Joseph Papp

Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. Papp is a pioneering figure in American theater, known for creating Shakespeare in the Park, which aimed to make classical theater accessible to all people by producing free-of-charge performances. He was a known advocate for non-traditional and diverse casting practices. In 1941, Papp spent four years in the Pacific Ocean while enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II, and was assigned to special forces. Following his discharge in 1945, Papp joined the Hollywood Actors Laboratory, eventually climbing the ranks and becoming an executive. In 1953, while working as a stage manager for CBS-TV in New York, he started his early workings of what would eventually become Shakespeare in the Park.

Career

Papp founded the New York Shakespeare Festival (now called Shakespeare in the Park) in 1954 with the aim of making Shakespeare's works accessible to the public. In 1957 he was granted the use of Central Park for free productions of Shakespeare's plays. These Shakespeare in the Park productions continue after his death at the open-air Delacorte Theatre every summer in Central Park.

Founder of the Public Theater

thumb|left|270px|[[The Public Theater, housed in the Astor Library Building]]

Papp spent much of his career promoting his idea of free Shakespeare in New York City.

By age 41, after Papp had established a permanent base for his free summer Shakespeare performances in Central Park's Delacorte Theater, an open-air amphitheatre, Papp looked for an all-year theater he could make his own. After looking at other locations, he fell in love with the location and the character of Lafayette Street's Astor Library Building. Papp rented it, in 1967, reportedly for one dollar per year, from the city. It was the first building saved from demolition under the New York City landmarks preservation law. After massive renovations, Papp moved his staff to the newly named Public Theater, hoping to attract a newer, less conventional audience for new and innovative playwrights.

thumb|[[Charles Gordone, the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize.]]

At the Public Theater, Papp's focus moved away from the Shakespeare classics and toward new work. Notable Public Theater productions included Charles Gordone's No Place to Be Somebody (the first off-Broadway show, and the first play by an African American to win the Pulitzer Prize) and the plays of David Rabe, Tom Babe and Jason Miller. Papp called his productions of Rabe's plays "the most important thing I did at the Public." Papp's 1985 production of Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart addressed, in its time, the prejudicial political system which was turning its back on the AIDS crisis and the gay community. Designer Ming Cho Lee commented: "With the new playwrights, the whole direction of the theater changed [but] none of us realized for a while. ... The Public Theater became more important than the Delacorte. The new playwrights became more interesting to Joe than Shakespeare."

thumb|[[Pulitzer Prize for Drama.]]

Among all the plays and musicals that Papp produced, he is perhaps best known for four productions that later transferred to Broadway runs: Hair, The Pirates of Penzance, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf and A Chorus Line.

Shakespeare in the Park was not exclusively for Shakespeare. In the summer of 1977 Gloria Foster was Clytemnestra in the Greek tragedy Agamemnon followed by Raul Julia as Macheath in Richard Foreman's production of Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera, which later transferred to Lincoln Center.

"Save the Theatres" effort

Papp took a keen interest in preservation of the historic Broadway/Times Square Theater District. In the early 1980s, he helped lead the "Save the Theatres" movement, and to found "Save the Theatres, Inc.", along with a number of actors, directors, producers and other theatre, film and television personalities. The movement's aim was to preserve vintage playhouses that were then being threatened with demolition by monied Manhattan development interests. Papp's initiative was sparked by the impending demolition in 1982 of the historic Morosco and Helen Hayes theatres, as well as the old Piccadilly Hotel, on West 45th Street.

Although Papp was unsuccessful in saving the Morosco or the Helen Hayes, at his encouragement Congressman Donald J. Mitchell of New York introduced legislation in the United States Congress (97th Congress – H.R.6885) with 13 co-sponsors, to designate a "Broadway/Times Square Theatre District National Historic Site" in Manhattan. The Mitchell bill would have required the United States to provide assistance in the preservation of the historical, cultural, and architectural character of the site and in its restoration. It would have directed the National Park Service to designate theatre preservation sites and other appropriate real property within the site as national historic landmarks if they met the criteria for national historic landmarks, and would have prohibited the demolition or alteration of real property located within the site unless such demolition or alteration would contribute to the preservation, restoration, or enhancement of the site for traditional legitimate theatre purposes. Among other things, it would have established a Federally chartered citizens advisory group to be chaired by Papp, known as the "Broadway/Times Square Theatre District Preservation Commission".

