Joshua Ravetch
Joshua Ravetch is an American Writer/Director born in Los Angeles, California who co-created Carrie Fisher's one-woman show Wishful Drinking, and directed it to Broadway success. He also co-wrote and directed stage and screen icon, Dick Van Dyke in first-ever one man show, "A Step in Time: A Musical Memoir," that premiered at The Geffen Playhouse. Ravetch, a graduate of the Stella Adler Conservatory in Manhattan, took over Ms. Adler's signature script-interpretation classes before assuming the post as artistic director at the Stella Adler Conservatory West.
Work
Ravetch wrote and directed the stage play, The Astronomer which was performed at The Pasadena Playhouse with Academy Award winner, Shirley Jones in the title role after receiving a workshop production at the NoHo Arts Center Theatre. The play came on the heels of the whimsical project Ravetch co-wrote with stage and screen icon, Dick Van Dyke, A Step in Time - a Musical Memoir [1] Ravetch directed the world premiere production of the play at The Geffen Playhouse with Van Dyke starring. Ravetch collaborated with actress/writer Carrie Fisher co-creating and directing her in the world premiere smash hit, Wishful Drinking Ms. Fisher's one-woman-show at Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse.[2] That play enjoyed an extended run on Broadway at Studio 54 and was filmed by HBO and adapted into an HBO special.
Ravetch recently wrote and directed a workshop production of his new play, Tilting at Memories: A Play With Music. He collaborated with legendary lyricists, Alan and Marilyn Bergman. Tyne Daly and Robert Forster starred in the production. Daly won the Tony Award for Gypsy, and Academy Award nominated, Forster plays her husband. Normal Lear said, "If there were a Tony Award for a yet-to-be-fully-produced-play, “Tilting at Mem’ries” would have my vote. In the play, Tyne Daly earns my Tony of the Decade award. This is a touching, luscious, triumphant piece of theater!”
Ravetch also co-created and directed, Onward: The Diana Nyad Story chronicling the life of long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad, as she ultimately succeeded in being the only person ever to swim 111 miles from Cuba to Florida. The play opened in Key West at The Studios of Key West, just one mile form where Diana made land-fall at Smathers Beach after the fifty-four-hour non-stop swim. Diana Nyad, performed the play live which is to tour next year. Ravetch also wrote and directed, Go Figure! starring Olympic champion ice skater, Randy Gardner and featuring his lifelong skating partner, Tai Babilonia with ice skating royalty, Dorothy Hamill. The play was a critical success as the triumvirate revealed an astonishing and riveting look at the world of Olympic Ice Skating during the Cold War. Gardner, Babilonia and Hamill are taking the play on tour in 2017. In addition, Ravetch's critically acclaimed play, One November Yankee starred Loretta Swit and Harry Hamlin playing the tour de force parts in the two-hander. The play was optioned as a movie by Pam Williams Productions.
Also at The Geffen Playhouse, Ravetch wrote and directed a workshop production of his play, Writer's Cramp with Academy nom, Robert Forster, Emmy winner and Tony nominated Holland Taylor and Tony nominated Douglas Sills. His other directorial credits include Periscope Up Directed by Star Trek veteran, Jonathan Frakes; Clifford Odets', The Big Knife; Thomas Babe's, Prayer For My Daughter; John Patrick's, Hasty Heart and Ira Levin's, Deathtrap which garnered five Drama Logue Awards including awards for Director and Production.
Ravetch's playwrighting credits also include the award winning play, Girders at Los Angeles' Coast Playhouse starring Academy Award Nom, Robert Forster and won the coveted Odets Award for the best new American play. Forster also starred in workshop productions of his play, Off Sides with Olympia Dukakis and, Beacon with Brooke Shields.
His other plays include, Invention with Stefanie Powers at the NoHo Arts Center, and he co-wrote, One From the Hart, Stefanie Powers' one woman show which opened at the Orange County Performing Arts Centre. Also at The Coast Playhouse, Ravetch directed Bart Baker's play, Love Acts with actress/supermodel, Beverly Johnson. Johnson was nominated for the NAACP Image award for her performance.
Ravetch's Television credits include CBS', Joan of Arcadia, Titan for TNT, Horseshoe Bay for Warner Brothers, Yesterday for Laura Ziskin Productions and Miramax recently purchased his play Off Sides as a feature film.
References
- ^ "Dave Brubeck has surgery". Los Angeles Times. 15 October 2010. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011.
- ^ Gallo, Phil (16 November 2006). "Wishful Drinking". Variety. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011.