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Ethan McSweeny

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BIO

Ethan McSweeny's work as a theatre director includes the Broadway premiere of John Grisham's A Time to Kill and the 2000 revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Awards); the New York premieres of John Logan's Never the Sinner (Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Awards), Kate Fodor's Rx at Primary Stages, her 100 Saints You Should Know at Playwrights Horizons, and Jason Grote's time-bending 1001 for Page 73 (both named "Top Ten" in TimeOut and Entertainment Weekly magazines), as well as Willy Holtzman's Sabina at Primary Stages, and a landmark revival of Aeschylus' The Persians in a new translation by Ellen McLaughlin for Tony Randall's National Actors Theatre.



His work has been recognized with multiple Helen Hayes, Jefferson, Barrymore, San Diego Critics Circle, Ovation, OCIE, Star-Tribune, and "Best Of" nominations and citations. From 2004-2011, McSweeny was the co-artistic director of the Chautauqua Theatre Company, a summer theatre on the grounds of the renowned Chautauqua Institution that under his leadership built a national reputation for the cultivation of the finest emerging theatre artists in the country and the development of exciting and relevant new work for the stage. Originally from Washington, DC, McSweeny received the first degree in Theatre and Dramatic Arts ever conferred by Columbia University. He is an Affiliated Artist at The Shakespeare Theatre, a member of the Wingspace Design Collective, Resident Director at Chautauqua Theatre Company, and serves as Treasurer on the Executive Board of SDC, the national labor union representing stage directors and choreographers.

Photos

Productions

 
[Off-Broadway, 2019]
Director
 
[Broadway, 2013]
Director
 
[Off-Broadway, 2012]
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[Off-Broadway, 2007]
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[Off-Broadway, 2005]
Director
 
[Off-Broadway, 2005]
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[Off-Broadway, 2005]
Director
 
[Regional (US), 2004]
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[Broadway, 2003]
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[Off-Broadway, 2003]
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[Broadway, 2000]
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[Off-Broadway, 1998]
Director

Awards and Nominations

Helen Hayes Awards - 2013 - Outstanding Director, Resident Play

Ethan McSweenyA Midsummer Night's Dream

Helen Hayes Awards - 2009 - Outstanding Director, Resident Play

Ethan McSweenyMajor Barbara

Helen Hayes Awards - 1998 - Outstanding Director, Resident Play

Ethan McSweenyNever the Sinner

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 1998 - Best Director - Play

Ethan McSweeny, Never the Sinner

News


Leslie Odom Jr., Arielle Jacobs & More to Join The Drama League EMBRACE THE SEASON Gala

Get ready for a night of incredible performances at The Drama League 'Embrace The Season' Gala. Join Leslie Odom Jr., Arielle Jacobs, and other talented artists as they take the stage for an unforgettable evening. Don't miss out on this star-studded event!
Annaleigh Ashford, Lindsay Mendez, Norm Lewis & More To Join The Drama League's EMBRACE THE SEASON Gala

Annaleigh Ashford, Lindsay Mendez, Norm Lewis, Danny Burstein, and more will be performing at The Drama League's 'Embrace The Season' Gala.
American Shakespeare Center Artistic Director, Ethan McSweeny, Resigns

American Shakespeare Center's artistic director since 2018, Ethan McSweeny, has resigned, effective February 11.
Amy Wratchford Departs the American Shakespeare Center

Amy Wratchford, Managing Director of the American Shakespeare Center (ASC), announced her departure effective December 31, 2020. Wratchford has served as the Managing Director of the American Shakespeare Center since May 2010.
American Shakespeare Center Goes Global With OTHELLO On Marquee TV This Week

On Friday, August 28, ASC will continue to share its SafeStart Season globally when the BlkFrs LIVE broadcast of the captivating masterpiece Othello debuts on Marquee TV at 7:15 PM (EDT).
American Shakespeare Center Announces Live Stream Performances Via Marquee TV

American Shakespeare Center today announced that their Summer 2020 SafeStart Season will be available for online viewing in partnership with Marquee TV. Dubbed 'BlkFrs LIVE,' live performances of Shakespeare's hilarious romp Twelfth Night and his tragic masterpiece Othello will be available for synchronous streaming.
American Shakespeare Center Announces Summer 2020 'SafeStart' Programming

American Shakespeare Center today announced its Summer 2020 'SafeStart' programming - an integrated approach to live and digital theatre that will offer two productions performed under a carefully developed series of mitigation protocols designed to keep actors, staff, and audiences safe.
American Shakespeare Center Announces Virtual #SHXCamp

American Shakespeare Center announced today that in response to COVID-19 it will move its celebrated ASC Theatre Camp into the virtual world. Called #SHXCamp, this new approach to summer learning is a socially-distant, three-week immersive intensive for teens conducted entirely online.
American Shakespeare Center Adjusts to the Health Crisis By Bringing Content Online and More

