Joseph Chaikin

Joseph Chaikin was born on September 16, 1935, in New York City. Chaikin was an American theatre director, teacher, and playwright. As a child he suffered from heart complications and it was during th... Read more
Joseph Chaikin was born on September 16, 1935, in New York City. Chaikin was an American theatre director, teacher, and playwright. As a child he suffered from heart complications and it was during this period of isolation that he began to experiment in the theatre. He attended Drake University in Iowa and shortly after started to work with The Living Theatre, before founding The Open Theater. Chaikin performed for The Open Theater in many plays such as Beckett’s ENDGAME and TERMINAL. Chaikin later formed a theatre company called The Winter Project, whose members included Ronnie Gilbert and Will Patton. Chaikin also wrote a multitude of plays such as TONGUES, SAVAGE/LOVE, and WHEN THE WORLD WAS GREEN. In 1984 Chaikin suffered from a stroke, leaving him with partial aphasia. Despite this barrier to communication, Chaikin continued to direct and to create plays. In 1972 Chaikin’s book, “The Presence of the Actor,” was published, which included notes, photographs, and exercises from many Open Theatre productions. He received six Obie Awards, including one for Lifetime Achievement, and two Guggenheim Fellowships. Chaikin died on June 22, 2003, in New York City.