Richard Greenberg (February 22, 1958 – July 4, 2025) was an American playwright and television writer known for his subversively humorous depictions of middle-class American life. He had more than 25 plays premiere on Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway in New York City and eight at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California, including The Violet Hour, Everett Beekin, and Hurrah at Last. Greenberg is perhaps best known for his 2002 play Take Me Out.
Early life and education Greenberg was born on February 22, 1958, in East Meadow, New York, on Long Island. The younger of two children, his father, Leon Greenberg, was an executive for New York's Century Theaters movie chain, and his mother Shirley was a homemaker. Greenberg graduated from East Meadow High School in 1976 and went on to attend Princeton University, where he graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. in English. As part of his degree, Greenberg completed a 438-page senior thesis titled "A Romantic Career – A Novel". At Princeton, Greenberg studied creative writing under Joyce Carol Oates and roomed with future Harvard economics professor Greg Mankiw. Later, he attended Harvard for graduate work in English and American literature, but dropped out of the program when he was accepted to the Yale School of Drama's playwriting program in 1985.
Career Greenberg received the George Oppenheimer Award presented by Newsday in 1985 for The Bloodletters, produced off-off-Broadway while he was at Yale.Bryer, Jackson R. and Hartig, Mary C. "Richard Greenberg" The Facts on File Companion to American Drama, Infobase Publishing, 2010, , p.207Rich, Frank. "Stage: 'The Bloodletters,' a Comedy" The New York Times, December 7, 1984Guernsey, Otis L. and Sweet, Jeffrey. "Eastern Standard" The Best Plays of 1988–1989: The Complete Broadway and Off-Broadway Sourcebook Hal Leonard Corporation, 1989, , p. 172 In 1998, he was the first winner of the PEN/Laura Pels Theater Award for a playwright in mid-career.
Greenberg's play Take Me Out, about the conflicts that arise after a Major League Baseball player nonchalantly announces to the media that he is gay, premiered in 2002. The play premiered in London and ran in New York as the first collaboration between England's Donmar Warehouse and New York's Public Theater. After it transferred to Broadway in early 2003, Take Me Out won widespread critical acclaim for Greenberg and many prestigious awards including the Tony Award for Best Play.
Along with Take Me Out, Greenberg's plays include The Dazzle, The American Plan, Life Under Water, and The Author's Voice. His adaptation of August Strindberg's Dance of Death ran on Broadway in 2002, starring Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, and David Strathairn.
In 2013, Greenberg worked on three shows: on Broadway, The Assembled Parties and an adaptation of Breakfast at Tiffany's,Gans, Andrew. "Broadway's Breakfast at Tiffany's Sets Closing Date" Playbill.com, April 15, 2013 and the book for the musical Far From Heaven, which opened in June 2013 at Playwrights Horizons.McNulty, Charles. "A rich season for playwright Richard Greenberg", Los Angeles Times, April 27, 2013
His play Our Mother's Brief Affair premiered at the South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa in April 2009. Directed by Pam MacKinnon, the cast featured Jenny O'Hara, Matthew Arkin, Arye Gross and Marin Hinkle. This was a commission from the SCRT.Jones, Kenneth. "Richard Greenberg's Our Mother's Brief Affair Opens April 10 at South Coast Rep" Playbill.com, April 10, 2009McNulty, Charles. "Review. 'Our Mother's Brief Affair'" Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2009 The play opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club, on December 28, 2015 (previews), and officially on January 20, 2016, starring Linda Lavin.Clement, Olivia. "'Our Mother's Brief Affair', with Linda Lavin, Begins Previews on Broadway Tonight" Playbill.com, December 28, 2015Viagas, Robert. "Verdict: How Were the Reviews for 'Our Mother's Brief Affair'? Playbill.com, January 20, 2016
His play The Babylon Line premiered off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater on November 10, 2016, in previews, and officially on December 5.The Babylon Line lct.org, accessed November 21, 2016 Directed by Terry Kinney, the cast features Josh Radnor as a writing teacher and Elizabeth Reaser as his student.Gordon, David. "Josh Radnor and Elizabeth Reaser to Lead Richard Greenberg's 'The Babylon Line'" TheaterMania, July 21, 2016. The play was first performed at New York Stage and Film & Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater in June and July 2014, starring Radnor.
Style The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights describes Greenberg's "most prominent" interest as history "and (also) the past". He has a strong "tendency to draw on historical characters or events——the Lost Generation, the Collyer Brothers, the New York Yankees" as sources for his material. He is said to have a "witty use of language."Innes, Christopher (and others) editor, "Richard Greenberg" The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary American Playwrights (no page number), A&C Black, 2013,
Personal life and death Greenberg lived in Chelsea, Manhattan.
Greenberg died from cancer at a nursing home in Manhattan, on July 4, 2025, at the age of 67; he previously had Hodgkin lymphoma when he was in his thirties. Actor Denis O'Hare paid tribute to him on Instagram, saying "He gave me the greatest gift ever – a beautiful character to inhabit in a beautiful play. He also gave me 2 of my best friends – Lisa Peterson and Linda Emond. We all met and worked on Rich's one act – The Author's Voice at Remains Theatre in 1987 in a festival of one acts called 'Sneaky Feelings.' I have a sneaky feeling of grief mixed with gratitude for this man." Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson also paid tribute, writing "Rest in peace Richard, you gave the world so much." Theater director Robert Falls wrote "For over 30 years, it's been one of life's great pleasures to know Rich and his writing. Dazzling, humane, wildly funny. ... He was also one of the smartest people I've ever met. But he wore that brilliance lightly—often cloaked in hilarity, or tossed off in the driest, most devastating line at dinner. His kindness was real. His loss is enormous."
