Lyle Kessler is the author of the internationally acclaimed play “Orphans” which recently received two Tony nominations for the Broadway revival starring Alec Baldwin and Ben Foster. Albert Finney won the Olivier Award in London’s West End production and Al Pacino and Jesse Eisenberg are among other notables who have appeared in various productions. “Orphans” will have a West End Revival in London’s Trafalgar Theater next Season. Other plays include, “The Watering Place,” Collision,” Possession,” “Robbers,” “First Born,” “Unlisted” and “Perp.” His drama “The Great Divide” received the L.A. Times Critic’s Pick. Films include “Orphans,” “Gladiator,” “The Saint of Fort Washington” and “Touched,” written and co-starring Mr. Kessler. As an actor he co-starred with Bruce Dern in the Philadelphia premiere of “Waiting for Godot.” He studied acting with Lee Strasberg and actually played him in Mark Rydell’s film “James Dean,” starring James Franco.
He is the Director of the New York Actors Studio Playwright/Directors Unit and is a member of of the Labyrinth Theater Company. Mr. Kessler also served as Artistic Director of the Sundance Screenwriter’s Lab. He participated in the Sundance Screenwriters Conference in Hungary working with writers from all over Eastern Europe.
Mr Kessler runs a Master Class for Actors which met once a week in Greenwich Village and now meets on Zoom until the end of the Pandemic. Sawyer Spielberg and Raye Levine studied with him. Guest artists who have participated in the class include Alec Baldwin, Malcolm McDowel, Chazz Palminteri and Larry Moss.
Mr Kessler wrote tonights “A Saving Grace” for his wife, Margaret Ladd.