The Washington post has reported that due to the fact that in person performances have been cancelled, the American Shakespeare center is adjusting to the new normal by bringing their content online and more.
American Shakespeare Center Extends Actors' Renaissance Season on BlkFrsTV and More

American Shakespeare Center has announced that their celebrated Actors' Renaissance Season is extended through May 10 via the company's streaming service, BlkFrsTV.
American Shakespeare Center's STREAMING ACTORS' RENAISSANCE SEASON Will Come to a Close

American Shakespeare Center's celebrated Actors' Renaissance Season, now streaming on the company's digital theatre platform BlkFrsTV, must end April 19 in accordance with broadcast agreements with the performers union, Actors' Equity Association.
American Shakespeare Center Adds National Tour Production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM to Streaming Platform

American Shakespeare Center announced today the addition of Midsummer 90 to their newly established streaming platform, BlkFrsTV. The National Tour company's family-friendly, intermission-less adaptation of Shakespeare's most beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream can now be streamed direct to a home or virtual classroom.
American Shakespeare Center To Release Seven Titles For Streaming Via Website

American Shakespeare Center announced today that in response to the COVID-19 forced suspension of activities, they will release four productions from their 2020 Actors' Renaissance Season and three productions from their National Tour for streaming through a ticketed system on the company's website.
Red Bull Theater Postpones THE ALCHEMIST

Red Bull Theater today announced the postponement of their upcoming Off-Broadway production, The Alchemist, due to the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
American Shakespeare Center Will Livestream Full Performance of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

In response to the nationwide crisis, American Shakespeare Center is going to attempt their first-ever livestream of a full performance: ASC's National Tour production of a special 90 minute adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Bartlett Sher, Julie Taymor and More to Attend TFANA Celebration of Andrew Weems

Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA; Jeffrey Horowitz, Founding Artistic Director) will host a celebration of Andrew Weems (1961-2019). The celebration will take place at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn), TFANA's home, on Monday, February 17 at 7pm.
American Shakespeare Center Has Announced Principal Casting For Marquee Repertory Season

American Shakespeare Center launches the 2020 Marquee Repertory season this summer navigating the waters of Venice, the glittering locale of Shakespeare's Othello and The Merchant of Venice and Ben Jonson's Volpone. In the fall, the world premiere of Keene, a companion play to Othello by breakout playwright Anchuli Felicia King, joins the repertory.
Kathleen Chalfant, Robert Cuccioli and More to Take Part in Red Bull Theater's Revelation Readings

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director | Jim Bredeson, Managing Director) today announced the cast for the next offering of their season of REVELATION READINGS, the OBIE Award-winning series: Thomas Middleton's Women Beware Women, adapted by Jesse Berger, directed by José Zayas, featuring Juliana Canfield, Kathleen Chalfant, Robert Cuccioli, Zachary Fine, Sam Lilja, Matthew Rauch, Julia McDermott, Diana Oh, Luis Quintero, Laila Robins, Derek Smith, and John Douglas Thompson. This one-night-only event will take place on Monday January 27th at 7:30pm at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, between Bleecker and Hudson Streets).
Red Bull Theater Continues the Revelation Readings with LOVE LIES A-BLEEDING

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director | Jim Bredeson, Managing Director) today announced the cast for the next of the 2019-'20 season of REVELATION READINGS, its OBIE Award-winning series: Beaumont & Fletcher's Love Lies A-Bleeding, directed by Carl Cofield and featuring Zach Appelman, Susan Heyward, Ezra Knight, Dela Meskienyar, Howard Overshown, Bhavesh Patel, Amelia Pedlow, Cara Ricketts and more to be announced. This one-night-only event will take place on Monday December 16th at 7:30pm at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, between Bleecker and Hudson Streets).
Red Bull Theater Has Announced the Cast for First of 2019-'20 Season of Revelation Readings: James Shirley's THE TRAITOR

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director | Jim Bredeson, Managing Director) today announced the cast for the first of the 2019-'20 season of REVELATION READINGS, its OBIE Award-winning series: James Shirley's The Traitor, directed by Nathan Winkelstein, will star Oge Agulue, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Christian Coulson, Sarah Herrman, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Daniel Jose Molina, Max Gordon Moore, Nneka Okafor, Antoinette Robinson, Socorro Santiago, and more to be announced.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What awards has Ethan McSweeny been nominated for?

Outstanding Director, Resident Play (Helen Hayes Awards) for A Midsummer Night's Dream, Outstanding Director, Resident Play (Helen Hayes Awards) for Major Barbara , Outstanding Director, Resident Play (Helen Hayes Awards) for Never the Sinner and Best Director - Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Never the Sinner.

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