Ralph G. Allen
Encyclopedia
Ralph Gilmore Allen was an American producer
, director, writer, lyricist
, and professor. He is credited, along with Harry Rigby
with having conceived of the Tony Award
-winning musical comedy Sugar Babies
, a tribute to the burlesque
era. In 1965, Allen was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship
in the category of Humanities.
from Amherst College
in 1955 and his Doctor of Fine Arts
from the Yale School of Drama in 1960. It was at Yale than Allen met his wife, Harriet Nichols. Allen died at the age of 70 in New York City
on September 9, 2004.
for Theatre Arts. From 1965 through 1968, Allen served as an editor for the academic journal Theatre Survey. Allen served as artistic director at the Victoria Fair Theatre from 1968 to 1972. From 1972 through 1978, Allen was the chairman of the theatre department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While at the University of Tennessee, he also served as the artistic director of the Clarence Brown company, a professional theatre company in residence at the university.
, the musical comedy Sugar Babies
. Allen had traveled around the United States interviewing elderly comedians and taking down their comedy sketches. He wrote a revue, which would later become Sugar Babies, based on his collection of approximately 5000 comedy sketches. The show opened on October 8, 1979, and ran for 1208 performances before closing on August 28, 1982.
Allen's other plays include a rendition of Rip van Winkle
, co-authored by Joshua Logan
in 1976, The Tax Collector in 1977, and Honky Tonk Nights, a 1986 collaboration with David Campbell
. Allen also wrote several books including Theatre and Drama in the Making in 1964 and Gaiety: the life and times of the American Burlesque show in 1980.
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
, director, writer, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, and professor. He is credited, along with Harry Rigby
Harry Rigby
Harry Rigby was a Tony Award-winning American theatre producer and writer.Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rigby joined forces with Jule Styne and Alexander H. Cohen to produce the short-lived 1951 Hugh Martin musical Make a Wish as his first Broadway outing...
with having conceived of the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
-winning musical comedy Sugar Babies
Sugar Babies
Sugar Babies is a musical revue conceived by Ralph G. Allen and Harry Rigby, with music by Jimmy McHugh, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Al Dubin and various others. The show is a tribute to the old burlesque era...
, a tribute to the burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
era. In 1965, Allen was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in the category of Humanities.
Biography
Ralph G. Allen was born on January 7, 1934 in Philadelphia. As a teenager, he and his friends went to see burlesque shows. For his friends, the appeal of the burlesque show was the scantily-clad women, but Allen was more interested in the bawdy humor. Allen received his bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in 1955 and his Doctor of Fine Arts
Doctor of Fine Arts
Doctor of Fine Arts is doctoral degree in fine arts, typically given as an honorary degree . The degree is typically conferred to honor the recipient who has made a contribution to society in the arts...
from the Yale School of Drama in 1960. It was at Yale than Allen met his wife, Harriet Nichols. Allen died at the age of 70 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 9, 2004.
Career
In 1965, Allen was awarded a Guggenheim FellowshipGuggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
for Theatre Arts. From 1965 through 1968, Allen served as an editor for the academic journal Theatre Survey. Allen served as artistic director at the Victoria Fair Theatre from 1968 to 1972. From 1972 through 1978, Allen was the chairman of the theatre department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While at the University of Tennessee, he also served as the artistic director of the Clarence Brown company, a professional theatre company in residence at the university.
Works
Allen is most famous for having conceived, along with Harry RigbyHarry Rigby
Harry Rigby was a Tony Award-winning American theatre producer and writer.Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rigby joined forces with Jule Styne and Alexander H. Cohen to produce the short-lived 1951 Hugh Martin musical Make a Wish as his first Broadway outing...
, the musical comedy Sugar Babies
Sugar Babies
Sugar Babies is a musical revue conceived by Ralph G. Allen and Harry Rigby, with music by Jimmy McHugh, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and Al Dubin and various others. The show is a tribute to the old burlesque era...
. Allen had traveled around the United States interviewing elderly comedians and taking down their comedy sketches. He wrote a revue, which would later become Sugar Babies, based on his collection of approximately 5000 comedy sketches. The show opened on October 8, 1979, and ran for 1208 performances before closing on August 28, 1982.
Allen's other plays include a rendition of Rip van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle
"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving published in 1819, as well as the name of the story's fictional protagonist. Written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, it was part of a collection entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon...
, co-authored by Joshua Logan
Joshua Logan
Joshua Lockwood Logan III was an American stage and film director and writer.-Early years:Logan was born in Texarkana, Texas, the son of Susan and Joshua Lockwood Logan. When he was three years old his father committed suicide...
in 1976, The Tax Collector in 1977, and Honky Tonk Nights, a 1986 collaboration with David Campbell
David Campbell
-Politics:*David Campbell , Governor of Virginia*David Campbell *David Campbell , South Belfast M.P.*David Campbell , former New South Wales Transport Minister...
. Allen also wrote several books including Theatre and Drama in the Making in 1964 and Gaiety: the life and times of the American Burlesque show in 1980.