Willie Reale

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Willie Reale is an American lyricist who has received Academy Award nominations for best song category for his work as a lyricist on the movie Dreamgirls and has won 3 Emmy awards (in 2010, 2011) as one of the writer/producers for The Electric Company

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Early life and career

Willie Reale is an American lyricist. He grew up in Park Ridge, New Jersey with four brothers and a sister.

Theater credits include Once Around the City (book and lyrics), which was produced off-broadway at the Second Stage Theatre. He was nominated for two Tony Awards for A Year With Frog and Toad , which he wrote with his brother, composer Robert Reale. With his brother (and Richard Dresser) he has written Johnny Baseball , which was produced at the American Repertory Theater.

Reale has an Academy Award nomination in the best song category for his work as a lyricist on the movie Dreamgirls and has won 3 Emmy awards (in 2010, 2011) as one of the writer/producers behind the recent reinvention of 1970's literacy classic, The Electric Company on PBS. [1] Willie has worked written extensively for network television and has been nominated 3 times for Writer's Guild Awards.

52nd Street Project

In 1981, Reale founded The 52nd Street Project, [2] an organization that brings inner-city children together with professional theater artists. He served as the theater's artistic director for 18 years. He wrote '52 Pick Up,' the Project's how-to manual. The 52nd Street Project's programs are currently being replicated at 14 sites across country and in Europe. In June 1994, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in recognition of his ingenuity in creating theater and theater education programs for young people. [2] The 52nd Street Project was recognized by a Coming Up Taller Award from the Clinton White House. In fact the name of the award, which recognizes arts in education organizations, was taken from this quote by Willie: 'There is no way to fast forward and know the result of this work. But I have seen the pride in their eyes and heard the joy in their voices. I have watched them take a bow and come up taller.' [2]

Personal life

Reale was married to producer Jenny Gersten, they are now divorced. They have two children, Augustus and Leonardo. [3]

In an interview on the radio program Conversations with Allan Wolper on WBGO 88.3FM, Reale spoke about his time living in Hell's Kitchen and how New York is a big inspiration for his work. [4]

Awards and nominations

In June 1994, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in recognition of his ingenuity in creating theater and theater education programs for young people. [5]

Plays

Musicals

Television

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References

  1. ↑ "Awards for The Electric Company (2006)". IMDb. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "The 52nd Street project - About us". 52project.org. 2020.
  3. ↑ "Jenny Gersten: Artistic Director of Williamstown Theater Festival Reflections". talkinbroadway.com. 2020.
  4. ↑ WBGO 88.3FM Allan Wolper Talks To Willie Reale Conversations with Allan Wolper
  5. ↑ Leimbach, Dulcie (26 August 1994). "For Children". The New York Times. p. 23. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  6. ↑ "Theatre Communications Group - New Plays". www.tcg.org. Archived from the original on 2010-12-31.
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