Gordon Greenberg is a director and writer living in New York. He has directed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in London’s West End, written for television and stage, and developed, directed and produced new works for arts institutions across America.
He directed the acclaimed West End revival of Guys and Dolls, starring Rebel Wilson, which received six Olivier Award nominations (Savoy Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre.) In his review for the New York Times, Ben Brantley called it “Pure, unforced pleasure…a boozy, bawdy party,” The Guardian’s Michael Billington called it ‘An expert revival…delivered with grace and elan,’ The Evening Standard said ‘This unstoppable hit keeps getting better and better…Gordon Greenberg’s delicious production of Frank Loesser’s classy classic once again boasts chemistry in all the right places,’ The Week called it “A triumphant…exhilarating staging of a golden age musical,” Charles Spencer of The Telegraph wrote, “I left the theater walking on air and with a grin of pure happiness on my face…One hell of an evening,” and Dominic Maxwell of The London Times wrote, “Gordon Greenberg’s production leaves the whole audience purring with pleasure.”
Greenberg co-wrote and directed the Broadway stage adaptation of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn at Studio 54 for Roundabout Theatre Company, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, and PBS Television’s Great Performances. In its review, Variety said “Holiday Inn, the 1942 film, has gotten a complete and first-class stage redo…Director Gordon Greenberg and co-writer Chad Hodge have significantly rethought, reshaped and revitalized the script, giving the show more heart, a modern sensibility and a joyful spirit.” Deadline called it “An endorphin assault, inducing warm bath pleasure like no other show since 42nd Street,” The Hollywood Reporter called it “Pure joy,” and the Star Ledger said “Directed with generosity and warmth, it wears down all defenses.” It premiered at Goodspeed Musicals, where it had the longest run of any show in that theatre’s history.
Recent work includes The Secret of My Success for Universal Stage Productions at the Paramount Theatre, Chicago (also co-writer with Steve Rosen, Michael Mahler & Alan Schmuckler), the North American premiere of Piaf/Dietrich for Mirvish in Toronto, Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big San Diego Christmas Show (also co-writer with Steve Rosen, Old Globe perennial), Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show (also co-writer with Steve Rosen, Bucks County perennial), Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (also co-writer, Maltz Jupiter, Chicago Shakes), the world premiere of The Heart of Rock and Roll, the new Huey Lewis musical, which had a record breaking run at The Old Globe and will premiere on Broadway next season, Terms of Endearment at the Geffen Theatre for Greg Berlanti, starring Alfred Molina, Calista Flockhart, Constance Wu, Kate Burton and Kumail Nanjiani, the London revival of Barnum for the Menier Chocolate Factory, which the Guardian called a “Charming, toe tapping carnival,” and the Independent called a “Flashy, warm-hearted, striking production,” and writing the new book of Meet Me In St. Louis for the St. Louis MUNY’s 100th Anniversary.
Other work includes the acclaimed New York revivals of Jacques Brel…(Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics noms) and Working (adapted with Stephen Schwartz & Lin Manuel Miranda, Drama Desk Award, 59 E 59, Old Globe, Broadway Playhouse Chicago, Asolo Rep,) the stage adaptation of Disney’s Tangled, Johnny Baseball (Williamstown), Pirates! Or Gilbert & Sullivan Plunder’d (created with Nell Benjamin, Huntington, Goodspeed, Paper Mill, MUNY), The Emma Woodhouse Single Girls Guide (also co-writer, Dallas Theatre Center, Capital Rep), Blue Sky Boys by Deborah Breevort (Capital Rep.), Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Guys & Dolls, Pirates, Holiday Inn (St. Louis MUNY), the all-female workshop of Man of La Mancha (Mirvish, Toronto), Assisted Loving based on the best-selling memoir by New York Times writer Bob Morris (Capital Rep.), Luck Be A Lady (Asolo), Stars of David (by Jeanine Tesori, Tom Kitt, Tony Kushner, etc.) for Daryl Roth, Band Geeks! (also co-writer, Goodspeed, NEA grant), The Baker’s Wife (Paper Mill, Goodspeed), 1776 (Paper Mill), Floyd Collins (Signature), Yentl (Asolo), Half A Sixpence (Goodspeed), We The People (Lortel nomination, Theatreworks USA, Lortel Theatre), Happy Days, A New Musical (Paper Mill, Goodspeed, U.S. National Tour), the U.S. national tour of Guys & Dolls, Disney’s Believe, The Disney Fantasy Christening (with Neil Patrick Harris & Jerry Seinfeld), Vanities, A New Musical (Theatreworks Palo Alto – winner, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Award for Best Musical Production), Theory of Three (NY Stage & Film), Citizens Band: The Panic Is On (Spiegeltent, NY), O. Henry’s Lovers (Goodspeed), 33 Variations (Capital Rep.), It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play and Meet Me In St. Louis: A Radio Play (Bucks County Playhouse), Cam Jansen (Theatreworks USA, Lambs Theatre), etc. TV Writing: Disney Channel, Nickelodeon. As an actor, he has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway and on television. He is also deeply involved in education as Co-Artistic Director of the Broadway Teachers Workshop and has taught master classes at the University of Michigan, University of Oklahoma, N.Y.U., Belmont University, Syracuse University, Arts Ed (London), Broadway Moscow (Russia), Broadway Dreams (Berlin), etc. Education: Stanford University, NYU, RADA.