Gary Griffin, is an American theater director. Griffin grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where he graduated from East High School in 1978. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he performed in several musicals and directed "Hello Dolly" for their Summer Theatre program. From there, he moved to Chicago, where he began his directing career in 1988. [1]
Griffin made his Broadway debut with The Color Purple in 2005.[2] Also in New York, Griffin has directed The Apple Tree, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Pardon My English, and The New Moon for City Center Encores![3] and Beautiful Thing at the Cherry Lane Theatre. His production of Pacific Overtures was seen at London's Donmar Warehouse and received the Olivier Award for "Outstanding Musical Production". He is associate artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theatre where he has directed A Little Night Music and Sunday in the Park with George. His production of My Fair Lady played both the McCarter Theatre and Hartford Stage last season after its debut at Chicago's Court Theatre. Griffin has received eight Joseph Jefferson Awards for directing and has twice been named a "Chicagoan of the Year in the Arts" by the Chicago Tribune. In 2009 he directed a much lauded production of "West Side Story" at the Stratford Festival of Canada.