Donald Oenslager
Encyclopedia
Donald Oenslager was a celebrated American scenic designer who won the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design.
and became interested in design while studying in Europe. His first work as designer was for the ballet "Sooner or Later" in 1925.
He had started as an actor in the 1920s at the Greenwich Village Theatre and the Harrisburg Playhouse.
He designed sets and often lighting for more than 140 Broadway productions
between 1925 and 1975. In 1959 he was awarded the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for his work on Leonard Spigelgass
's play A Majority of One
. He had received a Tony nomination two years earlier for his work on the play Major Barbara.
He taught scenic design at the Yale School of Drama
for many years and the institution continues to award an annual scholarship for stage design in his name. Among his notable pupils were John Lee Beatty
.
A number of his scenic design sketches are part of the permanent collection at the Museum of the City of New York
. The Museum had an exhibition of his designs in 2008.
He brought "a new emphasis on symbolism over realism to American theater design."
Biography
Oenslager was born in Harrisburg, PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
and became interested in design while studying in Europe. His first work as designer was for the ballet "Sooner or Later" in 1925.
He had started as an actor in the 1920s at the Greenwich Village Theatre and the Harrisburg Playhouse.
He designed sets and often lighting for more than 140 Broadway productions
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
between 1925 and 1975. In 1959 he was awarded the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for his work on Leonard Spigelgass
Leonard Spigelgass
Leonard Spigelgass was an American film producer and screenwriter.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Spigelgass got his start collaborating on the script for Erich Von Stroheim's Hello, Sister!...
's play A Majority of One
A Majority of One
-Plot:The comedy involves Mrs. Jacoby, a Jewish widow from Brooklyn, New York, and Koichi Asano, a millionaire widower from Tokyo. Mrs. Jacoby is sailing to Japan with her daughter and foreign service officer son-in-law who is being posted to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo...
. He had received a Tony nomination two years earlier for his work on the play Major Barbara.
He taught scenic design at the Yale School of Drama
Yale School of Drama
The Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theater...
for many years and the institution continues to award an annual scholarship for stage design in his name. Among his notable pupils were John Lee Beatty
John Lee Beatty
John Lee Beatty is an American scenic designer. He was born in Palo Alto, California and grew up in Claremont. His father was dean of students at Pomona College and his mother had also work in academia. While he was English major at Brown University, he also directed, wrote, acted and drew posters...
.
A number of his scenic design sketches are part of the permanent collection at the Museum of the City of New York
Museum of the City of New York
The Museum of the City of New York is an art gallery and history museum founded in 1923 to present the history of New York City, USA and its people...
. The Museum had an exhibition of his designs in 2008.
He brought "a new emphasis on symbolism over realism to American theater design."
Works (selected)
- Good NewsGood News (musical)Good News is a musical with a book by Laurence Schwab and B.G. DeSylva, lyrics by DeSylva and Lew Brown, and music by Ray Henderson.The show opened on Broadway in 1927, the same year as Show Boat, but its plot was decidedly old-fashioned in comparison to Show Boats somewhat tragic and daring...
(1927) - The New MoonThe New MoonThe New Moon is the name of an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third and last in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg written in the style of Viennese operetta...
(1928) - Follow ThruFollow Thru (musical)Follow Thru is a musical comedy with book by B. G. DeSylva and Lawrence Schwab, lyrics by B. G. DeSylva and Lew Brown, music by Ray Henderson....
(1929) - Girl CrazyGirl CrazyGirl Crazy is a 1930 musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Ethel Merman made her stage debut in this musical production....
(1930) - You Said ItYou Said ItYou Said It is a musical by Harold Arlen and Jack Yellen that uses a musical book by Yellen and Sid Silvers. The musical opened at the Chanin's 46th Street Theatre in New York City on January 19, 1931 and ran for 192 performances. The production was directed by John Harwood, choreographed by...
(1931) - America's SweetheartAmerica's Sweetheart (musical)America’s Sweetheart is a musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Herbert Fields.-Production:America's Sweetheart premiered on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on February 10, 1931 and closed on June 6, 1931 after 135 performances...
(1931) - Anything GoesAnything GoesAnything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
(1934) - The Farmer Takes a WifeThe Farmer Takes a WifeThe Farmer Takes a Wife is a 1934 play by Frank B. Elser and Marc Connelly based on the novel Rome Haul by Walter D. Edmonds. It was well-received upon its opening night on Broadway on October 30, 1934 at the 46th Street Theatre. The production was directed by Marc Connelly and used set designs by...
