John Shea (1970-78 Yale plays)
Yale Library 1978: John Shea
JOHN SHEA’S ROLES
“Joseph K” THE TRIAL YSD 1970-71
“Prince” IVONA PRINCESS OF BURGUNDIA YSD 1971-72
“Lodovico” THE WHITE DEVIL YSD1971-72
“Cleonte” THE BOURGEOIS GENTLEMAN YRT 1972-73
THE BOURGEOIS GENTLEMAN - October 6-December 6, 1972, Yale Rep
By Moliere
Translated by Michael Feingold
Directed by Alvin Epstein
Sound Collage - Preston A. Trombly
Sets and Costumes - Steven Rubin
Lighting - Nathan L. Drucker
Choreographic Assistance - Carmen de Lavallade
Cast: Marycharlotte Cummings, Carmen de Lavallade, Leonard Frey, Robert Gainer, Bill Gearhart, Joseph G. Grifasi, Michael Gross, Nicholas Hormann, Amanda Lihamba, Jonathan Marks, Deborah Mayo, John McAndrew, Elizabeth Parrish, William Peters, Michael Quigley, Robin Pearson Rose, Paul Schierhorn, John V. Shea, Preston A. Trombly
“Private” and "John" LEAR YRT 1972-73
+ LEAR -April 13-May 19, 1973, Yale Rep
by Edward Bond
Directed by David Giles
Sets - Ming Cho Lee
Costumes - Jeanne Button
Lighting - William B. Warfel
Sound - David Jonathan Ward
Cast: Bob Balaban, Marycharlotte Cummings, Donald Davis, Alvin Epstein, Robert Gainer, Linda Gates, Jeremy Geidt, Joseph G. Grifasi, Michael Gross, Carmen de Lavallade, Alvin Epstein, Bill Gearhart, Nicholas Hormann, Stephen Joyce, Bill Ludel, Jonathan Marks, John McAndrew, Mark McCarthy, Elizabeth Parrish, William Peters, Michael Quigley, Steven Robman, Robin Pearson Rose, Raphael Sbarge, Paul Schierhorn, John V. Shea, Larry Strichman, Eugene Troobnick
“Uriah Shelley” MAN IS MAN YRT 1977-78
By Bertolt Brecht
Translated by Steve Gooch
Music by William Bolcom
Directed by Ron Daniels
Sets - Nancy Thun
Costumes - Dunya Ramicova
Lighting - Thomas Skelton
Musical Director - Paul Schierhorn
Cast: Mark Linn Baker, Edward Chell, Thomas Derrah, William Foeller, Jeremy Geidt, Joseph Grifasi, Michael Gross, Richard Grusin, Bill Keller, Warren Manzi, Harry Murphy, Patrizia Norcia, Timothy O’Hagan, Estelle Parsons, John Seitz, Tony Shalhoub, John Shea
©
Yale Library
Excerpt from People 5/24/82: John Shea
Missing's Heartthrob John Shea Is Present and Accounted for in An Off-Broadway Hit
By Lee Wohlfert-Wihlborg May 24, 1982 Vol. 17 No. 20
The son of a school superintendent and the eldest of five children, John headed to Bates College in Maine with plans to become a career diplomat, but he switched to acting after landing the lead role in a college production. "Bitten by the fatal bug," he later enrolled at Yale Drama School. There he studied directing (while Laura took special photography courses) and performed in the school's Repertory Theater. His co-star in one play: fellow student Meryl Streep, now a neighbor with whom John and Laura occasionally socialize.
© People
Excerpt from Bates University 1993: John Shea
John Shea '70: Actor, Freelance
by Beck Shoenfeld: from Career Compass, Vol. 1, No. 17
A drama and speech major at Bates, Shea attended Yale Drama School for three years. He felt that the "psychological difference" between Bates and New York City was too intense. "I needed more training," he stated. "And New Haven was the perfect bridge."
© Bates College
Excerpt from The Irish Echo 2/16/99: John Shea
Tracings John Shea - portrait of an artist
By Olivia Tracey February 16th by admin
Theater became his major and, after graduation, he was accepted into the prestigious Yale School of Drama. At last, life was perfect. Well, not exactly. Frustration at not getting to work with the most interesting teachers, and torture at being subjected to the sadistic-malicious types, prompted the budding actor to leave within a year. However, fate took another twist as the dean, Robert Brustein, struck a compromise, allowing Shea to change his major to directing as long as he would continue to act in the Yale Rep and the Yale cabaret. It was a deal.
© Irish Echo
Excerpt from Backstage 2/18/00: John Shea
FACE TO FACE: John Shea - Playing a Wounded Idealist
By Simi Horwitz Publication: BackStage Date: Friday, February 18 2000
Following graduation, Shea was accepted as an M.F.A. acting student in Yale's School of Drama and after one year of "hating it" moved into the directing department. For starters, he recalls, the most interesting teachers at Yale-like the late novelist Jerzy Kozinski, set designer Ming Cho Lee, film critic Stanley Kaufman, and film directors Arthur Penn and Sidney Lumet-were not available to the acting students. "The acting students' lives were totally prescribed and studying with those artists was not included."
More serious were some of the acting teachers Shea encountered. "I was tortured," he says frankly. "One of the instructors, in particular, was malicious and sadistic. I wanted to leave. Robert Brustein, who was the dean at the time, didn't want me to leave. He said he'd make a deal with me. It was OK with him if I majored in directing as long as I continued to act for him in the Yale Rep and the Yale cabaret. And I did."
© Backstage
Excerpt from The Hartford Courant 2/9/14: John Shea
Meryl Streep At Yale: Setting The Oscar-Winning Standard
February 09, 2014|By FRANK RIZZO, The Hartford Courant
She performed in more than 40 stage productions while she was at Yale with a stellar group of actors in overlapping classes that included Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Durang, Ted Tally, Wendy Wasserstein, Christine Estabrook, William Ivey Long, Walt Jones, Joe Grifasi and John Shea.
© Hartford Courant