Robert Nemiroff
Robert Nemiroff was a prominent figure in American theater, known primarily for his close association with playwright Lorraine Hansberry. The two met in 1953 during a protest against racial discrimination and married later that year, maintaining a strong bond even after their divorce in 1964. Following Hansberry's death from cancer in 1965, Nemiroff dedicated a significant portion of his career to preserving and promoting her legacy. He edited and adapted her writings, including the notable work "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black," which he transformed into a play that premiered in 1969.
Nemiroff also adapted Hansberry's play "Les Blancs" and collaborated on the musical "Raisin," which won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1974, further solidifying Hansberry's impact on American theater. In addition to his work related to Hansberry, Nemiroff wrote an original play titled "Postmark Zero," which was produced on Broadway in 1965. His contributions reflect a commitment to both honoring Hansberry’s work and advancing diversity in the theater community.
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Robert Nemiroff
Author
- Born: 1936
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: 1991
Biography
New York City native Robert Nemiroff met Lorraine Hansberry in 1953 when the two were protesting racial discrimination on a picket line at New York University. Nemiroff married the aspiring writer that same year. The marriage lasted until 1964, but the two remained close after their divorce.
After Hansberry died of cancer in January, 1965, Nemiroff focused much of his career on promoting her work. He edited a selection of Hansberry’s writings, To Be Young, Gifted, and Black: A Portrait of Lorraine Hansberry in Her Own Words (1969). Nemiroff adapted the book into a play of the same name that was first performed at an off-Broadway theater in 1969. He also adapted Hansberry’s play Les Blancs, and his adaptation was produced in 1970 at the Longacre Theatre in New York City.
Hansberry’s first complete play was A Raisin in the Sun (1959), which was both the first play by an African American to win the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award and the first Broadway play to be produced by an African American woman. In 1973, Nemiroff enlisted the help of Charlotte Zaltzberg, composer Judd Woldin, and lyricist Robert Brittan, and they adapted Hansberry’s play into the musical Raisin, which won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1974. That year, Nemiroff, who produced Raisin, was nominated for a Tony Award for his script for the musical. Raisin ran for nearly three years on Broadway. In addition to his efforts on behalf of Hansberry, Nemiroff wrote an original play, Postmark Zero, which was produced on Broadway in 1965.