Bard veteran Kulick, known for his work with the Public Theater, would seem an appropriate choice, given the 36-year-old company's mission of "Re-imagining the classics." He directed one of his first productions — Eric Overmyer's Amphitryon — at CSC. Of his more recent work includes the Shakespeare in the Park staging of Twelfth Night (2002) featuring Jimmy Smits, Julia Stiles, Oliver Platt, Zach Braff and Kristen Johnson, as well as The Winter's Tale, Pericles and Timon of Athens for the company. He has served as artistic director of the Shakespeare Society since 2001.
Among Kulick's other works include contemporary plays such as Tony Kushner's A Dybbuk, Charles L. Mee's Wintertime,Kit Marlowe, The Wax and Buicks.
"Some of my first and most significant experiences of theater were right here at Classic Stage, both as an audience member and as a young director, so it is particularly meaningful for me to take this position, to continue Classic Stage's ongoing conversation between the present and the past, and to be a part of a theater which is committed to engaging both the heart and the head," Kulick said in a released statement.
David Esbjornson and Carey Perloff preceded Edelstein in the CSC job. Christopher Martin, who founded the company in 1967, ran it until 1985.
CSC artistic directors generally go on to greater glory. Perloff became the head of San Francisco's ACT, while Esbjornson is now the preferred director of Arthur Miller, Edward Albee and other playwrights. At CSC, Edelstein directed The Underpants (2002), Race (2001), The Alchemist (2000), Hurricane (2000) and The Misanthrope with Roger Rees and Uma Thurman (1999). For Roundabout Theatre Company, he helmed the Lucille Lortel-winning All My Sons. For The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival he staged Julius Caesar and The Merchant of Venice.
Classic Stage Company's 35th season featured Amy Irving in Lanford Wilson's new translation of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts, David Strathairn in Edelstein's staging of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and Kathleen Chalfant in Marguerite Duras' Savannah Bay. The new season is yet to be determined.
For more information on Classic Stage Company, 136 East 13 Street, visit their website at www.classicstage.org.