Works
1984: The Bloodletters, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York, NY, 1984. 1985: Life Under Water, Marathon '85 Series. Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York, NY, 1985. 1986: Vanishing Act, Marathon '86 Series. Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York, NY, 1986. 1987: The Author's Voice & Imagining Brad, Greenwich House, New York, NY, 1999. 1987: The Hunger Artist (based on stories and letters by Franz Kafka), St. Clement's, New York, NYRich, Frank. "Theater Review. 'Hunger Artist, Kafka in Life and Work" The New York Times, February 27, 1987 1987: The Maderati, Playwrights Horizons, February 19, 1987.Rich, Frank. "Theater review. 'The maderati' by Richard Greenberg" The New York Times, February 20, 1987 1988: Eastern Standard, Manhattan Theatre Club. New York City Center Stage I. October 1988; John Golden Theatre, Broadway, January 5, 1989. 1988: Neptune's Hips, Marathon '88 Series. Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York, NY, 1988.Goodman, Walter. "Theater Review. Of Baseball, the Infinite and Various Kinds of Curves" The New York Times, June 16, 1988 1990: The American Plan, Manhattan Theatre Club. New York City Center-Stage I. December 4, 1990; Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway, 2009. 1992: The Extra Man, Manhattan Theatre Club. New York City Center-Stage II. April 28, 1992.Rich, Frank. "Review/Theater; Stylish and Affluent Extra Man With Dark Views and Dark Plot" The New York Times, May 20, 1992 1992: Jenny Keeps Talking, Manhattan Theatre Club. New York City Center-Stage II, New York, NY. March 22, 1993. 1992: Pal Joey (based on the musical by John O'Hara, revised book), Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, MA, 1992–1993; Studio 54, Broadway, 2008 1994: Night And Her Stars, Manhattan Theatre Club. New York City Center-Stage II, March 29, 1995; South Coast Repertory, March 1994Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. 'Night and Her Stars', A Different Take On Quiz Scandals" The New York Times, April 27, 1995Richards, David. "Review/Theater; White Knights and Villains In the Quiz-Show Scandals" The New York Times, March 16, 1994 1998: Three Days of Rain, Manhattan Theatre Club. New York City Center-Stage II, November 12, 1997; Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Broadway, 2006 1998: Hurrah at Last, Roundabout Theatre Company. Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY, June 3, 1999. 2000: Everett Beekin, South Coast Repertory, September 2000Oxman, Steve. "Review. Everett Beekin Variety, September 20, 2000; Lincoln Center, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, November 14, 2001Everett Beekin lct.org, accessed December 28, 2015 2001: Dance of Death (adaptation), Broadhurst Theatre, BroadwayThe Dance of Death ibdb.com, accessed January 21, 2016Simonson, Robert. Death, Where Is Thy Closing? Jan. 13, McKellen and Mirren Dance Away" playbill.com, January 13, 2002 2002: The Dazzle, Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY, March 5, 2002.Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. At Home With the Collyer Brothers" The New York Times, March 6, 2002 2002: Take Me Out, Joseph Papp Public Theater, New York, NY, September 5, 2002; Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway, 2003; Hayes Theater/Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway, 2022 2003: The Violet Hour, Steppenwolf Theater Company, Chicago, IL, 2003; Biltmore Theatre, New York, NY, 2003. 2005: A Naked Girl on the Appian Way, South Coast Repertory Theater, Costa Mesa, CA; American Airlines Theatre, Broadway 2006: Bal Masque, Theatre J, Washington, D.C.Jones, Kenneth. "Richard Greenberg Crashes Capote's Ball in World Premiere, 'Bal Masque', in Busy Season for D.C.'s Theater J" playbill.com, July 13, 2005 2006: The Well-Appointed Room, Steppenwolf Theater Company, ChicagoAbarbanel, Jonathan. "Review: 'The Well-Appointed Room' backstage.com, February 8, 2006Columbus, Curt; Murray, Thomas; Nedved, William. "Richard Greenberg: The Mind Lighting 'The Well-Appointed Room'" steppenwolf.org, 2005–2006, Vol. 2 2006: The House in Town, Lincoln Center, Mitzi E. Newhouse TheaterThe House in Town lct.org, accessed December 30, 2015 2008: The Injured Party, South Coast Repertory Theater, Costa Mesa, CA. 2009: Our Mother's Brief Affair, South Coast Repertory Theater, Costa Mesa, CA; Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway, 2015 2013: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Cort Theatre, BroadwayBreakfast at Tiffany's ibdb.com, accessed December 15, 2016 2013: The Assembled Parties, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway 2013: Far from Heaven (book), Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway 2016: The Babylon Line, Lincoln Center, Off-Broadway 2020: The Perplexed, Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway 2021: A Shot Rang Out, South Coast Repertory Theater, Costa Mesa, CA. 2026: Holiday (adaptation), Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL
Television 1989: "Ask Me Again" (based on "An Old-Fashioned Story" by Laurie Colwin), American Playhouse, PBS. 1989: "Life Under Water" (based on his one-act play), American Playhouse, PBS. 1989: "The Sad Professor," Trying Times, PBS. 1991: "Georgie Through the Looking Glass," Sisters, NBC. 1993: "Mirror, Mirror," Sisters, NBC. 1999: "The Time the Millennium Approached," Time of Your Life, Fox.
Awards and nominations
Tony Award, Best Play Take Me Out, 2003 – winner The Assembled Parties, 2013 – nominee
New York Drama Critics Circle Award, Best American Play Three Days of Rain, 1998 – Runner up Take Me Out, 2003
Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Play Take Me Out, 2003 – winner The Assembled Parties, 2013 – nominee
Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Play The Dazzle, 2002 – nominee Take Me Out, 2003 – winner
Drama League Award, Best Play, Take Me Out, 2003