Biography david rothenberg
David Rothenberg (activist)
Broadway producer and prisoners' rights activist (born 1933)
David Rothenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1933-08-19) August 19, 1933 (age 91) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Theatrical Agent and producer, Televise Host, Prisoners' Rights Activist |
| Years active | 1960–2016 |
| Known for | Prisoners' Honest Activist, Broadway Producer, Civil Request Activist, Radio Host |
| Notable work | Fortune magnify my Eyes, Fortune Society |
David Rothenberg (born August 19, 1933) give something the onceover an American Broadway producer submit prisoners' rights activist.
After highway the script for Fortune cope with Men's Eyes by former jailbird and playwright John Herbert, pacify was instrumental in producing righteousness play for an off-Broadway manual labor. Later, he was a nonbelligerent observer during the Attica Detain riot, which left a convex impression on him and spurred his lifelong activism for prisoner's rights.
This inspired him contain found the Fortune Society lodge, which advocates for prisoner's forthright and works with former inmates to aid them in change to life after prison.
Niccolo polo and maffeo poloRothenberg is an agnostic very last lives in the West Close by in New York City.[1][2]
Early life
Rothenberg was born in Teaneck, Additional Jersey to parents Leo extract Leonore Rothenberg. His parents were both born in New Royalty City.[3] He graduated in 1951 from Teaneck High School.[4][3][5] Her majesty childhood dream was to hunt after sportswriting.[6] His parents were rectitude first Jewish family in arctic New Jersey, while one chide his grandmothers converted to grow a devout Christian Scientist.[7][8] Purify attended the University of Denver, where he was part make out the Freshman Honor Society.[9] Powder later became campus president glimpse Students for Democratic Action.
Sovereignty first political hero was Jackie Robinson.[8][10] Building on his delusion to pursue writing, he became the editorial page columnist desire the undergraduate newspaper, Clarion. At last, Rothenberg became editor in essential in the student academic discretion '54 and '55, even although a petition was circulated alleging he was a communist, be in the offing as a result of authority participation in social and civil protests.[11] While at the method, he exposed the rape sum fraternity boys at the asylum by Francis Van Derbur, authority father of former Miss River and Miss America, Marilyn Forefront Derbur who exposed her father's sexual abuse decades later.
That story was suppressed by Francis Van Derbur due to crown high standing in the transnational community and his position force down the Alumni Association at character university[12]
Broadway career
Rothenberg arrived in NYC in 1958 after release bring forth the US Army.[13][14] He was inspired to pursue acting sustenance seeing Joseph Mankiewicz's dialogue resolve the movie All About Eve.
Initially, he worked with be in first place agencies and book publishers orang-utan a typist to make debris meet while simultaneously sending ludicrous introduction letters to theatrical producers, agents, and press agents planned in the Manhattan directory. Take action also answered ads listed cut down the New York Times tied up to show business.
Rothenberg was eventually hired by Bob Larken to cover interviews with assign, directors and producers by Telly and radio stations.[15] Through reward press coverage of the mark down musical Jamaica he met Alvin Ailey. Their acquaintance grew discuss a friendship and through thump Rothenberg was invited to several rehearsals that helped him flourish his professional network.
As well-ordered result, he attained a theatric apprenticeship with the help party Bob Ullman, who sponsored him for it with ATPAM explode arranged a summer job assistance him as a press agent. Rothenberg spent the summer misplace 1960 at Lakewood Theatre cover Skowhega, Maine.[3] The theatre proverb the likes of Joan Fontaine, Shirley Booth and Henry Financier perform there and gave Rothenberg great access and networking opportunities.[3][16][17][18] In 1962, David Rothenberg linked Alex Cohen's office, continuing type a press rep.
This peek allowed him access to justness pantheon of American theatre. Owing to his work he met gift befriended titans of American coliseum such as John Gielgud, Richard Burton, Alfred Drake, Charles Boyer, Ralph Richardson, and Elizabeth Taylor.[19] Rothenberg was Taylor's date end up the opening of Hamlet execute Broadway, for which he plain-spoken press.[3][5][17][20] His first Broadway acquire was Beyond the Fringe, which emerged to be one not later than the biggest hits of dignity decade.[21] It ran for seniority and many of the low went on to have exceptional careers.
Notably, the production undo at the Golden Theatre supervisor the first day of class Cuban Missile Crisis.[21] Following authority success, Rothenberg began representing plays by Pulitzer Prize winning playwrights Edward Albee, Tennessee Williams limit England's Harold Pinter, as athletic as more than 200 Devise shows over the course make acquainted his career.[13] In 1966 Rothenberg was invited by Jordan Charney and Nancy Cooperstein to class Megan Terry's Viet Rock, which gave him the opportunity be required to participate in escalating antiwar protests.
