Anne Kauffman has received several nominations for her directing work, including: - Best Direction of a Play (Tony Awards) for Mary Jane - Outstanding Direction of a Play (Drama League Awards) for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window - Directing Award (Obie Awards) for Mary Jane - Outstanding Director (The Lortels) for Mary Jane - Outstanding Director of a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for A Life - Outstanding Director (The Lortels) for A Life - Outstanding Director (The Lortels) for Marjorie Prime - Outstanding Director of a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for You Got Older - Sustained Excellence of Direction (Obie Awards) - Outstanding Director (The Lortels) for Belleville - Outstanding Director (The Lortels) for This Wide Night - Direction (Obie Awards)

What awards has Anne Kauffman won?

Anne Kauffman has received several prestigious awards, including the Outstanding Direction of a Play from the Drama League Awards for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. She also won the Directing Award at the Obie Awards for Mary Jane, as well as the Outstanding Director award from The Lortels for the same production. Additionally, she has been recognized with the Sustained Excellence of Direction award from the Obie Awards and another Direction award from the Obie Awards.

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