Richard L. Coe
Encyclopedia
Richard Livingston Coe born in New York City
, was a theatre and cinema critic for The Washington Post
for more than fifty years. Coe was renowned for the astute advice he gave to many pre-Broadway try-out companies. His adroit and knowledgeable commentary is credited with persuading producers to make changes vital to the ultimate success of Hello, Dolly!
, West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
and many other shows. Coe's enormous love of the theatre made him fierce when he thought that actor
s, directors or producers
had not lived up to their best potential, but more often it made him sensitive to the nuances of good work, supportive of the best endeavors, and wise in educating audiences and encouraging their support of the live theatre.
Coe, arguably, unlike other critics and fellow colleagues of his time, was considered a unique critic, who expressed more of the positive
rather than the negative
in his support for actors in his years of writing for the Washington Post, and often took license
with his own "gut" opinions.
One of the more notable contributions to Washington theatre by Coe, among others, are Coe's early efforts, and editorial participation to establish a theater worthy of the nation's capital. That theater, after many years of indecisiveness, is known today as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington, D.C.
. He is also credited for being a major voice in the effort to end racial discrimination of African Americans attending The National Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
, prior to the civil rights movement
in the United States.
Coe was a close friend of Washington native and actress, Helen Hayes
, "First Lady of the American Theatre", and was contacted by a group of individuals seeking to secure her participation in establishing
The Helen Hayes Awards, also in Washington, D.C.
Coe received the Critic of the Year award by the
Directors Guild of America in 1963, and is an inductee in The College of Fellows of the American Theatre.
He became Theatre Critic Emeritus
of The Washington Post
in 1979.
Richard Coe was preceded in death by his wife, journalist Christine Sadler
, former Washington Post staff writer and Washington editor of McCall's
Magazine
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, was a theatre and cinema critic for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
for more than fifty years. Coe was renowned for the astute advice he gave to many pre-Broadway try-out companies. His adroit and knowledgeable commentary is credited with persuading producers to make changes vital to the ultimate success of Hello, Dolly!
Hello, Dolly! (musical)
Hello, Dolly! is a musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955....
, West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart....
and many other shows. Coe's enormous love of the theatre made him fierce when he thought that actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
s, directors or producers
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
had not lived up to their best potential, but more often it made him sensitive to the nuances of good work, supportive of the best endeavors, and wise in educating audiences and encouraging their support of the live theatre.
Coe, arguably, unlike other critics and fellow colleagues of his time, was considered a unique critic, who expressed more of the positive
Positive
Positive is a property of positivity and may refer to:- Mathematics and science :* Converging lens or positive lens, in optics* Plus sign, the sign "+" used to indicate a positive number* Positive , a polarity of electrical charge...
rather than the negative
Negative
- Science and mathematics :* Negative number* Negative mass* Negative energy * Electrical polarity* Negative result * Negative lenses, uses to describe diverging optics, see lens - Photography :...
in his support for actors in his years of writing for the Washington Post, and often took license
License
The verb license or grant licence means to give permission. The noun license or licence refers to that permission as well as to the document recording that permission.A license may be granted by a party to another party as an element of an agreement...
with his own "gut" opinions.
One of the more notable contributions to Washington theatre by Coe, among others, are Coe's early efforts, and editorial participation to establish a theater worthy of the nation's capital. That theater, after many years of indecisiveness, is known today as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He is also credited for being a major voice in the effort to end racial discrimination of African Americans attending The National Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
National Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
The National Theatre is located in Washington, D.C., and is a venue for a variety of live stage productions with seating for 1,676.Despite its name, it is not a governmentally funded national theatre, but operated by a private, non-profit organization....
, prior to the civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
in the United States.
Coe was a close friend of Washington native and actress, Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
, "First Lady of the American Theatre", and was contacted by a group of individuals seeking to secure her participation in establishing
The Helen Hayes Awards, also in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Coe received the Critic of the Year award by the
Directors Guild of America in 1963, and is an inductee in The College of Fellows of the American Theatre.
He became Theatre Critic Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
in 1979.
Richard Coe was preceded in death by his wife, journalist Christine Sadler
Christine Sadler
Christine Sadler , born in Silver Point, Putnam County, Tennessee, was an Americanauthor, journalist, and magazine editor.-Biography:...
, former Washington Post staff writer and Washington editor of McCall's
McCall's
McCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of 8.4 million in the early 1960s. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873...
Magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
.