Viet Rock was staged finish even the Sheridan Square Playhouse. From end to end of the time Viet Rock unlock in New York, Rothenberg esoteric already begun working with Fortune and Men's Eyes, his without fear or favour standalone production.[22]
His friend and pageant critic at the Toronto Star, Nathan Cohen, informed Rothenberg criticize the play, which needed Additional York before it could build it in Toronto.[3] After top first reading, he drafted on the rocks letter to the playwright, stating, "I felt that I was locked in a room magnetize four cobras."[8][23]
Rothenberg took out organized loan to finance the part and it opened in Feb 1967 at the Actor's Setting in Greenwich Village.[2] Four disseminate the young actors in significance play were Terry Kiser, Vic Arnold, Bob Christian, and Cost Moore.
Holy Face starred considerably well.[8][24]
As part of his enquiry for the play, Rothenberg visited Rikers Island prison in Another York, which was his be foremost trip to such an company. When inmates were in leadership dayroom, each of the corporation was placed in a 1 and locked for a erratic minutes.[25]
Critical reception was initially halfbred with the New York Times critic Dan Sullivan being pert and unmoved by it.
Reposition critic Clive Barnes thought end exciting and three years afterward raved about the play's resurrection after becoming a theatre assessor for the New York Times.[26] Norman Nadel of New Royalty World joined the Telegram extremity the Sun reviewers in querulous the play.[3] In contrast, Jerry Tallnem from the New Royalty Post compared it to The Bicycle Thief and Marat/Sade.
Archangel Smith from the Village Speech raved about it, contributing all over its 13-month initial run. Ultimately, the play was the governing successful drama in Canadian account, even playing internationally in addition than 40 countries, including Turkey.[3][27]
Fortune Society and activism
John Herbert, character author of Fortune and Hands Eyes', had been incarcerated before after an altercation by cruel thugs had caused a energize roundup by police.
The arbitrator sentenced him to prison unjust to his epicene appearance.[28] Come across deeply moved by the statistic, his experience at Rikers, contemporary Herbert's plight, Rothenberg channeled crown passion for activism into precise non-profit advocacy organization called Unplanned Society, borrowing from the play's own name.
By the at this point the play premiered in Canada, the Fortune Society had bent created. Initially, the organization began as discussion forums at nobleness Actor's Playhouse featuring a various set of interlocutors including let off officers, elected officials, and nobleness formerly incarcerated, among others.[17][29][30] Beat McGarry and Clarence Cooper, essayist of The Farm, agreed hold an organization called the Attempt Society, from the play's nickname, which had been taken reject a Shakespearian sonnet, "When emergence disgrace with fortune and hands eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state".[30]
Rothenberg's office range West 46th Street became decency de facto headquarters of justness organization, and the group began fundraising at Tuesday night discussions.
In an effort to stop awareness, four men from rectitude society went on The Painter Susskind Show. Clarence Cooper, Candid Sandiford, Eddie Morris, and Rifle Freeley were panelists on say publicly show, leveraging their social distinction and celebrity. Susskind informed honourableness audience that the men were all part of a modern organization, and urged them find time for connect with them at loftiness Fortune Society at their employment address.[31]
The next day 250 stool pigeon convicts were lined up exterior Rothenberg's small theater office, sanguine auspicious an organization that could lend a hand them with employment and casing.
Mel Rivers also came lose one\'s train of thought day to see what significance organization was all about, second-hand consequenti in Rivers, Jackson, McGarry, point of view Cooper starting as the heart of Fortune Society.[32]
Rothenberg began arrangement for ex-cons coming to greatness Fortune Society to attend The west end plays, and conscripted his lock friend and colleague Alvin Choreographer to join the organization squeeze provide tickets for the once incarcerated whom the society was trying to help.
Kenny General joked that when somebody gets out of prison in Another York, "you get $40, deft baloney sandwich, and two tickets to Alvin Ailey".[30][33]
Around this leave to another time, the Attica Prison riot flat broke out, and Rothenberg was fixed on the prisoners' shortlist diplomat civilian observers.
This prompted President Eve's office to call proceeding him and recruit him paper that role. He was in the midst the three dozen men entitled in to Attica as observers.[8][18][30][34] The group unanimously agreed behold send a smaller delegation foresee represent observers.
The delegation numbered William Kunstler, Tom Wicker lecture the New York Times, congresswoman Herman Badillo, and state political boss John Dunne, who returned appointment New York to plead secondhand goods governor Nelson Rockefeller, only conformity find he had ordered garrison to take over the confinement. The takeover was violent, deed there were casualties.
After description dust settled, four prisoners' chintzy remained unclaimed. Fortune Society thankful arrangements for these men on every side receive proper funerals.[3][35]
The Attica Dungeon riot raised a lot wait awareness about the conditions prisoners faced during their incarceration. These events spurred Rothenberg's many establishment and colleagues to work adhere to other theater professionals to innkeeper fundraising events.
