Oskar Eustis is one of the most admired figures in contemporary American theater.
As artistic director of San Francisco’s Eureka Theatre Company, he commissioned Tony Kushner’s groundbreaking “Angels in America” and directed its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. A quarter-century later, he produced Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” for The Public Theater in New York.
At 4 p.m. Monday, March 26, Eustis will discuss his life and work for the Performing Arts Department (PAD) in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Titled “A Conversation with Oskar Eustis,” the talk is presented as the PAD’s annual Helen Clanton Morrin Lecture. It will take place in Edison Theatre, Mallinckrodt Center, 6465 Forsyth Blvd.
Pannill Camp, associate professor of drama and a former student of Eustis, will introduce the talk. A reception will immediately follow. Admission is free and open to the public, but space is limited and RSVPs are recommended. For more information, call the PAD at 314-935-5858 or email pad@wustl.edu.
Throughout his career, Eustis has dedicated his work as director, dramaturg and producer to the development of new plays. In addition to developing “Hamilton,” his credits at The Public — where he has served as artistic director since 2005 — include directing the New York premieres of Rinne Groff’s “Compulsion” and “The Ruby Sunrise,” and producing Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Sweat” and Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori’s “Fun Home,” adapted from the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel.
At Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, R.I., where he served as artistic director from 1994-2005, Eustis directed the world premiere of Kushner’s “Homebody/Kabul” and Paula Vogel’s “The Long Christmas Ride Home,” both recipients of the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Production.
Last spring, Eustis was a guest for On TAP, the theater podcast co-founded by Camp. The touring production of “Hamilton” will open at The Fox Theatre in St. Louis April 3.
About the Morrin Lecture
The Morrin Lecture is named for Washington University alumna Helen Clanton Morrin (1913-1997). After serving 19 years as executive director of the Council of World Affairs, Morrin completed a Master of Liberal Arts degree in 1994, at the age of 82. Graduate study was a source of great joy and satisfaction after her long career in journalism, public relations and volunteerism.
The lecture was established in her memory in 1998 by her children, Peter Morrin, Kevin Morrin and Sheila Humphreys, as well as by friends and colleagues.