Biography

Sheldon Patinkin

Sheldon Patinkin is the chair of the Theater Department of Columbia College Chicago, Artistic Director of the Getz Theater of Columbia College, Artistic Consultant of The Second City and of Steppenwolf Theatre and Co-Director of the Steppenwolf Theatre Summer Ensemble Workshops. Among recent directing projects outside of the College have been The Glass Menagerie (Gift Theater Company), South Pacific (Metropolis Art Center), Uncle Vanya (Steppenwolf), Long Day’s Journey into Night (Irish Rep and the Galway Festival in Ireland) and "Krapp's Last Tape" for the Buckets of Beckett Festival, both starring John Mahoney, as well as concert stagings of opera scenes and excerpts for the Lyric Opera Center at the Grant Park and Ravinia Festival Concerts. He received a Jeff Award for directing his Irving Berlin revue Puttin’ on the Ritz and a special Jeff for his contribution to Chicago theater. His translation of Brecht's The Good Person of Setzuan was directed by Frank Galati at the Goodman Theatre. His book The Second City: Backstage at the World's Greatest Comedy Theater was published by SourceBooks in 2000 and Keeping Up with the Times, his text book on the history of the American musical, will soon be published by Northwestern University Press.