Curt Columbus

Curt Columbus joined Trinity Rep as artistic director in January 2006. He has directed his own translation of Cherry Orchard for Trinity, as well as productions of A Christmas Carol, Memory House and Blithe Spirit. Upcoming directing projects include The Receptionist and The Secret Rapture. Last season saw the premiere of Curt’s play with music, Paris by Night, and Trinity’s 2008-09 season will open with his re-imagining of Sophocles’ Antigone, entitled The House of Antigone. Curt was the associate artistic director of Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theater Company from 2000-2005, where the world premieres of his translations of Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya were presented. Other Steppenwolf credits include translating Maria Arndt and directing The House of Lily, Division Street: America and Our Town. He was also the artistic director of Chicago Park District’s Theater on the Lake and an artistic associate at Victory Gardens Theater from 1990–2006. His adaptation of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment (with Marilyn Campbell), which was first presented by Writers’ Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, was awarded a Joseph Jefferson Award for best new adaptation and is published by Dramatists’ Play Service. Productions of Crime and Punishment have been seen across the country, including upcoming presentations in 2009 at Berkeley Rep, Indiana Rep, and the Cleveland Playhouse. Curt’s new translations of Anton Chekhov’s plays have been published by Ivan R. Dee, including a volume of translations called Chekhov: The Four Major Plays. From that collection, Seagull premiered at Writers’ Theatre in September 2004, and Three Sisters premiered at Strawdog Theatre in October 2005. Curt was honored with a 2005-2006 Joseph Jefferson Citation for New Adaptation for his translation of Three Sisters. Curt lives in Pawtucket with his partner, Nathan Watson.