Irene Gandy (born November 21, 1943) is an American theater publicist and producer. Notable for being the only African-American female publicist in the history of ATPAM., Gandy received the 2020 Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre.
Early life Gandy was born on November 21, 1943, in Westbury, New York.
Career
Gandy attended NYU briefly, before dropping out and enmeshing herself into New York City's downtown theatrical scene. In 1968, she began her publicity career working under Douglas Turner Ward and Robert Hooks at the Negro Ensemble Company
In the late 1970s, Gandy turned away from theatre briefly to work as associate director of Special Markets for CBS Records, supervising Earth, Wind and Fire, The Jacksons, The Isley Brothers, and Labelle, among other artists.
The bulk of Gandy's Broadway publicity career was spent alongside producer/publicist Jeffrey Richards, with whom she represented over 100 Broadway productions.
Gandy was publicist for the 1987 revival of Sweet Charity, and was on hand when Bob Fosse died in Washington D.C. prior to an out-of-town preview.
In 1990, Gandy served as producer of the national tour of Sarafina!. In 2012, she made her Broadway producing debut with Porgy and Bess, for which she received the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
In 2020, Gandy was appointed to The Drama League Board of Directors, and in 2023, the Drama League renamed its Drama League Stage Directing Assistantships program to "The Drama League Irene Gandy Directing Assistantships" program.
Personal life Gandy is mother to artist Mira Gandy.
Broadway Stage
Year Production Publicist Producer Notes 1970 Hay Fever 1971 Johnny Johnson 1976 Going Up 1976 Wheelbarrow Closers 1976 Don't Step On My Olive Branch 1977 Gemini 1979 Whoopee! 1980 Your Arms Too Short to Box with God 1980 A Lesson From Aloes 1986 Me and My Girl 1989 The Cirle 1998 Patti Labelle On Broadway 2001 A Thousand Clowns 2003 Enchanted April 2005 Glengarry Glen Ross 2006 Spring Awakening 2006 The Caine Mutiny Court Martial 2007 August: Osage County 2007 Radio Golf 2007 Talk Radio 2007 The Homecoming 2008 November 2008 Speed-the-Plow 2009 Blithe Spirit 2009 Desire Under the Elms 2009 Race 2009 Superior Donuts 2009 You're Welcome America 2010 A Life in the Theatre 2010 All About Me 2010 Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson 2010 Enron 2011 Bonnie and Clyde 2011 Chinglish 2012 Glengarry Glen Ross 2012 Porgy and Bess 2012 The Anarchist 2012 The Best Man 2012 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 2013 The Glass Menagerie 2014 All The Way 2014 Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill 2014 The Bridges of Madison County 2014 The Realistic Joneses 2014 You Can't Take It with You 2015 The Heidi Chronicles 2022 Ohio State Murders 2023 Purlie Victorious
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Project Result Ref.2012 Tony Awards Best Revival of a Musical The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess 2020 Excellence in Theatre
References
External links