Joseph Papp
Joseph Papp was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan.
Date of Birth: June 22, 1921
Date of Death: October 31, 1991 (70)
Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY, USA
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BIO
Joseph Papp was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a year-round producing home to focus on new plays and musicals.
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Productions
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Joseph Papp
Connection
Movies
[ 1971 ] His Shakespeare Theatre
[ 1972 ] producer
[ 1983 ] producer
[ 1985 ] producer
Awards and Nominations
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Joseph Papp
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Joseph Papp
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Joseph Papp, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
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Joseph Papp
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Joseph Papp
Joseph Papp, Plenty
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Joseph Papp, The Pirates of Penzance
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Joseph Papp, Special Award
Joseph Papp, Runaways
Joseph Papp, for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf
Joseph Papp, Streamers
Joseph Papp, Threepenny Opera
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Joseph Papp, A Chorus Line
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Joseph Papp
Joseph Papp, The Au Pair Man
Joseph Papp, Boom Boom Room
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Joseph Papp, Two Gentleman of Verona
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Joseph Papp
Videos
Video: Much Ado About Tickets: How to See Shakespeare in the Park This Summer
by Nicole Rosky - 2026-06-26 12:16:56
Video: Public Theatre Shares ANTIGONE (THIS PLAY I READ IN HIGH SCHOOL) Trailer
by Michael Major - 2026-03-03 16:06:49
Video: Tony Shalhoub Previews The Public's ANTIGONE (THIS PLAY I READ IN HIGH SCHOOL) on SETH MEYERS
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-02-25 14:45:37
Video: Mandy Patinkin Leads 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' at Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Inauguration
by Stephi Wild - 2026-01-02 07:02:29
Video: Behind the Scenes of the Renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-11-12 16:29:35
Video: Watch 'Ruin Everything' in Rehearsals for THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS
by Nicole Rosky - 2025-10-22 09:19:48
Video: Watch Alicia Keys Talk HELL'S KITCHEN on CBS SUNDAY MORNING
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-11-12 11:22:58
Video: Shoshana Bean and Brandon Victor Dixon Perform 'Not Even The King' From Alicia Keys' HELL'S KITCHEN
by Stephi Wild - 2023-10-24 07:07:53
Video: Watch Rehearsal Footage of HELL'S KITCHEN at The Public Theater
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-10-07 09:16:54
VIDEO: Go Inside THE HARDER THEY COME Sitzprobe at The Public Theater
by Blair Ingenthron - 2023-02-17 15:28:49
VIDEO: Constance Wu Dreams of Performing at Shakespeare In The Park
by Kaitlin Milligan - 2020-02-13 15:19:04
VIDEO: Get a First Look at Footage From SOFT POWER at the Public
by Stephi Wild - 2019-10-16 05:56:48
VIDEO: How Can You Get Free SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK Tickets This Summer? Find Out!
by Nicole Rosky - 2019-05-17 15:12:00
VIDEO: On This Day, April 27- Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART Opens on Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2018-04-27 16:41:45
News
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 25, 2026
The Public Theater has revealed the complete cast for the world premiere production of WE'LL SEE, written and directed by Tony Award winner Richard Nelson.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 25, 2026
None of the Above Theatre Company will open its 45th season with the Old Skool Playwrights Festival, featuring Robert Liebowitz's world premiere THE JULIA VARIATIONS and a revival of COULDA WOULDA SHOULDA at American Theatre of Actors.
by Michael Rabice - Sep 20, 2026
The psychadelic musical HAIR that put rock music onto the Broadway stage in 1968 may feel dated to some but that time capsule will always be fully recognizable. With such musical hits as “Let the Sun Shine In ” and “Aquarius,” the musical that shows hippies burning their green cards in New York’s Central Park in protest of the Vietnam War has found it’s was to the Shea’s 710 stage in a spectacular hippie-dippie production presented by Musicalfare
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 16, 2026
Jacob Ming-Trent's How Shakespeare Saved My Life has extended its New York premiere at The Public Theater through October 25, 2026. Tony Taccone directs the Red Bull Theater production.
