Oakley Hall III
Encyclopedia
Oakley "Tad" Hall III was an American playwright, director, and author. The eldest child of novelist Oakley Hall
and photographer Barbara E. Hall, at age 28 he was a rising star in the New York theatre scene. In the mid-1970s, his play Mike Fink was optioned by Joseph Papp
of the Public Theatre. Oakley founded and was the artistic director of the legendary Lexington Conservatory Theatre in upstate New York, where his plays Grinder's Stand and Beatrice (Cenci) and the Old Man, and his stage adaptation of Frankenstein, enjoyed their première productions. Lexington Conservatory Theatre moved to Albany in 1979 and continues operating today as Albany Rep.
In 1978, Oakley suffered traumatic and massive head injuries in a fall from a bridge. He eventually returned to California to live in Nevada City near his family; there his play Grinder's Stand, which he had been writing at the time of his accident, was produced by the Foothill Theatre Company, directed by Philip Sneed. The story of this production, entwined with Oakley's fall and the slow process of creating a new life, are movingly told in Bill Rose's award-winning documentary, The Loss of Nameless Things..
Oakley made a life-long study of the pre-surrealist playwright, Alfred Jarry
, and over the years translated several of Jarry's plays from the original French. In 2008, Hall moved to Albany, New York, to live with Hadiya Wilborn, who fostered a collaboration with acclaimed puppeteer Ed Atkeson. This resulted in a production of one of those translated plays, Ubu Rex
, performed by the Firlefanz Puppets at Steamer No. 10 Theatre in Albany, New York, directed by Oakley, with Steven Patterson
in the title role. In the fall of 2010, Moving Finger Press published Oakley's novel, Jarry and Me, in which Oakley intertwines a memoir of his own life with a sly "autobiography" of Jarry. One of the last sentences of the book is, "Jarry dies with a grin on his face."
Oakley is survived by his two children, Oakley and Elizabeth, his mother, Barbara E. Hall, his sisters Sands Hall, Tracy Hall, and Brett Hall Jones, four loving nephews and a niece—Justin, Nico, Hunter, Dashiell, and Emma—and his chérie, Hadiya Wilborn.
Some of Oakley Hall III's writings are available to read online at www.absintheurpress.com, in a collection which is continually being supplemented.
Oakley Hall
Oakley Maxwell Hall was an American novelist. He was born in San Diego, California, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and served in the Marines during World War II. Some of his mysteries were published under the pen names "O.M...
and photographer Barbara E. Hall, at age 28 he was a rising star in the New York theatre scene. In the mid-1970s, his play Mike Fink was optioned by Joseph Papp
Joseph Papp
Joseph Papp was an American theatrical producer and director. Papp established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in downtown New York . "The Public," as it is known, has many small theatres within it...
of the Public Theatre. Oakley founded and was the artistic director of the legendary Lexington Conservatory Theatre in upstate New York, where his plays Grinder's Stand and Beatrice (Cenci) and the Old Man, and his stage adaptation of Frankenstein, enjoyed their première productions. Lexington Conservatory Theatre moved to Albany in 1979 and continues operating today as Albany Rep.
In 1978, Oakley suffered traumatic and massive head injuries in a fall from a bridge. He eventually returned to California to live in Nevada City near his family; there his play Grinder's Stand, which he had been writing at the time of his accident, was produced by the Foothill Theatre Company, directed by Philip Sneed. The story of this production, entwined with Oakley's fall and the slow process of creating a new life, are movingly told in Bill Rose's award-winning documentary, The Loss of Nameless Things..
Oakley made a life-long study of the pre-surrealist playwright, Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry
Alfred Jarry was a French writer born in Laval, Mayenne, France, not far from the border of Brittany; he was of Breton descent on his mother's side....
, and over the years translated several of Jarry's plays from the original French. In 2008, Hall moved to Albany, New York, to live with Hadiya Wilborn, who fostered a collaboration with acclaimed puppeteer Ed Atkeson. This resulted in a production of one of those translated plays, Ubu Rex
Ubu Rex
Ubu Rex is an opera by composer Krzysztof Penderecki.The opera's German language libretto by Penderecki and Jerzy Jarocki is based on Alfred Jarry's 1896 surrealist play Ubu Roi. The work was premiered by the Bavarian State Opera on July 8, 1991 for the opening of the annual Munich Opera Festival...
, performed by the Firlefanz Puppets at Steamer No. 10 Theatre in Albany, New York, directed by Oakley, with Steven Patterson
Steven Patterson
Steven Andrew Patterson is an English first-class cricketer, contracted to play for Yorkshire County Cricket Club....
in the title role. In the fall of 2010, Moving Finger Press published Oakley's novel, Jarry and Me, in which Oakley intertwines a memoir of his own life with a sly "autobiography" of Jarry. One of the last sentences of the book is, "Jarry dies with a grin on his face."
Oakley is survived by his two children, Oakley and Elizabeth, his mother, Barbara E. Hall, his sisters Sands Hall, Tracy Hall, and Brett Hall Jones, four loving nephews and a niece—Justin, Nico, Hunter, Dashiell, and Emma—and his chérie, Hadiya Wilborn.
Some of Oakley Hall III's writings are available to read online at www.absintheurpress.com, in a collection which is continually being supplemented.