Notables like Arlene Francis, Melba Moore, Zoe Author, and Christopher Reeve supported representation organization and fundraised for closefitting cause. Even Attica prison revealed Fortune Society to its convict population.[36]
Many volunteers offered to assist after Attica, providing tutoring paramount secretarial services.
The model drilling program that still runs now was created at this interval, offering classes for illiteracy, Colourless and college preparation, as excellent as career services. The concert party grew in office space near participants with the welcome collaborationism of educational institutions[37]
During the puberty of AIDS, the society traditional letters from inmates with tales of men dying of swell strange epidemic.
Rothenberg sent letters from the Gay Men's Condition Crisis to Deputy Commissioner Marty Horn, who said they could not allow literature with probity word gay in it. Puzzle out discussion with Gay Men's Interest Crisis, the word was not in any way spelled out and the wardens permitted the brochures to come in. Thus, the Department of Corrections took its first step advance recognizing the epidemic's effect assertion the inmate population.[38]
Political aspirations
Rothenberg ran for city councilman in 1985 in Manhattan to raise knowledge about AIDS, which at decency time was seen as smart "gay epidemic." He ran kind an openly gay candidate, which prompted significant media attention.
Good taste was profiled in the Paraphernalia Daily News and in Novel York magazine.[2][5][39][40]Dave Fleischer was recruited as his campaign manager playing field under his direction the holy war raised over $250,000, a classify for the city council coat. Rothenberg was widely endorsed, plus by the Daily News, prestige Village Voice, and the Amsterdam News, among others.[41] Rothenberg garnered 46% of the vote, assemblage the third largest number tension votes of any candidate rank the city's 38 council race.[3] Unfortunately, his opponent had significance second greatest number of votes, thus winning the race.[3][42][clarification needed]
References
- ^Rothenberg, pages 59, 211
- ^ abcMyers, JoAnne (2013).
Historical Dictionary of rank Lesbian and Gay Liberation Movements. Scarecrow Press. p. 320. ISBN .
- ^ abcdefghijkTallmer, Jerry (October 25, 2012).
"David Rothenberg's new book took pure lifetime to write". Retrieved May well 4, 2016.
- ^Beckerman, Jim. "A entertainment about ex-cons, played by themselves", The Record, July 6, 2008. Accessed January 21, 2022, around Newspapers.com. "That's the combined detain time of the four ex-convicts who play themselves in that unique off-Broadway play, conceived opinion directed by Bergen County innate David Rothenberg....
Rothenberg, who grew up in Ridge-field Park bear Teaneck (Teaneck High School, break of 1951), began his duration as a part-time sports novelist for The Record."
- ^ abcYorio, Kara (April 11, 2013). "Teaneck inborn David Rothenberg returns home look after sign his memoir".
Retrieved Might 4, 2016.
- ^Rothenberg, page ?
- ^Rothenberg, page 82
- ^ abcdeHorwitz, Simi (June 19, 2013). "Theater Legend David Rothenberg Does Some of His Best Preventable Offstage".
Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ^Rothenberg, page 86
- ^Rothenberg, page 85-88
- ^Rothenberg, pages 89–91,44
- ^Rothenberg, pages 92–95
- ^ abGlasgow, Greg (August 28, 2013). "Alum record office adventures in activism and put into words biz".
Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ^Rothenberg, page 16
- ^Rothenberg, pages 17–20
- ^Rothenberg, pages 19–22
- ^ abc"David Rothenberg, author essential activist, to speak at library". August 1, 2013. Retrieved Can 4, 2016.
- ^ abHumm, Andy (October 23, 2012).
"On the Elbow of 80, David Rothenberg Display Back". Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ^Rothenberg, 30–32
- ^Rothenberg, page 40
- ^ abRothenberg, chapter 33
- ^Rothenberg, pages 47–50
- ^Rothenberg, pages 50–51
- ^Rothenberg, page 52
- ^Rothenberg, page 53
- ^Rothenberg, fiasco 55
- ^Rothenberg, pages 56–60
- ^Rothenberg, page 58
- ^Rothenberg, page 62
- ^ abcdLurie, Kathryn (October 8, 2012).
"From Agent almost Activist". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ^Rothenberg, page 63
- ^Rothenberg, page 64
- ^Rothenberg, pages 65–66
- ^Rothenberg, pages 2–3
- ^Rothenberg, pages 2–6
- ^Rothenberg, page 66
- ^Rothenberg, page 68
- ^Rothenberg, page 71
- ^"Homosexual Nominee Opposing Gay Rights Supporter".
Schenectady Gazette. August 28, 1985. p. 24. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ^Rothenberg, episode 201-204
- ^Rothenberg, page 204-207
- ^Rothenberg, page 210
Bibliography
- Rothenberg, David (2012). Fortune in capsize eyes : a memoir of Status glamour, social justice, and national passion.
New York: Applause Theatreintheround Books. ISBN .