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Gilbert Moses

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Gilbert Moses
Born
Gilbert Moses III

(1942-08-20)August 20, 1942
DiedApril 15, 1995(1995-04-15) (aged 52)
Occupation(s)Stage, screen, and television director
Years active1960–1992
Spouse(s)Dee Dee Bridgewater (1977–85; divorced); 1 child
Denise Nicholas (1964–65; divorced)
Wilma Butler (19??–1971; divorced); 1 child[1]
PartnerEda Godel Hallinan (19??–1995; his death)
Children2

Gilbert Moses III (August 20, 1942 – April 15, 1995) was an American stage, screen, and television director. He was also known for his work in the Civil Rights movement, as a staff member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and founder of the touring company, the Free Southern Theater toured the South during the 1960s.[2]

Early life and career

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Moses was the co-founder of the Free Southern Theater company, an important pioneer of African-American theatre.[1]

His 1971 Broadway debut, Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, won him a Tony Award nomination and the Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Director.

In 1976, he and George Faison teamed to co-direct and choreograph the ill-fated Alan Jay Lerner-Leonard Bernstein musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which closed after seven performances.

Moses' off-Broadway work as a director won him an Obie Award for Amiri Baraka's Slave Ship (1969) and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for The Taking of Miss Janie (1975).

Among Moses' television credits are Benson, Ghostwriter, The Paper Chase, Law & Order, several episodes of the mini-series Roots, and a number of television movies. His only feature films were Willie Dynamite (1974) and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979).[1]

Personal life

Moses was married three times, to actress Denise Nicholas, Wilma Butler, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, and had two daughters, Tsia and China. He died of multiple myeloma in New York City.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Gussow, Mel (April 18, 1995). "Gilbert Moses Is Dead at 52; Award-Winning Stage Director". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Gilbert Moses and Richard Murphy | Who Speaks for the Negro?". whospeaks.library.vanderbilt.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-18.