Bertolt Brecht

Personal Information
Bertolt Brecht was born in Augsburg, Germany. His first play to be produced was Bael (1922), this was followed by Drums in the Night, a play about a soldier returning from war, Jungle of the Cities (1923) and A Man's a Man (1926). In 1927 Brecht collaborated with the composer Kurt Weill to produce the musical play, Mahagonny. They then produced The Threepenny Opera. Although based on The Beggar's Opera that was originally produced in 1728, Brecht added his own lyrics. He also worked with the composer Hanns Eisner in The Measure Taken (1930). Brecht attempted to develop a new approach to the theatre. He attempted to persuade his audiences to see the stage as a stage, actors as actors and not the traditional make-believe of the theatre. While living in exile he wrote anti-Nazi plays such as The Roundheads and the Peakheads and Fear and Misery of the Third Reich. These were followed by Galileo (1939), Mother Courage (1939), The Good Man of Szechuan (1941), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (1941) and the Caucausian Chalk Circle (1943). In 1949 Brecht founded the Berliner Ensemble. Brecht wrote only one new play, The Days of the Commune (1949), while living in East Germany.
 
Playwrights' Sidewalk: Bertolt Brecht has a star on the Playwrights' Sidewalk.
Credits

Author
Production Theatre Opened Credit
1 The Resistible Rise of Arturo UI East 13th Street/CSC Theatre 11/14/2018 Playwright
2 Mother Courage and Her Children East 13th Street/CSC Theatre 01/19/2016 Playwright
3 The Threepenny Opera Linda Gross Theater 04/07/2014 Book
4 The Threepenny Opera Linda Gross Theater 04/07/2014 Lyricist
5 A Man's A Man East 13th Street/CSC Theatre 01/30/2014 Playwright
6 Good Person of Szechwan Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Martinson Hall 10/29/2013 Playwright
7 The Caucasian Chalk Circle East 13th Street/CSC Theatre 05/30/2013 Playwright
8 Galileo East 13th Street/CSC Theatre 02/12/2012 Playwright
9 Mother Courage and Her Children Delacorte Theater 08/21/2006 Playwright
10 Mother Courage Bouwerie Lane Theatre 09/07/2005 Playwright
11 Here Lies Jenny Zipper Theatre 05/27/2004 Lyricist
12 The Threepenny Opera Bouwerie Lane Theatre 09/07/2003 Book
13 The Threepenny Opera Bouwerie Lane Theatre 09/07/2003 Lyricist
14 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui National Actors Theatre/ The Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University 10/03/2002 Playwright
15 Berlin to Broadway Triad Theater 08/19/2000 Lyricist
16 In the Jungle of Cities Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Martinson Hall 10/29/1991 Playwright
17 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui East 13th Street/CSC Theatre 04/23/1991 Playwright
18 The Caucasian Chalk Circle Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Martinson Hall 11/13/1990 Playwright
19 An Evening with Ekkehard Schall Harold Clurman Theater 02/25/1985 Material
20 The Antigone of Sophokles Joyce Theater 01/30/1984 Playwright
21 Mother Courage and Her Children Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Newman Theater 05/13/1980 Playwright
22 Mother Courage and Her Children American Place Theatre 04/05/1978 Playwright
23 The Threepenny Opera Delacorte Theater 06/28/1977 Book
24 The Threepenny Opera Delacorte Theater 06/28/1977 Lyricist
25 Happy End Theater Four 03/08/1977 Lyricist
26 Downfall of the Egotist Johann Fatzer 15 Van Dam 11/09/1976 Playwright
27 The Measures Taken Joseph Papp Public Theater/ Susan Stein Shiva Theater 10/04/1974 Playwright
28 The Rise and Fall of The City of Mahagonny Anderson Theatre 04/28/1970 Book
29 Trumpets and Drums Roundabout Stage II 10/12/1969 Playwright
30 Drums in the Night Circle in the Square Downtown 05/17/1967 Playwright
31 The Exception and the Rule / The Prodigal Son Greenwich Mews Theatre 05/20/1965 Playwright
32 Baal Martinique Theatre 05/06/1965 Playwright
33 Baal Martinique Theatre 05/06/1965 Songs
34 Brecht on Brecht Sheridan Square Playhouse 07/09/1963 Original Author
35 A Man's a Man Masque Theatre 09/19/1962 Playwright
36 Man is Man Living Theatre 09/18/1962 Playwright
37 Brecht on Brecht Lucille Lortel Theatre 01/03/1962 Playwright
38 In the Jungle of Cities Living Theatre 11/02/1961 Playwright
39 In the Jungle of Cities Living Theatre 12/20/1960 Playwright
40 The Good Woman of Setzuan Phoenix Theatre 12/18/1956 Playwright
41 The Threepenny Opera Lucille Lortel Theatre 09/20/1955 Book
42 The Threepenny Opera Lucille Lortel Theatre 09/20/1955 Lyricist
43 The Threepenny Opera Lucille Lortel Theatre 03/10/1954 Book
44 The Threepenny Opera Lucille Lortel Theatre 03/10/1954 Lyricist
Awards
Award Production Function
1 NOMINATED 2016 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Revival Mother Courage and Her Children Playwright
2 NOMINATED 2016 AUDELCO Award, Revival Mother Courage and Her Children Playwright
3 WON 2014 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Revival Good Person of Szechwan Playwright