Biography
Terrence McNally. Terrence McNally's most recent collaboration is the book for The Visit at Arlington's Signature Theatre with score by John Kander and Fredd Ebb. His most recent play Unusual Acts of Devotion premiered at the Philadelphia Theatre Company in 2008. His play Deuce played on Broadway in the 2006-2007 season. His play Some Men premiered in the 2007 season at Second Stage Theatre. Mr. McNally also recently wrote the books for the musicals Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life and Man of No Importance. Recent Broadway credits include the revival of his play The Ritz, the revival of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and the book for the musical The Full Monty. He won his fourth Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Ragtime (music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens). Mr. McNally won the Tony in 1996 for his play Master Class, in which Zoe Caldwell created the role of Maria Callas; the 1995 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Play as well as the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play for Love! Valour! Compassion!; and the 1993 Tony for his book of the musical Kiss of the Spiderwoman (music and lyrics by Kander and Ebb). His other plays include Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams; The Stendhal Syndrome; Crucifixion; Corpus Christi; A Perfect Ganesh; Lips Together, Teeth Apart; The Lisbon Traviata and It's Only a Play, all of which began at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Earlier stage works include Bad Habits, Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?, Things That Go Bump in the Night, Next and the book for the musical The Rink (music and lyrics by Kander and Ebb). For the Central Park Opera trilogy presented at the New York City Opera in the fall of 1999, he wrote the libretto for The Food of Love, with music by Robert Beaser. The San Francisco Opera presented Dead Man Walking with Mr. McNally's libretto and music by Jake Heggie. Mr. McNally has written a number of TV scripts, including Andre's Mother for which he won an Emmy Award. He has received two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Grant, a Lucille Lortel Award, and a citation from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He has been a member of the Dramatists Guild since 1970.