Faced with fierce opposition and extensive lobbying against its passage by Mayor Ed Koch's administration and Manhattan developers,

Death

Joseph Papp died of prostate cancer at age 70, on October 31, 1991. He is buried in the Baron Hirsch Cemetery on Staten Island. His son, Tony, died of complications of AIDS only months before Joseph Papp's death. Papp was survived by his fourth wife, Gail Merrifield Papp, a partner in the Public Theatre.

Challenges and Controversies

Getting fired from CBS

thumb|The covers of the report "Communism in the U.S.A." by the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee and the Supplement to the 5th Report by the California Un-American Activities Committee.

thumb|J. Edgar Hoover

In 1958, Papp invoked his Fifth Amendment right before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which subsequently resulted in the loss of his position at CBS as a stage manager. He refused to answer questions about his association with political parties and his political beliefs to avoid self-incrimination. This incident occurred during a tense period of anti-communist sentiment in the United States, when many individuals in media and the arts were scrutinized for any communist beliefs and affiliations. J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI director at the time, accused CBS of using their platform to allegedly promote socialist views and publicly criticized them for it. This led to the CBS network terminating staff members that had any alleged communist ties, including Papp. With the aid of his union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Papp was able to get reinstated to his prior position as a stage manager.

Standoff with Parks Commissioner Robert Moses

thumb|[[Robert Moses]]

In the late 1950s, following the first two successful free Shakespeare performances in Central Park, Papp faced backlash from New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. Moses insisted that Papp begin charging admission to offset damage to the park's grass, which Papp refused. Papp contended that the impact on the grass was no greater than that caused by recreational sports played in the park. He maintained that theater should remain free and accessible to everyone. The dispute eventually became public, with allegations that Moses attempted to discredit Papp by leaking claims about his political affiliations to the press. With the support of well known public figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and the majority of the press and general public, Papp came out on top in court and in public opinion. As a result, Moses changed his opinion and insisted on creating a permanent venue known as the Delacorte Theater, which has become the long-term home of Shakespeare in the Park since 1962.

Non-traditional casting

Papp was a pioneer in a commitment to non-traditional casting, using a variety of ethnicities and colors of actors in his new plays and Shakespeare productions. The father of a gay son, Tony, Papp aligned himself with gay and lesbian concerns in at least two specific instances. He fought anti-obscenity provisions that Congress briefly imposed on the National Endowment for the Arts during the Reagan Presidency, and he chose to produce The Normal Heart, which decried institutionalized "homophobia" as well as Mayor Koch's response to the AIDS crisis. was founded. The Fund serves as the humanitarian arm of international Jewish children's club Tzivos Hashem's activities in Ukraine. Papp, along with Rabbi Marc Schneier, co-founded the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding to strengthen ties between Blacks and Jews.

Papp's biography Joe Papp: An American Life was written by journalist Helen Epstein and published in 1996.

William Finn's 2003 album Elegies: A Song Cycle includes the song "Joe Papp," dedicated to Papp's contributions to New York theatre and personal friendship with Finn.

Recognition

1986: Received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
1992: The Public Theater, home of the New York Shakespeare Festival, renamed the Joseph Papp Public Theater in honor of its founder.
2017: The intersection of Lafayette Street and Astor Place, the longtime home of Public Theater, co-named in honor of the Public's founder, Joseph Papp.

References

Notes

External links

Joe Papp Public Theater
Robert Armin The rally to save the theatres : a chronicle (videorecording) – New York Public Library<!--

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The rally to save the theatres [videorecording] / a chronicle by Robert Armin

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