John Dexter
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John Dexter (August 2, 1925 - March 23, 1990) was an award-winning English theatre, opera, and film director.
Born in Derby, England, Dexter left school at the age of 14 to serve in the British army during World War II. Following the war, he began working as a stage actor before turning to producing and directing shows for repertory companies. In 1957, he joined the Royal Court Theatre in London as an associate director, a position he assumed with the National Theatre six years later, eventually moving up to full director. His production of Othello, starring Sir Laurence Olivier, was filmed and released as a theatrical feature.
Dexter's debut feature film remains his best-known. The Virgin Soldiers (1969) was a satirical comedy about a group of young British soldiers in 1950 Singapore who dream about winning the hand of the daughter of the the regiment's sergeant. It starred Lynn Redgrave, Rachel Kempson, and Nigel Davenport. Dexter also helmed the controversial I Want What I Want (1972), a drama exploring a young man's sex-change.
At the Metropolitan Opera, Dexter mounted new productions of Les vêpres siciliennes (with Montserrat Caballé), Aïda (with Leontyne Price), Dialogues des Carmélites, Lulu, Le prophète (with Marilyn Horne), Rigoletto (with Cornell MacNeil and Plácido Domingo), The Bartered Bride (with Teresa Stratas and Jon Vickers), Don Pasquale (with Beverly Sills), Billy Budd (with Sir Peter Pears), Don Carlos (with Renata Scotto), Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, and the triple-bills of "Parade" (Parade/Les mamelles de Tirésias/L'enfant et les sortilèges) and "Stravinsky" (Le sacre du printemps/Le rossignol/Œdipus rex). Rigoletto and a revival of Don Carlos (then with Mirella Freni and Domingo) are available on DVD.
Dexter died in London. His autobiography, The Honourable Beast (ISBN 0-87830-035-X), was published posthumously in 1993.
[edit] Broadway credits
- The Threepenny Opera (1989 revival)
- M. Butterfly (1988)
- The Glass Menagerie (1983 revival)
- The Misanthrope (1975 revival)
- Equus (1974)
- The Unknown Soldier and His Wife (1967)
- Black Comedy/White Lies (1967)
- The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1965)
- Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965)
[edit] Broadway awards and nominations
- 1988 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (M. Butterfly, winner)
- 1988 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play (M. Butterfly, winner)
- 1975 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (Equus, winner)
- 1975 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play (Equus, winner)
- 1967 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (Black Comedy/White Lies, nominee)