(1934) - First LadyFirst Lady (play)First Lady is a play by George S. Kaufman and Katharine Dayton. It premiered on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on November 26, 1935, closing in June 1936 after 246 performances. A hit with the public, the play was made into a film of the same name in 1937. The original Broadway production was...
(1935) - Stage Door (1936)
- Red, Hot and BlueRed, Hot and BlueRed, Hot and Blue is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and the book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1936 and introduced the popular song, "It's De-Lovely" sung by Ethel Merman.-Synopsis:...
(1936) - Johnny JohnsonJohnny Johnson (musical)Johnny Johnson is a musical with a book and lyrics by Paul Green and music by Kurt Weill.Based on Jaroslav Hašek's satiric novel The Good Soldier Švejk, it focuses on a naive and idealistic young man who, despite his pacifist views, leaves his sweetheart Minny Belle Tompkins to fight in Europe in...
(1936) - You Can't Take It with YouYou Can't Take It with YouYou Can't Take It with You is a comedic play in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The original production of the play opened at the Booth Theater on December 14, 1936, and played for 837 performances...
(1936) - I'd Rather Be RightI'd Rather Be RightI'd Rather Be Right is a musical with a book by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, lyrics by Lorenz Hart, and music by Richard Rodgers. The story is a Depression-era political satire set in New York City, about Washington politics and political figures, such as President Franklin Roosevelt...
(1937) - Skylark (1939)
- The Man Who Came to DinnerThe Man Who Came to DinnerThe Man Who Came to Dinner is a comedy in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. It debuted on October 16, 1939 at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. It then enjoyed a number of New York and London revivals. The first London production was staged at The Savoy Theatre starring Robert...
(1939) - My Dear Children (1940)
- Claudia (1941)
- Born YesterdayBorn YesterdayBorn Yesterday is a play written by Garson Kanin which premiered on Broadway in 1946, starring Judy Holliday as Billie Dawn. The play was adapted intoa successful 1950 film of the same name.- Plot :...
(1946) - Present LaughterPresent LaughterPresent Laughter is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 and first staged in 1942 on tour, alternating with his lower middle-class domestic drama This Happy Breed...
(1946)
- Park AvenuePark Avenue (musical)Park Avenue is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman and Nunnally Johnson, music by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. The plot focused on the many divorces and marriages of the rich and "black tie" set...
(1946) - The Fatal Weakness (1946)
- Years Ago (1946)
- Angel in the Wings (1947)
- Life With Mother (1948)
- Goodbye, My Fancy (1948)
- The Rat Race (1949)
- The Velvet Glove (1949)
- Sabrina FairSabrina FairSabrina Fair is a romantic comedy written by Samuel A. Taylor. It ran on Broadway for a total of 318 performances, opening at the National Theatre on November 11, 1953. Directed by H. C...
(1953) - The Prescott Proposals (1953)
- Dear Charles (1954)
- Janus (1955)
- Major Barbara (1957)
- The Pleasure of His CompanyThe Pleasure of His CompanyThe Pleasure of His Company is a comedy film starring Fred Astaire and Debbie Reynolds, released by Paramount Pictures. It is based on the 1958 play of the same name by Samuel A. Taylor and Cornelia Otis Skinner.-Plot:...
(1958) - The Marriage-Go-RoundThe Marriage-Go-RoundThe Marriage-Go-Round is a 1958 play written by Leslie Stevens and a 1961 film adaptation also written and produced by Stevens. It was inspired by a suggestion that dancer Isadora Duncan supposedly made to playwright George Bernard Shaw: the two of them should have a child because "with your mind...
(1958) - A Majority of OneA Majority of One-Plot:The comedy involves Mrs. Jacoby, a Jewish widow from Brooklyn, New York, and Koichi Asano, a millionaire widower from Tokyo. Mrs. Jacoby is sailing to Japan with her daughter and foreign service officer son-in-law who is being posted to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo...
(1959) - A Far CountryA Far CountryA Far Country is a play by Henry Denker. The work premiered on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on April 4, 1961 where it closed on November 25, 1961 after 271 performances. Produced by Roger L. Stevens and Joel Schenker, the production was directed by Alfred Ryder and used sets by Donald...
(1961) - A Case of Libel (1963)
- Spofford (1967)