Bernard Gersten

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Bernard Gersten" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Bernard Gersten
New York, New York , U.S.
Occupation	Producer
Partner	Cora Cahan

Bernard Gersten (January 30, 1923 – April 27, 2020) was an American theatrical producer. Beginning in the 1960s through the early 2000s, Gersten played a major role in shaping American drama and musical theatre.

From 1960 to 1978, Gersten worked with

) he oversaw over 150 productions.

In addition to receiving the

for his productions.

He died from pancreatic cancer on April 27, 2020, at the age of 97.[1]

Personal life

Gersten was the son of Henrietta (Henig) Gersten and Jacob Israel Gersten, a garment worker and chauffeur. Gersten grew up in Newark, New Jersey, in a traditional Jewish immigrant household, crowded with relatives, his father Jacob holding the position of secretary at the local synagogue. Like his cohort, Joseph Papp, Gersten came to the theater from an unsophisticated middle-class background.^[2]

As a teenager, Gersten became interested in theater and acting during his time at West Side High School. ^[3] Gersten was attending

Early career

After World War II, Gersten got his

During the late 1940s and the 1950s, Gersten was politically active. He attended meetings of the Communist Party and worked on union organizing. Both he and Joseph Papp worked on behalf of Vice President Henry A. Wallace’s unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1948 (as the candidate of the Progressive Party). He was also active on behalf of the plight of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. In time, Gersten was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee and was required to appear before the committee in 1958. Gersten pled the 5th. (Papp was also brought before the committee.) Though he was threatened with dismissal, Gersten did not lose his job because both John Houseman and Katharine Hepburn spoke on his behalf.^[2][5]

New York Shakespeare Festival

In 1960, Joseph Papp invited Gersten to work with him at the

The eighteen year Papp/Gersten regime at the NYSF would usher in a bold new era of

In 1968, Gersten married Cora Cahan, at the time touring as a dancer with various modern dance companies. (With

non-profit organization

generated by the city and the state as part of the 42nd Street Redevelopment Project.) The Gerstens have two children, Jenny Cahan Gersten and Jilian Cahan Gersten.

Perhaps Gersten's most significant contribution to the

.

In 1978, Gersten and Papp went their separate ways when Gersten insisted that the NYSF produce Michael Bennett’s Ballroom. Papp fired Gersten, whereupon Gersten went on to independently produce Ballroom (as well as John Guare’s Bosoms and Neglect) on Broadway later that year.^[4][5]

Zoetrope and Radio City Music Hall

In 1979, Gersten was invited by

After leaving Zoetrope, Gersten was recruited by Radio City Music Hall to serve as their Vice President to produce live original content. A highlight of his two and a quarter year tenure, was a massive production of Porgy and Bess, (featuring a 90-strong company).

Lincoln Center Theater

In 1985, the

produced at Lincoln Center.)

Gersten, at the time working for Alexander Cohen on Broadway and teaching as an adjunct professor of theater administration at

and the Mitzi E. Newhouse theaters, moribund for nearly a decade, flourished. More than twenty productions followed in quick succession over the next five years, including several major successes (see Lincoln Center Theater). In 1991, Mr. Mosher announced that he would leave LCT to pursue other projects.

In 1991, Gersten invited Andre Bishop to take over as Artistic Director. (Bishop's tenure would begin in 1992). (After Gersten's retirement, Bishop would have the title of Producing Artistic Director). The long list of successes at

[7]

Bernard Gersten produced over 150 productions at LCT, including a revival of

Prior to retirement from LCT, Gersten helped implement the fundraising, design, and construction of the new

Vivian Beaumont

.

Gersten implemented a new custom license plate for

.

Awards

Following is a selection of the awards won by Gersten.

American Theater Hall of Fame

• Inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame, 2003^[8]

Drama Desk Awards

• Drama Desk Special Award for Revitalizing the Lincoln Center Theater, 2012^{[citation needed]}

Tony Awards

• Antoinette Perry Award (Tony) for Lifetime Achievement, 2013^[9]
• Sticks and Bones Associate Producer, Best Play, 1971
• Two Gentlemen of Verona
  Associate Producer, Best Musical, 1971
• That Championship Season Associate Producer, Best Play 1973
• A Chorus Line Associate Producer, Best Musical, 1976
• Anything Goes Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Musical, 1989
• Our Town Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Play, 1989
• Carousel Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Musical, 1994
• The Heiress Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Play, 1995
• A Delicate Balance Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Play, 1996
• Contact Executive Producer, Best Musical, 2000
• Awake and Sing
  Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Play, 2006
• The Coast of Utopia Executive Producer, Best Play, 2007
• South Pacific Executive Producer, Best Revival of a Musical, 2008
• War Horse Executive Producer, Best Play, 2011
• Clybourne Park Executive Producer, Best Play, 2012
• Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Executive Producer, Best Play, 2013

References

External links

• Lincoln Center Theater
• Bernard Gersten at
  IMDb 
• Film Reference
• Bernard Gersten at the Internet Broadway Database