by Sidney Paterra - Sep 16, 2026
BroadwayWorld has your official fall 2026 Off-Broadway preview, a complete guide to everything opening Off-Broadway! See West End transfers, stars in play revivals, multiple world premieres and more.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 14, 2026
Fiasco Theater and The Public Theater revealed the complete cast for Susan Glaspell's 1921 play The Verge, directed by Jessie Austrian. The production will run at The Public's LuEsther Hall and features Miriam Silverman as botanist Claire Archer.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 8, 2026
Red Bull Theater and The Public Theater will soon open the New York premiere of HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE, Jacob Ming-Trent’s one-man show. The production has extended its ru.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 1, 2026
None of the Above Theatre Company will open its 45th season with the Old Skool Playwrights Festival, running October 6-25 at American Theatre of Actors and featuring staged readings and two works by Robert Liebowitz.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 24, 2026
The Public Theater, Wonder, and The Longest Table brought over 600 New Yorkers together for a community picnic outside the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 24, 2026
Two workers. One strike. A shared dream. Asian American theater collective Artists at Play and Latino Theater Company will reunite for their fourth collaboration in four years with a rare revival of The Dance and the Railroad.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 17, 2026
The Public Theater has revealed the cast for the world premiere of Good Time Charlie, written by Obie Award-winning Ryan J. Haddad and directed by Danny Sharron.
by R. Scott Reedy - Jul 27, 2026
For Steven Maler, founding artistic director of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” holds special significance as the first free outdoor Shakespeare production he directed with CSC, in 1996 in Copley Square. This summer Maler is again directing the comedy – through August 9 at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common, in partnership with the City of Boston’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture – to mark CSC’s 30th anniversary.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 23, 2026
The Public Theater has revealed the cast for the North American premiere production of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, with a book and lyrics by Jethro Compton, music and lyrics by Darren Clark.
by Nicole Rosky - Jul 5, 2026
This summer, the great tradition of Shakespeare in the Park continues with Romeo & Juliet (directed by Saheem Ali) running through Sunday, June 28 and The Winter's Tale (directed by Daniel Sullivan) running through Saturday, August 22. BroadwayWorld's very own Spencer Glass is taking us on a trip to the Delacorte to learn more about why Shakespeare in the Park should be on your Summer 2026 bucket list and how to get tickets. Watch in this video!
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 4, 2026
The Public Theater has released video highlights from the world premiere of GIRL, INTERRUPTED. Based on Susanna Kaysen's memoir and adapted by Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majok.
by Team BWW - Jun 2, 2026
This is the final chance to vote for the 2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards. The Theater Fans' Choice Awards honor and celebrate the best of New York Theater - as decided by the most important critics, the audience at large - allowing YOU to have your say during the most exciting time of the year for the theater community.
by Josh Sharpe - May 26, 2026
BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that costume designer Albert Wolsky, whose contributions to cinema and theater earned him numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards and nominations for Drama Desk and Tony Awards, has passed away.
by A.A. Cristi - May 15, 2026
Westport Country Playhouse will present a Script in Hand playreading of A TAILOR NEAR ME, featuring L.A. Law alumni Michael Tucker, Jimmy Smits, and Jill Eikenberry. Tucker also wrote the comedy about an unlikely friendship between a customer and a tailor.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 14, 2026
The Public Theater will kick off this summer’s Free Shakespeare in the Park season with ROMEO & JULIET, beginning performances at the newly revitalized Delacorte Theater in Central Park at the end of May.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 6, 2026
The Public Theater will present a one-week extension ahead of the world premiere production of Girl, Interrupted, written by Martyna Majok and based on the memoir by Susanna Kaysen.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Joseph Papp has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. These include Special Citations for his courageous stand against censorship at the Obie Awards, Unique Contribution to the Theatre at the Drama League Awards, Best Musical for "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" at the Tony Awards, Special Awards at the Drama Desk Awards, Best Play for "Plenty" at the Tony Awards, Best Revival for "The Pirates of Penzance" at the Tony Awards, Performance at the Theatre World Awards for Special Award, Best Musical for "Runaways" at the Tony Awards, Best Play for "for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf" at the Tony Awards, Best Play for "Streamers" at the Tony Awards, Most Innovative Production of a Revival for "Threepenny Opera" at the Tony Awards, Best Musical for "A Chorus Line" at the Tony Awards, Special 20-year Obies at the Obie Awards, Best Play for "The Au Pair Man" at the Tony Awards, Best Play for "Boom Boom Room" at the Tony Awards, Best Musical for "Two Gentleman of Verona" at the Tony Awards, and a Special Citation at the Outer Critics Circle Awards.
Joseph Papp has won several awards throughout his career. These include Special Citations for his courageous stand against censorship at the Obie Awards, Unique Contribution to the Theatre at the Drama League Awards, Best Musical at the Tony Awards for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Special Awards at the Drama Desk Awards, Best Revival at the Tony Awards for The Pirates of Penzance, Performance at the Theatre World Awards for Special Award, Best Musical at the Tony Awards for A Chorus Line, Special 20-year Obies at the Obie Awards, Best Musical at the Tony Awards for Two Gentleman of Verona, and a Special Citation at the Outer Critics Circle Awards.
